New-York tribune., 1872-02-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
x,rr ns,s YESTERDAYS WITH AUTHORS.
YESTERDAYS WITH AUTHORS oJa BY JtMfs y sa r. FIELDS

y often that
40 agreeable relations with the writers whose oii,S
~, -, Nth the materials of traffic as the
- - tbo nrcsent volume Mr. Fields is not
rol,, an eminent merchant of literature, but also
aocossfnl cultiyator of letters. and with singu-
ia,Iv Kindly disposition and genial habits, has been
m fortunate as to contract an intimate fnendshp
ritb several of the most celebrated literary men of
the age His book, part of which has already ap-
ncared in thc pages of The AtidEtc Monthly consists
10 a great extent. of personal anecdOte and remi-
niscence derived from private intercourse ard IA
miar correspondence with the distinguished authors
whom nc commentaries, aud with whom his probes
sonal relations ripencd into the cordiallties ot gen
nine sympathv and admiration He has made free
nsc-too free we think, i'll many instances-ot the
letters which thus came into his possession, to
which he naturally attaches peculiar value, but
which often gayy thrown ont with the efusIveneSs
of good companionship without dream of pub
bcity il is scarcely Just TO the memory OF ther
writers to display before a prOmscuous auui-
ence The interest of a letter depends upc"
it's being read in the same moou III
which il was written. 1t is usually intended Ior 'e
pryate ear of the person to whom II Is auui
To any third party il may be only an ~
and an absurdity. Certainly the charm OF friendly
correspondcnce would he ruined if it were necessary
10 share its condolences with circle of strangers
and critics letter is often revelation OF tle
most private feelings and inmost character OF the
writer and its delicate arOmas are wasted the mo-
ment they are brought into contact with the an
Like much of the correspondence IN this colecton'
II NAV he merely the oupouring of eXtravagant jest
and reckless joty in which the eterveScence OF
rude animal health takes the place OF thought ana
sentiment: or il may he the record OF private eA-
pcrence clothed with all the sanctiticS OF sacra-
mcnt: and IN either case the prominence OF pla-
a.. .at nsT-
sonal expression. Mr., Dickens, to he sure had no
extraordinary reserve Sensitivenes on this point
like his friend Professor FELTON,, who greatly resem-
bled him in this respect he was often carried
AWAY by the overflow Of eXuberant spirits; but
still we are sure. he woud not have liked to see
in print many Of the gIOtesque foolenes which
seem more like the antics of an oVergrown hoy,
than the illusions of a bearded man, and winch
supply the place of true humor by vociferous iun.
But We will not put too fine point TO our COM
mcnts Oh the want of reserve which doubtless had
its origin in the desire to produce book OF piquant
flavor for the taste of the multitude, without an eX
cess of circumspection to the materials OF when
IL was composed Mr.. Fields has certainly met with
signal success in the composition Of an entertaining
volume Il will offer rare charm 10 the lovers OF
literary auccdote,-a class which probably includes
the whole of its Teaders-and in many considerable
portions POSSESSES an interest no less entclng than the
naive rcctals Of Boswell. or the pleasant recollec-
tions of Crabb Robinson. Mr.. Feldss own Incl
dental descriptions, although written Tor the pur-
pose Of merely illustrating the correspondence are
often Of admirable texture and quality, and 10 the
tastes of many readers will prove more attractive
than the original letters which form the staple of
the volume. We must make room for his account Of
the arrival of Dickens in Boston on his second
visit to America in the Autumn of 1867.
f.io IL 4bp CIlita ~
lcctur Of the Port steamed down in the CuStonhouSe
boat 10 welcome him II was ltch % ualh & pel4le P we
stopped Tor few minutes 10 take us on noard,
had time 10 distinguish him on tie deck Of the vessel
Tie news Of the excitement the sale Of the tickets 10
his readings had occaSloned had beeL ciilleu
10 him by the pilot twenty miles out. He was in
capital spirits over the cheerful account that al was
gong wen. and thought he never looked III pet,el @
healtn. The voyage had been good one ana the zen
days rest spboard had .Iengnsea od ann ssabG N
East Boston. took him in our niue llg anu ,tnu,u
were in waiting. Rooms had been taken for nun al Iis H
Parker House. and in half an hour afer ne nag reacneu
fbe hotel he was sitting down TO dinner with hait
- nUan ~ S,,erca tha very night if desirable. As,ur
ances that the kindest feelings toward him exl>ted
Everywhere put him great spirits, aud he seemed
,Sd n%iI IscbSo '' ship O and said few words of en-
oouraccucnt and counsel TO The hoys ne ueea ga & nl5
long walks once, and grded himself up Ior ihe naiu
winters work before him steadily refusing All lhN IA
Ions during the weeks be- was read4lg ne & omy
went other house besides the faIktr
during ms stay In Boston. Every who was present
in the fremont Temple, and no one Who hcaIu Dlckth
dnrjnr tba vtfu mouth Of December, will forget the
produced hy the areat author actor ana reader
Uagr saw OF Keau's Othcllo. The tone OF voice IN
which lac delivered the beautiful apOstrOPnc Iheh "
some divine music. ike the sound of years of departed
happiucss" There were thrills of pathos IN INei Sls
reading to David COpperheld for ance) winch keih
himself never surpassed IN dramatic eject
He went from Boston TO New-YOrk, carrying with him
.evcr contracted in our climate In reality much
nf the during his reading III Boston NJ WaS lnie III
from the Of the disease hut he fought courage
Ousiv against it, effects, and always came up on inc
night uf the reading, all right ScYerd! times Ieitd
he would he obliged 10 postpone the readings ana am
sur almost any else would have felt comptueq TO
but he declared no man had ngGt 10 pIeab an
red His spirit was wonderful and although he lost all
appetite and could patake OF very @ re & lOo 1ie e v %s
ing came round. Every morning his table was covered
with Invitations 10 dinners and all sorts OF enter
:ainmt nts hut he said, Il for hard work aud
must try to fulh the expectations of the American
% sa bE Hc e% sCme s'I his literary friends in BC
tom but the day before 1t was 10 come on ne was as
given up strain upon his strength and nerves was
ron1trv and only man OF iron will could have accom-
plished ali did And here let me say that, although
6e was accustomed to talk and write great deal about
eating and drinking have rarely seen man eat ana
drink less He liked TO dilate in imagination over the
brewing OF bowl Of punch, but always noticed that
when the punch ready he drank less OF 1t than any
one who might be present. II the sentiment OF the
thing and not the thing itself that engaged ms attention
He liked have little supper night after read
ing three four friends around the table with
him. but he only pecked AT the vands 8s bird might d0
and scarcely him eat hearty meal during his whole
the country Both at ParkerS Hotel IN Boston,
and al the Westminster in NewYOrk, everything was
ranged prOprietors for his comfort and happiness
and tempting dishes pique his invalid appetite
p up al different hours Of the day. with the hope that
he might be induced to try unwOnted things and get up
again the habit Of eating more; but the Influenza that
sezed him with such masterul power held the strong
man down till he left the country.
A charming picture of Dickenss rural environment
at Gad's Hill is presented in the following para
graphs:
Dickens had timed visit to his country house In
Kent and arranged that should appear at Gads Hill