New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-09
and the sp nsh peninsula, but emitting Greece Egypt
and Pale slime.

foretaste Of its quality. The first NUMBER Oh INC Pu
SERIES called "Our whispering Galler9' ny - ''''
a, - 1t,e, 40 Tlockeray with certain preliminary
r, SUGGESTED l,y an old portrait Of Alexander Pope
,r, a ronresepted in contrast TO the great bufy
e7,, ~ the novelist "broadchcsted ana ample a. inc
dv which seems 20 overshadow and quito Dior out "I
existence the author Of the Essay ON Man. some oil
fine plums from this Christmas pudding in advance OF
the regular dinner may sweeen the mouth for further
pgalc
FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH TITACKERAY.
II now nearly 20 years since first saw INN ana
came 10 Gw @ ~ sye Kim cSmn 70 America and
read his series Of lectures on The English HumoIts OF
over With some Of his ds at the lttlo Garrck Club
they an said he could never be induced to leave London
this talk AT the Garrck the elderly damsc Of all work
announced TO me- as taking breakfast at my lodg
ug,, that MIR. SGckric had called 10 see me- ana was
then waiting below Very soon heard heavy tread on
the stairs, and enter tall white-haired stranger VINO
held out his hand, bowed profoundly, and Win uns'
COmiCal expression announced himself rs MT sack, me
RECOGNIZING az once the face from published l9illl,s
himself who. having heard the servant give The WRONG
name determined 10 assume " ON Ii'S
both &c home and abroad, he delighted 10 can Gimreu
Mr. SaCkNIlle until certain MeSian waiter i the Ite-
mont House addressed hm as Mr.. ihacEbmH WIG" "o
TuAcKERkY's LITERARY HABITS.
HAD the opportunity, both in England and America,
for observing the literary h5mts oi Inachyi"l una II
tive ease hut somewhat influenced 10y custom %
procrastiuauou. Nearly all his stories were NHuthh
heels He told that when he began novel be rarely
knew how many people were to figure IN H. Gnu t9u1e
his own words. he was always very shaky about their
moral conduct lie said that sometimes especially II he
had been dining late and ala nos ioel nremarkop GOOD
hunOr ext morning. he Was inclined 20 make his charac
uucded brain there was no end 10 the lovely actions
ne willing 90 make his men and women perform
When he had written passage that pleased him very
Ing forth n ind an ac0uaintauCc 10 whom he might in
stduty read his successful composition Gnbtrl wake
field, universally acknowledged 10 have been the pest
Greek scholar Of his mc said he would have turned ont
much better ore, If he had begun earlier 70 study that
language; but unfortunately he did not begin m lie was
Is years OF afe hhaTSeraI IN Gg3y T % y would
have been very much better had read FiednE Del0rc
was ten" This observation valuable hint on the
part Of TackorGy as TO whom he considered Ills master
As he wrote from monh.to month and liked to put of
the inevitable chapters till the last moment, he was often
i'm great tlibuatiOn. III happened 10 he one Of larse
company whom ne had invited 10 a o'clock dinner at
Greenwich, Summer afternoon, several years ago.
We were all TO 20 down from LONDON, assemble III par
ticular in the hotel where he was TO meet us at
o'clock. sharp. Accordingly We took steamer and
gathered ourselves together III the recepohlOOn az th9
appointed time. When the clock struck our host had
not fulfilled his part Of the compact His burly figure
was yet wanting among the company asSehlnu az tne
guests nearly all strangers TO each Other ana as
there was present to introduce us, profound
silence fell upon the ROOM ana we ahkonsy moh5o OUT
of the windows. hoping every moment That Thackeray
would arrive This untowaId state OF things went on
for hour. stl no Thackeray ana no dinner English
recuce would not allow any remark TO the absence
fe upon the assembled party still no Thaokeray. The
landlord. the butler and the walters rushed in and out
the srcmg for the master of the feast who yet
had not arrived. IL was confidently whispered by fat
gentleman, with hungry iook, that the dinner was
utterly spoiled 20 minutes ago, when heard "a merry
shout in the entry andThackeay bounced into the ROOM
He had not changed his morning dress, and ink still
visible upon his fingers Clappns his hands and pirOu
citing brsy on ono leg, he cried out, THANK Heaven,
the last sheet OF The Virgiuans has Just gone the
printer" lie made no apology for his late appearance,
introduced nobody shook hands heartily with everybody,
and begged us all TO be seated as quickly as possible
His exquisite delight at completing bis book swept awey
every other feeling and We an shared his pleasure, albeit
HIS ARRIVAL II BOSTON.
Tackeray announced to me by letter in the early An
tuIun 1867 that had determined visit America,
and would sail for Boston 10y the Canada the 5Oth Of
October All the necessary arrangements for his lee
turing tour had been made without troubling him with
any OF the details. He arrived on frosty November
evening and went directly to the fremont House where
rooms had been engaged FOR him. remember mis- de
! light in getting of the sea- and the enthusiasm with
with him and he seemed greatly to enjoy the novelty
| of an American repast. In London ne had been very
curious in his inquiries about American oy tes as mar
him Of their great sic we haa taken care iI mat the
wontcd vision when he came TO the table, although 1
blush az the remembrance Of it now, apolOgzed in
extreme SmGiHesS Of the oysters, promising that
would do better next time. six bloated Falstafan
biyayeS lay before him in their shells. noticed that he
WHISPERED TO me with look Of anguish How shall
do ~ described him the simple process by which
the freedom citizens Of America were accustomed TO
thing was feasible selected the smallest I'm the
halfdozen, and then bowed his head if lie were say
ing grace. All eyes were upon MN 10 WatcA the tuect
OF anew sensation in the person Of great British
tlOr opening ms mouth wide, he struggled for
moment ana then an was over shal never forget the
comic look of despair he upon the other five
I'm ho Rc m Prof tT ieT ref ey sg
&" and as II had swallowed little baby" II many
bun, II ny memory serves me, had what might be
called pleasant ercatng. Indeed l remember much
into midnight. could not deny, II called upon to tes
y in court that we had good time on that frosty No
HIS PIAYrULSEss
Thackcray's playfulucss a marked popularity:
gf "A cglO inst
released from his task In the midst of the serious
topic under discussion he fond Of asking permission
20 sing comic song, or he would beg 10 be allowed 10
eulyen the occasion. by the instant Introduction OF
brief d0uble-shufie. Charles Lamb told Barry Cornwall
when they making up dinncrpary together,
not 10 invite certain luguhrous friend Of theirs. Be
over funeral" have often contrased the habitual
astounding spirits or DOth Ihackeray and Dickens.
They always seemed 10 TO be standing in the sun
shnG ana 20 De constantly warning other people out OF
Cl0ldhd during IhackeIdys nfst visit TO America hs
lOy knew no bounds and became necessary often 10
rcinmeubrr his nroarions sbomfin and 6snc mf 5
was told that the tickets To his first of readings
TO the lecture hall he insisted hrustng both his long
legs out OF the carriage window in Difference he said
10 his magnanimOus tckethOdeTs. An instance OF his
prOuastnation occurred the evening of his first public
appearance IN America His lecture was advertised to
take place at aud when he informed OF the hour
he sad he would try and be ready at o'clock but
thought 1t very doubtful. Mortified at this assertion,
tried to impress upon him the importance OF punctuaty
on this, the night Of his first bow to an American
audience At "a called for him. and found him not only
unshaycd and undressed for the evening, but rap
tmOusy absorbed in making penandink drawing 10
Illustrate passage IN GOethes "SOrTOws of Werthcr"
Tor lady, which illustratiOn-a charming one by the
way for he was greatly skilled in drawing-hc vowed he
would finish before he would bulge an inch in the
direction OF the omit the adjectiye) MeOdcOn conf
cal incident occurred just he about leaving the
hall after his first lecture in Boston shabby unganly
looking man stepped brisky up TO him in the ane-roOm
seized his hand and announced himself az proprietor
OF the Mammoth Rat and proposed 10 exchange season
tickets lhackcray, with the utmost gravity exchanged
cards and promised to call on the wonderful quadruped
next day.
LAST PARTING WITH THACKRRAY
parted with Thackeray for the last time few months
DyOre ms DEATH III the street, al midnight, in London.
ne C0THhW MdgdziHe, under his cditOrship having
proved very great success, grand dinners were given
q he new W. odh