The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-09-24
New York CorrespOndence-NO A.
[FRox OUR OWN coRREsPoxDENr.J

NEw YORK, August 1st, 1870
I have &" interviewed - the oldest inhabitant
IN New YOrk,-a man who is more remarkable,
in.scme respects, than any other person in this
city or country. What shall we say of this gen.
tleInan, who remembers often seeing old DIR.
samuel johnson in London streets, going to and
from his famous house in Bolt Court, almost
hhndred years ago? Only three famous lifetimes
Intervene between this wonderful old man and
Shakespeare. johnson might have remembered
addison, who lived until the former was ten
5ears old Addison's childhood was contemporary
Hith Millions later years, and MiIton's boyhoOd
Nth Shakespeare's maturity johnson knew
Pope, Pope knew '' honest John Dryden who
associated with Milton; and Milton is said to
haye been patted on the head by Shakespeare.
captain Lahrbush was born in London in March,
Zoo, and is consequently in his 105th year,-a
healthy, hearty, and apparently happy old man.
He is retired English army-oficer, and has
IEed for the last twenty years in New York
Dis military duties have taken him all over the
uOrld. lie fought with Wellington on the
Peninsular campaign, and bears its scars; he was
Stationed at st. Helena during the captivity of
fhe great Napoleon, of whom, as well as of the
Duke of Wellington, he was one year the senior.
He spoke to me with feeling about the harsh
aeatment by Sir Hudson Lowe of the Imperial
Esisoner; and had frequent conversations with
Rpoleun. With Wellington, and most of the
ointment British army-oficers of the present
tsntury, he was acquainted. He served in the
war OF 1872; and regrets to say" as he ex-
pEesses it, 90 that he once captured one of our
n.srchantmen; for he is much attached to
america He remembers distinctly the breaking
ouf OF our little difficulty with England in 1776.
Captain Lahrbush was born three wears before
he last transit of Venus, which occurred in 1869
Lathe latter year, as if to prove the doctrines of
estrolOgy, twelve imperial men of nature came
insp the world. Under that rare conjunction of
TIE planets were born Napoleon, Wellington.
s9nlt, and Ney; Brunei, Mehemet Ali, Turner.
and Sir Thomas Lawrence Chateaubriand and
-7st tlereagh Cuvier and Alex. Won Humboldt. 1t
- Probable that no other single year, before or
s7@ee, ever produced so many illustrious men as
trese,-men who reyOlutionized science, art,
Fo-ifics, and the affairs of mankind. Who knows
te< that Captain Lahrbush would have been as
great as they, had his birth been deferred until
go happy conjunction of the planets Will
nr-ra Humboldt, Wordsworth, Scott, Campbell.
<Seendge, Lamb, SOutbey, Moore, Byron, and a
nanaFed other famous men of the past two
senNatlons were the Captains juniors; yet he
so74ves, bale and ruddy, full of interest in life,
ae<lfe in bis mind and in his senses, and bidding
~ to live into another generation unless he
snonld commit some youthful indiscretion and
ont himself prematurely of. He is of the san
E1tpe bilious-temperament, with little of
thf Emphatic and nervous elements,-a finely
1<fnced physical temperament. He is below
~ medium stature, standing feet inches,
shh slight stOop; his height has probably
nFer exceeded feet 81 inches. His weight,
Hhleh has been gradually increasing throughout
old age, is now l6O pounds His senses are
na.espeare, lSS4-lelo Milton, 16Os-I674 Addson 1872
II Johnson, Tos-i7si Captain LAhrbush I7o6-Is-