New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-12
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


II was not until Charles and Mary Lamb were
dead that the tragedy of their lives was made
Known 70 the world; aud it is not until Mary Rus
cell Milford has been fifteen wears her that
we are permitted 10 know her story. One Of the
saddest spectacles in the history of English htera-
tuye was the glimpse, which some one once had,
of Charles aud Mary Lamb going across the fields
together TO the mad-houso in which Mary was TO be
confined. weeping AZ if their hearts would break
Little less sad the spectacle. which no one saw
of Miss Milford wasting her days in amusing her
worthless Old father and Whiting half the night IN
order TO money for him 10 squander. IL was
tragedy, aud not the less a tragedy because II was
borne without complaint and apparently without
knowledge. Indeed, the entire Inconsistencies on
Miss Mitfords part that her father was the most
selfish OF human beings adds pathos TO her story,
which would be pronounced exaggerated in fiction.
and which seems impossible IN fact In the words of
thc sOnc.
1T was one Of those impossible thnse
That frequently come To pass"
ma, Russell Milford was born at AlresfoTol,
tho 10th OF December. 1867 Her father, George Nit
ford was % younger of the younger brother Of
Milford OF Bertram Castle in Northumberland; her
mother, Mary Russell, was an orphan and rich
hsIrCSs Mr.. Milford, who had been "A pupil of John
Hunter graduated at Edinburgh. and aftcrward set
tied himself at Alresford, the town in which Miss
Russell hved, 10 try his chances physician. II
he had inherited any property 1t had disappeared in
early dlss pat Ons Tor his finances at the lowest
sbb when he met Miss Russell. As he remark
able for beauty while she noted for plainness,
and she thirty while he was about twenty
Eve 1T uncharitable to suppose that it not
much herself her money that he wooed and won.
She had when he married her, fS,C0O, beside hOnses
aud property IN land the whole making snug little
.a,t
Milford" says her daughters biOgrapher " in the
generosity of her nature and the entire confidence
of her affection, would not allow any part of her
property 10 be settled on herself Her husband with
the exception of about $500 in the funds,
which was placed beyond his reach in the hands
Of rustoes had the absolute command OF her fortune
arn &c loose and careless his management of IT
that within sight or nine wears of their marriage he
Mad 70 sell MS I,:rniture and library and remove
from Alreslord with bis yfe's fortune netrlevably
involved" They went to Lyme Regis and after n
year 80, to London, where Doctor Milford fonnd
refuge from his creditors within the limits of the
Kings Bench. Ii was to his daughter at this time
that he owed the good luck which befel him. as it
her tin the last day of his life that he owed
everything he had. lie took her day to a lottery
office 10 choose number for him, and, quantity of
tickets being laid the counter, she at once fixed
on the number 2.24. There difficulty III the
way of purchasing it, as it had been divided into
shares which were scattered through other Offices
AMI lie tried 20 persuade her TO take another number
but she could not be persuaded TO give up the one
sbe had chosen. Finally, allowed 10 have her own
w.iy she took home with her the sixteenth of the
number she bad set her heart on, and the remainder
of the shares were purchased at advance in price
When they were drawn DIR. Milford received the
largest prize that then given-twenty thousand
pounds. In the Joyous expansion of his heart says
The bographeT he told his friends that he should set
tlo the thus on his daughter; but if any
such settlement made, it could not have
been of a very binding description.
From the Surrey side of Blackfriar's Bridge and
The rules of the Kings Bench the MItfords removed
TO Reading where great house was taken, and
where the Doctor enjoyed his good fortune. keeping
his phetOn, having his spanels and grayhOunds, and
other luNuries becoming in an Opulent country gen
JemaD. There was garden behind the house,
through the middle of which was long walk Dor
deIed with flowers Up and down this walk Mrs.
Milford used to pace for hours in solitude. But
with all her devotion to her husband we can I'M
ngine as the blOgrapher does, that her meditatons
could not have been otherwise than sad as she
looked back upon the affiuence of her early
years in her fathers parsonage and compared il
with the changes and embarTassments of her mar
NED life and with the precaTious nature of her actual
prosperity. which hung in fearful hazards the
feetDess Of the doctors graybounds, the number
Of bis trbmPs at whist.
Bot let MS turn from the mother to the daughter,
who was in her ninth tenth year. A
preoOcious child. she able 10 read when
sbe was three years old, and her father, who was
proud OF her accomplishment, used 10 perch her
On the breakfast table and exhibit her to bis admir-
n. haV
all the more because she was puny child appearing
younger than she was and gifted with aftiuence
of curs which made her look as if she twin
Ger to her own great doll" The range of her fathers
reading was confined to the Wing journals Of the
period, from which she had 10 read long passages,
wearisome proceeding, which her mother rewarded
by reciting TO her ,Tbe Children in the Wood" from
PtTcys ReIiqpes She coaXed her father into placing
The volumes IN the hands of her nurse who read To
her whenever she wished andi is 10 the old ballads
therein that we owe the discovery of her poetIcal
taste as we owe to them the reawakening
Of English poetry in the minds of Scott and
Wordsworth and ether early masters of the present
century At eleven she sent to school in Hans
Place, near London kept by French emigrant and
his wife and here she applied herself with all her
heart and mind to learning whatever the masters
and niistres.es were prepared TO teach her, the
branches being French, Italian, history, geography,
astronomy music. singing, drawing, and dancing,
SO which she insisted on having Latin added, rather
20 the dislike of her parents, who, however, cOuld
not persuade her 10 give it up They frequently went
ro town To zee her and their letters full OF the
bright litfe girl and her accomplishments. During
the five wears that she remained in Hans Place
slant espondence was kept mp between her and
Der parents and it is curons TO note at how early
r.r,od m her life she hogan 10 consider herself
HIM., flat,, haVl al linz
,he had number Of pet names for her father one of
j,icb dear Dnlo" soon makes ms desire the speedy