Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-05-05
The Poet ROgers-HiS PeculiarltieS and
Long Life.


Harriet Martineau's book of biographical
sketches contains the following pen-portrait
of this remarkable man, who died Decen-
ber IS, 1855, in his ninety-sixth year. She
says he was
Probably the last of that class who will
in England be called Mec@nas. His life
was a remarkable one from the great age
he attained during critical period of civ
ilization; and his function was n remarka-
BILE one-that of representing the bridge
over which literature has passed from the
old condition of patronage to the new one
of independence. He heard the talk OF
the town (recorded by DR.. Adams) on John
sons letter to Lord Chesterfield; and he
lived to see the improvement of the copy
right law, the removal of most of the taxes
on knowledge, and 30 vast an increase OF
the reading public as has rendered the
function of patron of authorship obsolete. "
"The last character he kept out of sight
as much as possible. When, some years
since, his bank was robbed to 80 enor-
mons an amount by the pilage of q safe,
that everybody supposed it must stop pay
ment; and when il did not stop, and all his
great friends testified their sympathy first,
and then their joy, it was a curious thing
to observe the old poets bearing, and Ia
hear the remarks upon it, He was Won
derfully reserved, and passed off the whole
with few quiet jokes, through which was
plainly seen his modification at being rec
ognized as banker, in a sphere where he
hoped he was known as an associate of the
great, and the first connoisseur in pictures
in England"
Rogers survived all his early friends. -
ave have seen Moore die in decrepit old
age; yet did Moore, in his boyhood (when
he was fourteen), delight in Rogers pleas.
ures of Memory, the poem being then sc
common as to have found its way into
schools in class-books and collections.
"He heard the first remarks on
the Vicar Of Wakefield, and read, damp
from the press, all the fiction that has ap.
peared since from the Burneys, the Edge
wortha, the SCOTS, the Dickenses and the
Thackerays. Aslfor the poetry he was
aghast at the rapidity with which the
Scots, Byrons and Moores poured oui
their works; and even Campbell was toe
quick for him-he, with all his leisure, and
being always at it, producing to the amount
of two octave volumes i'll his whole life.
'ITis hold on life was very strong. He
who was an, authority on the incidents oi
the Hastings trial, and who was in Fox'i
room when he was dying-he who saw
George III. young man, and was growing
into manhood when Johnson went to the
Hebrides, survived for several years being
run over by cab OF the construction oi
the middle of the nineteenth century. His
poetry could scarcely be said to live 80
long as himself, AZ it was rather the illus
trations with which it was graced than the
verse itself that kept his volumes on sale
and within view"
Rogers helped literary men literally
"All honor TO him for this But not the
less must the drawbacks be brought into
the account. In recording the last of any
social phase, it is dishonest to present the
bright parts without the shadows; and
Rogers remarkable position was due al
most as much TO his faults as his virtues.
He was, plainly speaking, at once fatter-
er and a cynie, II was impossible for those
who knew him best to say at any moment
whether he was in earnest or covert Jest.
Whether he ever was in earnest there
is no sort of evidence but his acts
and the consequence was that his fattery
went for nothing except with novices, while
his causticity bit rs deep as he intended.
He would begin with series Of outrageous
compliments, in measured style which
forbade interruption; and, The was allow
ed to finish, would go away and boast how
much he had made victim swallow. He
would accept constant seat at great
mans table, fatter his host 10 the top Of
his bent, and then, as is upon record, 60
away and say that the company there was
got up by conscription that there were two
parties before whom everybody must ap-
pear, his host and the police