New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,wruopNr,s ENGLISH NOTEBOOKS


n brief statement of the considerations which have
nduced her to spread before the world pages written
nv her husband only for his own eye and embracing
condolences both of personal and literary charac-
ter which some over-fastidious critics have blamed
her for revealing We hardly think an explanation
was required. If the illustrations of the author
cast of mind and habits of composition which thcse
private journals afford had been thrown mo ''e
form OF a set biography nobody would have dre"iiou
Of Directing to their publication IL Is because
good biopraphy of one so delicate and reserved III
character was quite impossible that Mrs haWthorhe
determined to meet the constant and urgent demand
for n memoir by publishing as much as she could OF
his private records we heartily commend her decs-
ion. In these full frank, and beautiful diaries we
have better picture of Hawthorne than any other
hand than his own could draw. We learn 10 appre-
ate the exouisite refinement of his nature and love
him for the tenderness and beauty OF his character
far more than we ever did before. We see him. as
his widow assures us he was in hfe,-never gloomy
and morbid though distinguished by the penslVeness
and gravity of a person who possessed the awful
power of insight His mood was always cheerful
and equal and his mind peculiarly heahful and the
airy splendor of his wit and humOr was the light OF
his home" That the popular idea of Hawthorne is
very different from this we need hardly say; but
few who read these volumes will hesitate 10 accept
the editors Characterization of one to whom she was
so near. There is a beautiful passage IN Ills diary
written in Liverpool at the close of 1854:
Think have been happier this Christmas than ever
heforc-by my own hreside, and win my WlIc ana
children about me-more content TO enjoy wha! have
less anxious for anything beyond II, In this lie MY
early life was perhaps good preparation Tor 'nS eecn-
ing half Of life il having been such blank that any
thereafter would compare favOrahly with IT. For long,
long while have occasionally been visited with sl-
gTe sT Sf ee an" Since vc BEEN IN England 1t that
am s al at Ss ,y heen mere Embellishments
long and have quite failed to make such progress as my
tSen With fSH 81 shame and depression mat brcods
think Of il. when awake. This dream,
recurring all through these twenty OF thirty years must
he OF the effects OF that heavy secSon III when
shut myself up for twelve years after leaving college
How strange that it should now when may call
myself famous and prosperous wien am happy 100!
The period covered by the English Notebooks
begins with HawthOnes arrival in Liverpool as
United States Consul in 1853. and extends to
January 1858. II was more active period in his
life than that recorded in his American diaries.
Travelling with his wife and family through En-
gland. Scotland, and Wales, visiting famous places,
minglng great deal in literary society losing HIM
self in the historic streets of London, and busted
with the cares of his eopsulship he gave fewer hours
than Of old to Tcvery and romance, and ceased to
fill his journals with fTagmentary speculatOns and
hints for tales that were never TO he written. He
loved 10 wander through the aiscs of old cathedras
and among the halls of apcient castles. and to
describe them with as much care and Iunutencss as
If he had been writing for the public eye. He saw
so much. and wrote If it fully that his Notes
might well suffice a travellers gude-bOok; and
what gude-book by Hawthorne must be- our read
can easily imagine. Even that proSaic Office in
Liverpool became for him by turns the theater of
tragedy and of farce Murders on shp-board, death
bed scenes in the hospitals, tIiendleSs Americans
starving in miserable garrets and straining their
eyes wiStfully toward the home they were never
.f+t ,I.,l. I.pfS
whose pathoS fills an occasional page while in i'll
cirations Of humor the Consulate was as rich as the
old Custom-Hou at salem. The French Consul
our author writes. "cau hardly speak any EG@@..''.
and was more powerfully scented with cigar-smoke
than any man ever encOuntered apoite, haired
red-nOSed gentleman, very courteous and formal.
Heaven E,,-,. me from him" And little later We
find this entry. ? --'2'---
The same day Fad applications for assistance in two
lied in America, who wished to get him passage
thither aud 10 take charge of his wife ana FANNY mere
at my Own private expense uLJl ne cou, rim III ,a
20 "S tT nor Of attorney from counfrywoman Of
his America 10 find and take charge of infant whom
she had left in the Liverpool workhonse Two year agV
a consulted about and employed III. II would be very
curious Among other things all Penness Americans,
banker and could ruin myself any week. if had not
laid down rule to consider every applicant Tor assist
spOnsible mau-which It is very difficult to do.
This description of Young FTenchman III want OF
assistance is something of a curiosity
Eyeing him closely one dscerns that he has no
bosom not to he OF to-day nor of yesterdy-per-
good ncvertheess he is coxco1ab aud iackauapcs.
lie himself anauraIized citizen of America where
has been tutor IN several families OF distinction, and
has been treated like "a son lie Is very dS.siteale
young fellow, like Of others who call on le IN the
like situation His English is very GOOD for FTcncna,
and he SAYS he speaks it the least well OF rye lsnsu9ges
He has been three IN America, aud obtained ms
naturalization papers, ne as speeds! favor and by
means OF strong interest Nothing D, SO absolutely Ouous
as the OF freedom and equality pertaining to an
American grated on the mind OF native OF any other
country IN tie world natufallLed tlAth l. hAIhtL H.
NObOdt has right 20 our idSi> unless born to them
Or course what with his celebrity man of let
tens and his official position consul, he was obliged
to accept a great deal Of public and private hospital
ity, TO be lionized at cORrerSasOR, and to make
speeches at banquets OF state. 1t has been the
rent belief that all such festivities were extremely
painful TO his reserved nature, but that seems to
have been far from the truth He dwells with gustO
now and then on the memory of a good dinner, and
sets down, with the most charming franlluess, his
qualification al his own fame and his successes in
dinnertabe oratory. Often il is true his hOnOrs be-
came iTks0me;
I grew weary OF many people. especially OF the
ladies who rather sUperfnOus Ia their 0blt9hs,
0uite sitting ire indeed with the incense that they
burnt SO far as could Judge, they hau
hoegisb not to be gratfed with the interest they
pressed in but then II II really bore, ana one does
not know what 10 do felt like helippop0tamus,
sTfo use a more modest iustraOn-like strange
insect imprisoned under tUmDler, with dozen eyes
watching whatever did.
This was at London dinner party. An entertain
rnent given by Mr.. and Mrs s. c. Hall seems to have
afforded him more pleasure:
Mr. Hall received us with the greatest cordially
before We entered the drawing room. Mrs Han,
too greeted us with most kindly warmth. jenny