The Portland daily press., 1870-07-30
a Feusi CT Wit.
HAWTHORNE, DOUGLAS JERRoLD, AND DIR.
MACKAY DINING AT THE LONDON
REFORM CIUB.

a FeRsi CT Wit.
HAWTHORNE, DOUGLAS JERRoLD, AND DIR.
MACKAY DINING AT THE LONDON
REFORM CLUB.
[From Hawihorne's Autobiographical Notes.
Descending again to the basement hall, an
elegant gentleman came in, and was warmly
welcomed by DR.. Mackay. He was very
short man, but with breadth enough, and a
back excessively bent-bowed almost to de-
formity; very gray hair, and face and ex-
preston OF remarkable briskness and inteli-
gence. His profile came out pretty boldly,
and his eyes had the prominence that indl-
Gates, believe, volubilIty of speech, nor did
he fail to talk from the instant of his appear
ance; and in the tone of his voice, and in his
glance, and in the whole man, there was
something racy-a flavor of the humorist.
His step was that of an aged man, and he put
his stick down very decidedly at every foot
fall; though as he after ward told me that he
was only tifty-two, he need not yet have been
intirm. But perhaps he has had the gout Z;
MS fcet, however, are by no means swollen,
but unusually small. DR.. Mackay introduced
him as Mr.. Douglas Jerrold, and we went in
to the coffee-room to dine. The coffee-room
occupies one whole side of the edfice, and is
provided with great many tables, calculated
for three or four persons so dine at; and we
sat down at one of these, and DR.. Mackay Or
ucIco ooulo SOup, dIu Il DOItlc
OF white French wine. The walters in the
coffeeroom are very numerous, and most of
them dressed in the livery of the club, COM
prising plush breeches and white silk stock
ings; for these English reformers do not seem
to include republican simplicity of manners
IN their system. Neither, perhaps, is it any
wise essential. After the soup, we had tur.
bot, and by-and-by bottle of Chateaux Mar
gaux, very delectable; and then some lambs
dalinofpiU md 4
know not what peculiar type; and finally a
ptarmigan, which is of the same race of birds
as the grouse, but feeds high up toward the
summit of the Scotch mountains Then some
cheese, and bottle of Chambertin. Il was
very pleasant dinner, and my companions
We're both very agreeable men both taking a
shrewd, satirical, yet not ill-natured view of
me and people, and as for MI. Douglas Jer-
fold, he often reminded me of Ellery Chan
ming in the richer veins of the latter, both by
MS face and expression, and by a tincture of
something at once wise and humorouslv ah-
surd in what he said. But l think he has
kinder, more genial, wholesome nature than
E., and under very thin crust of outward
acerDlty grew sensible Of very warm heart.
and even of much simplicity OF character in
this man, born in London, and accustomed
always to London life.
wish l had any faculty whatever. of re-
memoerng what people say; but though |
appreciate anything good at the moment, it
never stays In l1y memory; nor do l think, in
iact, tnat anything definite, rounded, pointed,
separable, and transferable from the general
lump OF Conversation was said by anybody. |
teeo'.ect that they laughed at Mr.. ------, and
at his shedding tear into Scottish river, on
occasion OF some literary festival. They
spoke approvlngly of Bulwer, as valuing his
literary position, and holding himself one of
the brotherhood of authors; and not so an
provngly of Charles Dickens, who, Lorn a
plebeian, aspires to aristocratic society. But
said that it was easy to cSndescend, and that
Bulwer knew he coul1 not put off his rank,
and that he would nave all the advantage of it
in spite of his authorship. We talked about
the posltlogi of men of letters in England, and
tney sa,d that the aristocracy hated and des-
plse1 and feared them and asked why it was
that literary men, having really so much
power in their hands were content to live
unrecognized in the state
Douglas Jerrold talked of Thackery and his
success in America, and said that he himself
purposed going and mad been invited thither
to lecture. asked him whether it was pleas
ant to writer OF plays to see them performed:
and he said that it was intolerable, the pre-
sentation Of the authors idea being so imper-
feet; and Mr.. Mackay observed that it was
excruclatlng to hear one OF his own songs
sung. Jerrold spoke of the duke of Devon
shire with great warmth, as true, honest
simple, most kInd-hearted man, from whom he
himself had received great courtasies and
kindnesses mot, as l understood, in the way
OF patronage or essential favors;) and I
(heaven forgive meD queried within myset
whether this English reforming author would
have been quite so sensible OF the dukes ex-
celleDce it his grace had not been duke.
But, indeed, nobleman, who is at the same
time true and whoe-hearted man. feeling
J is brotherhood with men, does really deserve
sJme credit for it.
In course of the evening" Jerrold spoke
WIN high appreciation OF Emerson, and Of
Longfellow, whose Hiawatha he Considered a
wonderful performance; and of Lowell. whose
table Tor critics he especially admired. / men
TONED Ihoreau, and proposed to send his
W. Morhs hs 10 Dr.--, who, being connected with
tne inustrared News, and otherwise writer,
~ mniiSnc pSe inclined to draw attention to them.
Doue las Jerrold asked why he should not
'.Ave them too. l hesitated a little, but as he
pressed me, and would have an answer, l
said that did not feel quite SO suIe of his
kindly judgment on Thoreaus books and il
so CHANGED that | used the word "acrid," for
lack of a better, in endeayoring to express my
idea of Jerrolds way of looking at men and
books. 1t was not quite what meant; but
in fact, he often is acrid, and has written
pages and volumes OF acridity, though no
doubt, with an honest purpose, and from a
manly disgust at the cant and humbug of the :.
world. Jerrold said no more, and went on
taking with DIR. Mackay, but, in. a minute or
two, became aware that something had gone
wrong, and looking at Douglass Jelrold, there
was an expression OF pam and emotion on
his face. BY this time a second bottle of
Burgundy had been opened (Clos Vougeot.
the best the club could produce, and far rich
er lhan the Chambertin,) and that warm po-
tent wine may have had something to do with
the depth and vivacity Of Mr.. JeIrod's feel
ings. But he was indeed greatly hurt by the
little word 'acrid.' He knew he said. sthat
the world considered him a sour, bitter. III
natured man ibut that such'a man as Should
have the same opinion was almost more than
he could BEAR AS he spoke he threw out
his arms, sunk back in his seat, and I
was really little apprehensive of his actual
dissolution into tears. Hereupon spoke. as
was good need, and though, as usual, have
forgotten everything l said, 1 am quite sure it
was to the purpose, and went to this good tel-
lows heart, as it came warmly from my own.
90 remember saying that felt him to be as
genial as the glass OF Burgundy which L held
IN my hand; and think that touched the
very rlSht spot; tor he smiled and said he was
AFRAID the Burgundy was better than he, but
yet ne was comiorted. Dr. - said that
lie likewise had reputation for bitterness:
anu assured MIN, II might venture to ioin
myself to the brotherhood of two sucb r,or
that was considered very il-natured nerl
son by many persons of my own country.
Douglass Jerrold sad he was glad of it, Ne
were now in the sweetest harmony, and Jer-
rold spoke mere than it would become me to
repeat in praise of my own books, which he
said he admired, and he found the man more
admirable than his books! hope so, GER
tainly.