New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-03
"REMINISCENCES or WALTER SAVAGE
LANDOR
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

tains a most interesting paper on F0rsters Lie OF
Walter Savage Landor," evidently from the pen OF
Charles Dickens the friend OF both the subject ana INC
author OF the biography Lander, it Is well known was
the original OF Laurence BoythOr7l In Bleak House
We select from the article the following graceful and
characteristic passages;
The impression strong upon the present writer's
mind as on Mr. FOrsers during years OF close friend
ship with the subject OF this biography mat MS anoS
ties were chiefly refeTabo TO tho singular lnaDlly III
INN to dssociae other peoples ways OF thinking from
his own He had, to the last luderogs grevmn oS
both Mr. Forster and the writer have ofteh amused
themselves with D against eoodnatured nQDlelnan,
doubtless perfectly unconscious OF having ever
oenae The ofense was, that on the occasion OF SOME
dinner party in another nobemans house. many yealS
before this innocent lerd thcn commonerl had passeu
in TO dinner, through some door, before NM 40 no
himself was about to pass In through tat sano
door with lady on his arm Now La9dor was gentlc,
man OF most scrupulous pOeness, and In his carriage
himself toward ladies there was certain mixture OF
staeliness and Difference belonging to quite an0efr
TO see" II no could by any effort imagine hlnse. com
uniting such high crime and ID o a. ,S ~
question, he conld only imagine hmseu aS uoi6 a. gct
set purpose under the sting OF some vast injury 10
great aont deliberately desghed a III e on on5 S ~
part OF another man 1t therefore remained 20 te Gnu m
his days The manner In which, as tune went on, no
nermeated the unfortunate Lords ancestry with TINS
ofense whmslcally characteristic OF Labu9r n9
writer remembers very well when only the ihdiVluuil
himself held responsible IN the story Ior the meao
of good breedng but In another ter years OF 80 ~
TO appear that his father had always been
grandfather developed into quite prodigy OF coarse
Behavior. ..,, o,,,.
Mp; @ Inc"ster Dsdock "Thst fellow IT, aud
his father uds, and his grandfather TdS, the most SUN
necked. arrogant imbecle pigheaded num9skuli ever
by some inexplicabo mistake OF Nature, born In any
station OF life but walking -sticRsW .,-,,
The strength OF some OF Mr. Landors most capyatlng
Kind nualities was traceabe TO the Know
ing how keenly he himself would feel tho being NJ any
pIaced nm any ridiculous light. he wonderfully con
sderate OF shy people, or OF such as might Do DeOW quo
element The writer once observed him in the keenest
distress OF mind behalf Of modest young stranger
who came into drawingrOOm with glove on MS heau
An expressive commentary this sympathetic condl-
ton aud on the decacy with which he advanced 10 me
himself at friendly dinner at Gore House. when II was
the most delightful Of houses lis dress-say ms eraSa
evening and Count DOrsay laughingiy called his atten'
ton the circumstance as we rose ron APE oa.
Count DOrsay, thank you! My dear Count Dorsay,
thank you from my soul for pointing out 70 me th9
abomnabe condition to which am reducedI II had
entered the drawing and presented myself DeIore
Lady BlessingOn in go absurd hght would nave ln'
stantly gone home, put pistol to my head ana down
Hr Forster tells similar story OF his keeping COM
many waiting dinner through losing his way, and OF his
seeing remedy for that breach Of poteness but cut
ting his throat, drowning HIMSELF unless
whom Inc met could direct him by short road To tho
house where the party were assembled surely hese arc
TIpiysSiiH Inclination to Xii kngsi
HIS toward boys was charming, ana the earn,
eStucss OF his wish TO be equal terms with then ana
60 win their confidence was quite touching row, rcad,
Ing Mr Forstcr book can iall TO see pa tls s pcs
remembrance Of that studious wiu Doy az once guy
and impetuous" who had not many ntmacles NJ Rugby,
who generally popular anu
bis Influence often the younger boys from undue
Larsbuess or violence" The impusyo yearuings OF his
passionate heart toward his own boy on their meeting
a Bath after years OF separation hkeW5o BURN through
this phase OF his character - d,
Hut a more spiritual softcned and unselhsh aspect OF
n was 10 be derived from hs respectful belief IN happi
ness which no himself had missed. His marriage had
not been fciicous Oucit may DO fairly assumed Tor
either de-but no trace OF bitterness dstrust con-
c.rniug other marriages was In his mind He was never
more serene than the midst OF domestic circle ana
was Invariably remarkable FOR perfectly Delguant IN
crcst IN Young couples aud young lovers. That IN ms
ever fresh fancy he conceived In this association IN
numernbe histories OF himself involving far moro ul-
likely events that never happened than Isaac Dlaraell
ever Imagined Is hardly 10 be doubted; but as To TINS
part Of his real history he was mute, or revealed ms
iobeucss In an Impulse 10 be- generously just We
virgo delicate ground. but slight remembrance
rises In tho which Crate nowhere.
Mr.. Forster relates how certain friend, being
in Florence him leaf from the garden OF his old
house at Fesoe. That friend had FIRST asked him what
hc should send him home aud he had stipulated for this
death. The friend coming back 10 England. related
70 IAnd0r that he had been much embarrassed on gung
in search OF the leaf by his drivers suddenly stopping
hls horses In narrow lane, aud presenting him Oho
frendl TO La siguOra LaudoTn" The lady walking
alone on q bright Italian Winter day; and the man,
having been told TO drive to the villa Landlord Inferred
he must Do conveying guest or visitor. pulled
mans mistake aud drove on The lady was walking
with rapid and firm step. had bright eyes, fine fresh
color, aud looked animated and agreeable" Lander
checked off each clause Of the description. with stately
nod OF than ready assent and replied, with all his
tremendous energy concentrated Into the sentence Aud
tho Lord forbid that should do otherwise than declare
that she always WAS ngreeabe-to every one but ms|