, 1876-02-20
ALI About q New Boston Book...Old
Boston and New Boston
Cross Swords.
Old Boston Retires in Dignifled Silence,
and New Boston Spins Yarn
Democratfeally and
Critically.
Old Friends Delig1 tf!?ly Brought Forward
Again-An Opinion Of George
Sand and 3 Kings


the vast army OF critics who hare long ago made
| up their minds that all New Euglaud bows down
in spirit before boston, and puffs itself IN Will
pride aud vain glory over the Common. the State.
House, and Beacon Hill geuer2:iy. it would GER
| tainlv be such conversation a. | listened to
yesterday between two persons, who may be said
to represent what might be called Old and N CIV
Boston, about new book which ). r. Oseood j.
Co. are to publish Saturday. This book is the
"Life Of George Ticknor" Old Boston meet.
ing Young Boston says, WeIl, you are to have
great treat in the now book that ia to be pub
lished Saturday."
"What new book?"
"Why. the Life Of George Ticknor. to bo
sure"
Young Boston: "Goorgo Tickuor?"
| "WhE, yes don't you know the historian OF
| Spanish Literaturel"
| "Yes. oh yea I've heard Of his name ia con-
nection with that. What else has he done?"
What eise2 why, he has written variety OF
| minor things. reviews, etc, vas Professor OF
Ballcs-Letsres at Harvard, and one OF the most
accomplished scholars and the most noted man
| OF his time. Why, he knew everybody Of dis
! tinctinn in this country and in Europe, and his
letters and journals are invaluable as incidental
! history"
"Yes" answers Young Boston. etolidlr, II
dare aay they may be, but what has that to do
with hr. Ttcknor's Life7 Whv don't they pub
1Ish his correspondence and Journals, and let it
60 at that. That would tell ali We want to know,
wouldn't Ill? What does the general public
know OF Mr. George Tlckoor specially that it
should want to know more about h,m indiy1du-
ally? What great thing did be ever do r.
OLD BOSTON LOOKED uoRh1r1ED AND DIsGusTED.
At last ''Yonng eir, you show your ignorance
by this fippancy mora than your w.t." - But
nm mot fippant; 1bayn't tho slightest desire to
be nippaut," auswers Young Boston, honestly
enough. / may bo ignorant. ns you say.
but that proves something on my side
OF tho argument; for I am not
d fool ; 1 have been something Of a reader, aad
insist that I belong TO the intelligent classes,
bu: with these advantages an Ignorant OF Air.
Iichnor's being anything moro than m accom-
plished gentleman, who wrote q History OF Span
ish Literature, aud who WAS once Professor OF
Delles-Lettres at Harvard. II he had not be-
longed to family OF wealth and social position,
these volumes would never have beeu published
ia form comprising tho personal and incidental
history OF tho gentleman himself. It il very
natural that SO anlable a character as seems to
he Shown forth from what hare seen from tho
advance sheets should havo made = worry agrao-
able impression upon friends and relatives, and
that those thus attached may have thought the
record deserving OF minute biography. But TO
The general readsr this same question that
have suggested must be At once apparent
from these pngos We get nothing that
shows Mr. Tlcknor to have been
OF vital importance in any great
plan OF progress, OF an originator of any form
Of thought or action. It III only OF such that
tho private details OF individual life are Of in-
tcrest to the public; and insist, with all due
respect to the family and friends, tnat tho book
in its title, Life Of George Ttcknor,' aud its
private detais and descriptions of his life. il a
mirtake. Il al this had been loft ont. and VIC
hsd had simply tho very Interesting Journal and
letters of travel, it would haye bsen quito sufh~
cient, and nll that the residing public have any
business with OF desire for" Old Boston locked
1T Young Boston meditstively. and with some
gusterity in tho glance likewise, but v1uchsafed
no reply. immediately with this leading, this
stinutant to CURIOSITY dipped into the advance
sneets winch Young Boston laid befc!e me.
I FOUND DELIGHTFUL RECREATION
in these same letters and journals from abroad,
end though did not object to the individual de-
tails, they nero not uninterestlug. I couldn't
Boston's criticism. Them besides, il tho book
had been confined to tho letters and journals. We
should have lad less bulky form. aud thus
been saved thas always tresomo burden. large
and heavy volume to handle. But, as it ia, VIC
may very gladly take the whole for tho incident
al reports NO get Of all that brilliant Old-World
society when Scott vas in his prime and Byron
WAS young. We get, too, near and interesting
glimpses OF our own countrys younger lie,
nna hear charming anecdotes OF old John
John Randolph. with host Of others. But the
best Of all is the intimate talk about the famous
men aud women Of that famous London and
Continental society into which Mr. Ticknor had
the advantage Of tue most hatser'nS lntroduc-
tlon.
HE VAS HANDSOME FELLOW,
according to Sully's portrait which adoEns the
title-pnge Of the first volume, and which. though
tainted some years later than be Is first intro
duced to us, ss doubtless good represent ation
,I IA
too, must have been ve1y agreeable in many
ways to have made him 80 popular that Madame
de Staels curiosity to see him caused her to dis
obey her phYs,cane, and appoint an interview
while she was under express orders to soc no
strangers. Americans then wero mora Of nov
city than they are now, in these days OF steam
aud swift fortunes, and this young gentleman OF
23, who came to them with letters OF
introduction from the President aud other high
officials Of the young Republic, was 10 DOUBT
looked upon a8 sort OF representative Of luis
country and this smoothing all pathways before
Mn, gave ample opportunity for them to dlscoF-
or the personal graces which eudcared him as
companion.
generally returned tho compliment aud ne sea
tie bright side OF most Of these great people.
1t seems curious to read Of his opinions OF
ChateaubrianG a8 j" too grave and serious, and
thai a. he gives serious turn to the conversa-
ton in which he engages" and that "faughing
ia LOO light for the enthusiasm which fortus the
basis Of mis- character and would certainly offend
aealnst the consistency We alwa?s require" Ihla
10 not much lilo the estimate which Greg gives
OF him. .-......
OF LonD BYRON |
We get very charming glimpse: Eotwithstand-
ing tho terrific reputation Of the poet and the
warnings against him. he evidently won tho |
hoart OF the young traveller at once. He writes
home that he found his manners e1able aud |
gentle, the tones Of his voice low aud concliat-
lug, his conversation gay, pleasant, and inter
eBtiog in m uncommon DEGREE Then ne got |
3 glimpse OF Lady Byron; she came IN while he !
wss Calling ''dreased to 60 and drive, and, alter
stopping few moments, went to her carriage I
Iori BYron's manner to her was atfectionate; 7
he followed her to the door, aad shook hands |
with her a. it he were not to see her for /
month" In another place Byron swears little; !
hat nothing seems to put tie young American |
ont OF conceit Of his charming acquaintance.
Then by and by just in this easy fashion We
are presented to Goethe, but Alr. Ticknor eVl-
dantly does not come very close to the great
man. He does not get Gu rapport With him,
and what he tells us ia simply interesting rs
personal description.
But NTH ..-..
s1n WALTER SCOTT s.
It ia very different. ue goes to his house, "aefe
Scott repeats poetry aud where his dauShtor 80
-. ,,r1s hs(lada and then ther 3ll so to the