The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-23

DnyAx wALLrR PRocrkl BARRY Cornwain An Auto.
biographical fragment and Biographical Notes,
with Personal sketches OF Contemporaries. unpub-
hshcd Lyrics and Letters OF Literary Friends. Bos-
ton Roberts Brothers.
Nessrs. Roberts Brothers will publish tho 25th
lnsl the long expected Barry Cornwall memoir, Tor
the advance sheets OF which indebted 10 Mr..
Niles. Mr. Proctor fourished in the most delightfully."-
contemporanoous times, II we may be pardoned the
expression, and numbered among his friends such men
Ms byron. Wordsworth, Keats, Leigh Hunt, Hood,
Southey. Lander, Haydn, Mendelssohn, the KemDles,
Macready, Moschcles and dozens OF others famous in
hisory. Mr.. Procicrs autobiography Is delightful
half OF tho work. He Gays very candidly OF mis- fam
y that further back than parents he knows little
and less but that they arlsocrats hc IS
certain. or himself he says
Nothing particularly marked my childhood. was
found 10 be much AS boys usually are--Dohng dis.
tinguished from others oil tho same age Il seemed
my destiny float along from the cradle to the grave
on the happy stream OF meaocrity Ny tastes, even
as recoect, we're common enough. Ny senses were
indeed attracted by the scent OF The violet, the April
grass and flowers; heard music In the Winds and
running river; otherwise ! marched quietly onward
covered destiny before me- ! had lew trends
and no fntterers; no father or aunt ever
dsiSasd my magna ,., that he srch soeds w. 81
when very young almost too youngl, sent 70 small
boarding school near London. > confess that
had not any pretcrnaturai vision which enabled
10 see into the depths obscurities Of things.
rho daily task, the daily meal, the regular
hours OF sleep and exercise ideness were all sur
Icient in themselves tor me had nothing Of that
feverish, unwholesone temperament which spurs the
scholar into worlds beyond his reach, and which IS
sometimes called genius much OF thai vgor-
ambition which tcmpis him into the accessible re-
xions which are Just above him; yet not without
daring was then neither very short very
all, neither handsome nor hidcous. ! had indeed
when young some activity and little courage; but all
10 gone.
In reference to my intellect, may say, with my
hand my heart, had nothing superiuous; nothing
OIL vnr had VarV nd IN n
very bright. 4 ilt,e quckncss once existed, as IT
does IN most boys. But never should have been
senior wrangcr, nor Smiths przetnan, nor had !
any pretcnsions To trample mediocre people. Then
was without an,btion-a fatal defect, and which
tuteiecL II man. they tell US be capable Of lcapins
Or riding WE'LL the chance Is that he will have tho de-
Inevitable onscqucnce, Gowevor In mediailng
what deeply tho subject ! find II DIM.
crlt 10 distinguish myself from other boys Of
my own age. never, believe. mad much
10 mean or unusually selfish Thoughts. Assurcdly
hunting aud was, az have already stated, without an
a,om OF ambition. Even my small attempts at lltera
ture subsequently were unattended by ambitious
thoughts always wrote from the mere pleasure OF
writing had NO other stimulus. The pro.
fessiou for which was intended was tho law; but
regret say that with little intervals OF study
my time absorbed by amusing books. read all
tho English pocts, IRON Chauccr uowa to Burns
almost all the cassIcs which had converted into
English most ot tho histories accessible 10 English
readers ana all tho novels and ronunces then cxtan
without single exception. From such groundwork
my future might have been easily anticipated. Ac-
cordingly threw myself into letters began with
verse. y | did not succeed emnenty, yet
did not altogether fail. OF course dwclt on tho tor
lures OF tho affections eventually dwclt on love.
When he Lett his studies and won't down TO London
he fell in with lot OF literary people, and became
30 enamorcd OF their mode Of life that he determined
TO pursue literature profession. HIS biography
says:-
Barry Cornwall's active career as poet may DO said
10 have commenced with his connection with tho
Literary Gazette in 1915 and to have ended with the
publication Of the "Food OF Thessaiy aud Other
poems' 1928. For though his most enduring work.
the .Engiish Songs. rst appeared in 1882 and many
short pieces from time 10 time added 70 that col
lection, the contents OF this volume we're the result OF
only occasional effort during Az the pressing years
..sicilian story" ..Mrandola, Tragedy" and the
Flood Of yhessaiy al appeared between the years
was the production Of his tragedy on the stage Of
Covcnt Garden Theatre. 1t the event Of the dra
matte season. Macready played Mirandoa Charles
the frst night complete, and the play was acted
sixteen times, which very good rum In those
days.
Miss Martineau, in her short sketch oil Mr.. Proctor,
first published in the Daily Necs tells US that hs
crowd and he declared that he did his best when
walking London Streets He had ian odd habit OF
running a shop his verses, often carry
ing them AWAY on scraps OF crumpled paper In which
cheese or sugar had been wrapped" In 1871 the year
tagu circle. he became engaged to Miss SKcppcr-
whose name II rs interesting 10 know, was derived
hneay from her ancestor, the second In the famous
partnership OF Fust Schencr the earliest printers
On the 7h OF October 1924 the poet married the lady
who by her brilliant qualities made his house ono OF
the chief centres London literary society Tor space
Alter ms marriage Mr. Proctor returned to the law
began n convcyancer, living IN the upper part
Of u house in Sou: hampton row. In 1925 the young
married pair went TO live with Mr.. aud Mrs Basil
hon'agu No % Bedford square; where re- the poets ss
Tor several years
When Mr. Proctor first made the acquaintance Of tho
Kemblc family they were living in Gerard street. or
these famous actors he says
Tho cxcciicnces OF Charles kemblc actor are,
believe, generally admitted. he was not good IN
tragedy I'm which he was art1cial, but bis comedy
was superativc. He capital IN Cassio Mcr
cutio Charles Surface and other parts; but best of
all Mirabel In the "Inconstant,' in which his
ing (which ultimately became tragic and fcarul) ex
cecoed everything that have seeu except the most
briilan. points in Edmund Kean IS best characters
From the kembcs TO the suave SIR Thomas Lawrence
the transition seems natural This gentleman was
great admrer o; all tine Kemblo family He was ioud
vi talking OF them and OF painting them in their vari-
Gus stagc characters saw Sir I. Lawrcnce hrst Al
Siddons was there eating and drinking among the
mortals. ana uttering few ordinary words IN grave,
perhaps solemn, tones. Her 81 will take slice OF NUT
ton, you please - would have become Lady Macbeth.
IT was listened 10 win awe Nevertheless there was
nothing affected Ia Der tone or manner, which was
merely serious from habit
or Edmun nd Kcan he says
He great. rather he q brilliant actor; in
certain scenes or passages second To none HIS acting
appeared 10 ne The result vi Inspiration rathcr IMAM oil
steady severe study and IN OF his characters
this inspiration failed. In Richard and Othclo he was
NJ his excellence In parts OF Macbeth and Of Sir
Giles Overreach aud even OF Hamlet he WAS very brill
ant; but in Lear and other great characters which
we're only TO be conquered by great STUDY and
he having no great aptitude Tor those pars) his sue
cess was certainly doubtful The beauty and spirit oil
particular scenes or passages were not IN themselves
suh1cicnt to encrclc the whole with glory.
or Thomas CARLYLE
Mr.. Carlylc's style, which is at first repulsive, be-
comes IN the end very attractive. His humor, al
thougn grave, is not saturninc SONS OF his gravcr
episrams indeed pierce at once to the very heart OF
subject. He worships the nero; yet he Is IN general
thoroughly radical He loves the poor worker IN
letters the peasant, the farmer with his horny hand,
the plain speaker the bold speaker; yet he has no
pity Tor tho negro, who. he says, should submit 10
slavery because he Is not ~ for freedom. IL follows
from this that the man must poor who has not
obvious means TO achieve riches. and that oppression
and misfortune are reasonable DEGREES OF tate against