The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-16
Remarkable Collection of Observations
on Persons and Events.
PICTURES OF HIGH LIFE.
Byron, Scott, Bulwer, MaCaulay, Wellington
and Talleyrand Portrayed.
CELEBRITIES OF A FORMER GENERATION.


zane kind as that which enchanted attention to the
"Diary OF crabbe Robinson" the "Grevile Memoirs"
md the memoirs Of Baron Stockmar but the inter-
est is more varied and the writer infinitely supe
ror TO them ali in literary and social accomplishments
No other American had wide range ofacquaint
lnce with the statesmen and men of letters Of hts
own and foreign countries, and the contents
of these volumes consist chiefly OF selections IRON
his journals and they present greater
OF piquant information relating to the celebrities
of the first half of this century than any similar record
of personal observation. fit be asked how Ameri
can scholar enjoy such unrivalled opportunities
the is that he them by the briancy OF his
social talents. which made him welcome and much
sought guest in the highest circles Of London Of Edn
burgh, OF Paris OF Berlin, OF vienna, of Rome, OF
Madrid and every place which he visited Abandoning
the profession OF the law ia his twenty fourth year
resolving to devote himself TO literature Mr.
Ticknor went to Europe to pursue his studies
aud received an amount OF social atten.
greater than bestowed on
SO young man without the adventitious
aid Of distinguished birth princey rank. Before
visiting Europe for the FIRST time he spent few days
with jefferson at Monticello, who much charmed
with him that he volunteered give him letters Of in
iroductIon to all his friends Jefferson kept up cor
respondence with HIM during his absence and offered
HIM proiessorship in the new University OF virginia,
which he was founding. Some twenty years later,
during second long residence in Europe, Miss Edge
worth, with whom he had spent several days, stated
her estimate of Mr. Tcknor's brilliant powers Of con-
versation in letter to friend, from which we
extract this passage:-'1 have been acquainted and
may say intimately, with some Of the most distn-
gushed literary persons in Great Britain France and
Switzerland and have seen and heard all those distn
Cushed for talents-Talleyrand Dumont
Macintosh Romily, Dugald Stewart Erskine Sir
Walter Scott Sydney Smith and Mr.. Sharpe, the fash
ionable dinner lions OF London. have passed days in
the country houses and in the domestic intimacy or
Of them and after all can, with strict truth,
assure you Mr. Tcknors conversation appeared to
me fully equality with tho most admired in
happy opposite readiness of recollection and applca
Of knowledge in stores OF anecdote and in ease in
producing them, and depth Of reflection not inferior
TO those whom wo have been accustomed to consider
deepest thinkers"
Among the distinguished persons with whom Mr..
Ticknor was on footing of intimacy Lord Byron
when living in apparent happiness with his wife,
Scott before he had become Sir Walter, Nine. De
Stael Macaulay, De Tocquevile, jeffrey Halam, Lord
Holland and host of others OF world wide fame, both
in Great Britain and on the ContiDent and he met
more or less casually almost every person who was
admitted 10 the highest circles OF European society
Instead OF formal review of work whose contents
so various and rich In description and anecdote
will extract specimens by which readers can judge
themselves OF the intellectual repast in store for
them when they come TO peruse the volumes. Their
preparation was first undertaken by Mr.. George S.
H.llard whose literary taste and accomplishments are
so we'll known but he compelled by illness to
linqush the task at tho end Of the tenth chapter,
and it was completed, Mr. Hillard tells in the
preface, by Mrs. Ticknor and her eldest daughter.
But this is Of little consequence in work OF which
the greater portion is from the pen OF Mr. Ticknor
himself his journals and letters, being connected by
only slight thread Of narrative and made ineligible
by occasional explanatory foot notes
LORD JEFFREY IN PURSUIT OF HIS AMERICAN WIPE
jeffrey not yet lord, but famous the editor Of
the Edinburgh RerielO, had been smten, during our
second war with Great Britain with Miss Wilkes, OF
New FORK, whom no had met in Edinburgh, and he
came TO America in a cartel ship to seek and win her
as his wife He spent some time in Boston, where he
received much social attention, and Mr. Ticknor, who
met him often, described him in letter TO a friend
with discrimination remarkable in young man Of
twenty-three. We make the following extracts
You are to Imagine then, before you, short stout
little gentleman, about five and half feet high. with
a very red face, black hair and black eyes You
are suppose him 10 possess very gay and animated
countenance and you are to him all restless
ness OF wlo wsp and all that ftful irregularity IN
ms movements which have heretofore appropriated
10 the pasteboard Merry Andrews whose limbs are
as the natural Indications Of the mpetuous and impa-
character which further acquaintance develops
He enters a room with countcnance so satisfied,
and step so light and almost fantastic that all your
impressions of the dignity and severity OF the
Edinburgh Review are Immediately pnt to night and
passing al TO the opposite extreme you might
perhaps imagine him to be frivolous, vain and super
clious. He accosts you, too, with freedom and ia
miarity which may perhaps put you al your ease
and render conversation unceremoniouR but which, as
observed in several instances, not very toler
alle those who had always been accustomed TO the
delicacy and decorum Of refined society Mr.. jeffrey
therefore remarked often suffered from the prepos-
Of those he met before any regular converse
tion commenced and almost before the tones OF his
heard II Is not possible, however, TO be
long IN ms presence without understanding something
of his real character for the promptness and
surance which mark his entrance into room carry
him at once into conversation. The moment topic Is
suggested matter what OF by whom, he comes
FORTH and the FIRST thing you observe Is his singular
fuency.
He bursts upon you with torrent or remarks, and
you are for some time 80 much amused with his ear.
and volubty that forget TO ask yourself
whether they have either appropriateness or meaning
closely you are surprised 10 find that Notwithstanding
his prodigious rapidy, the current OF his language
flows faster than the current OF his thoughts
You are surprised discover that he Is never, like
other mpetuous speakers driven TO amphhcaiion and
repetition order to gain time TO collect and arrange
his IDEAS you surprised 10 find that while his
versation is poured forth such fcrvor and tumult
Of eloquence that you scarcely follow compre-
bend H. It is stu compact and logical II he were
contendng for victory IN the schools or for decision
from the bench.
But notwithstanding everybody saw aud
acknowledged these traits In Mr.. Jerey's character no
was very lar from winning the good opinion OF all
There we're still few who complained that he was
supercious and that he thought himself Of different
and higher order from those he met that nc had been
used TO dictate until he unwilling to listen, and
that he had been fed upon admiration until u had BE-
come common iood, aud he received 10 a. matter Of
Mr. Ticknor made two visits 10 Jefferson at Month
cello one IN 1915 and tho other in s2i, In company
with Daniel Webster and hls travelling party The
a., viet init hnt Ne can
give only brief extracts -
JEFFERSON AT HOME
We had hardly time 70 glance at the pictures before
Mr. Jefferson entered, and II was astonished 70 IND
Mr. Madison short and somewhat awkward, Was
donbly astonishcd 10 find MT Jefferson, whom had
always supposed be a small man. more than SIX feet
high with dignity 10 his appearance and eae ana sra.
c,eueucss In bis mauners . He rang. and sent
20 Charlottesville baggage, and, as dinner ap,