Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-14

her sensible face indicating a habit Of
self-control, she seemed a perfect house
hold image - irresistibly recalling
Wordsworth's description Of that domes-
tic treasure. And she was this. She
wss as able at the needle as at the pen.
The household knew the excellence of
her cookery before they heard of that of
her books"
THE LAST ENGLISH MECENAs.
Samuel Rogers, who died December
IS, 1855, in his ninety-sixth year, was
Probably the last Of that class who
will in England be called q Mac@nas.
His life was remarkable one from the
great age he attained during a critical
period of civilization; and his function
was a remarkable one-that of represent
ing the bridge over which literature has
passed from the old condition Of patron
ace TO the new one of independence. be
heard the talk of the town, (recOrded
by DR.. Adams) on Johnson's letter to
Lord Chesterfield and he lived to see
the improvement of the copyright law,
the removal of most Of the taxes on
knowledge, and so vast an increase OF
the reading public as has rendered the
function Of patron of authorship Obso-
lete."
"He was known as a poet, vat and
banker, but the last character he kept
out of sight as much as possible. When,
some years since, his bank was robbed
to so enormous amount by the pillage OF
z safe that everybody supposed it must
stoD pavment: and when it did not step,
and all his great friends testified their
sympathy first. and then their JOY, II was
a curious thing to observe the old poet 5
hearing. and TO hear the remarks upon
it. He was wonderfully reserved, and
passed through the whole with few
ouiet Jokes, through which was plainly
seen his modification at being recognized
As a banker, in n sphere where he hoped
he was known as an associate OF the
great. and first eonnoiseur in pictures IN
England" "
Rogers survived his early friends.
s.We have seen Moore die in decrepid
old age yet did Moore, in his boyhood
when be was fourteen), delight in Rog-
ers. Pleasures Of Memory, the poem
being then so common as to have found
| its way into schools, in class books and
collections.
x y He heard the first remarks
on the Vicar of Wakefield and read
damp from the press, all the fiction thai
has appeared since, from the Burneys
the Edgeworths. the Scots, the Dick
enseg. and the Thsckerays. As for tbs
poetry. he was aghast at the rapidity
with which the Scots, Byrons anC
Noores. poured out their works anC
even Campbell was too quick for him
he. with all his leisure, and being al
WAYS at It, producing to the amount o
two octave volumes in his whole lite.
His hold on life was very strong
He who was az authority on the incldent
of the Hastings trial, and Who was II
Fox's room when he was dying-he wht
saw George III, a young man, and va
growing into manhood when johnson
went to the Hebrides, survived for sev
eral years being run over By a cab o
the construction of the middle Of tn
= nineteenth century. His poetry coul
scarcely be said to live SO long as him
self as it was rather the illustration
with which it was graced than the vers
itself that kept his volumes on sale an
within view =,
Rogers helped literary men literally
All honor to him for this But no
the less must the drawbacks be brough
into account. In recording the last G
> any social phrase, it is dishonest TO pre-
, sent the bright parts without an
shadows and Rogers remarkable pos
ton was due almost as much TO his fault
! as 10 his virtuez. He was, plainly speak
ING. at once a fatterer and a cynic.
; vas impossible for those who knew hi
best TO sag st any moment WhetneT
was in earnest or covert Jest. W helh'
he ever was in earnest there Is 10 sol
# of evidence but his acts; and the cons
e ouenees was that his Aattery went +
nothing except with novices, while h
e causticity bit as deep as lie intende
If He would begin Eith series OF outrag
+ Gus compliments, in measured sty
II which forbade interruption and II
r. was allowed to finish, would 60 away al
d boast how much he had made a Wet
l, swallow. lie would accept q consta
d seat at mans table, fatter his host
As the top of his bent, and then, as is up
. record, 60 away and say that the comp
'r ny there was got up BY conseriPlCn
l. that there were two parties before Wh'
N everybody must appeaE, BIS host and {
D. police.