, 1877-01-26
Gossip About Living Poets.

William Cullen Bryant, says the
n me Journal, recently celebrated his
eighty-sec0pd birthday, having been
born November 3, 1874, in Cumington,
Massachusetts,. He looks little over
three score and ten, having still an elAs-
tic figure and quick step He shows
his vigUr and fondness OF exercies by
walking, a. he quantity puts it, every
morning down TO his EreaiHg Post. "
The poets head and face are covered
with a liberal supply Of silvery locks,
and he rather takes pride in seeing
his classic and venerable self as others
see him, for there is scarcely q photo
grapher in town who has not fine por-
trait Of Bryant. At public dinners he
may often be seen, and at speech-mak-
ing he is not at all backward. Although
he is frequently to be met in the streets
Of the city he rarely attends the opera
or theater. Mr.. Bryant writes so little
poetry now he may be said to have laid
down the Tyre; but of general literature
and journalistic labor he still performs
q great deal OF work.
Mr.. Tpnnyson, now sixty-six years
old, is still in his prime of thought and
capacity of work. The only i'll he is
heir too is an annual hay fever He is
six feet high, broad shouldered and
Large boned, but not stout. His hands
and feet are large. His face is long,
and somewhat resembles that of Dante,
save that he has not the rigid mould
and expression of the great Florentine,
and the nose is not so aquiline. His
hair is long and black, his complexion
olive.
Whittier is sixty-eight years old, and
most quaint, kindly and refined per-
son, using habitually the Quarker
"thee" and Chou"
Henry W. Longfellow is year older,
and wears we'll the dignity of the gem
tleman and the poet.
Lowell is fifty-seven, and has the look
of the critic rather than of the poet.
Stoddard is fifty-six years old, about
five feet nine inches high, and wears a
full iron-gray beard. This author looks
every inch a poet, and in conversation
is bright and witty. For fifteen years
he ''fed at the public crib" in the Gus
toms service; but now his whole time is
occupied in contributing to the maga-
zines and newspapers. The right hand
being paralized, Mr.. Stoddard has learn
ed to write with his left. Stoddard' s
wife is a writer of no mean ability, and
has made a reputation for herself in the
literary world.
Thomas Bailey Aldrich, just forty
years of age, was born in New Hamp-
shire; laid the foundation for his repu-
tation in New York; wrote "Babie Bel
le" while he'was in his teens, and now
resides in Boston. Aldrich's reputa-
tion as a poet and novelist is increasing
and improving, foreign critics of high
authority placing him among the first
American writer's. He has had some
experience as an editor and literary
critic, having commenced his career in
the Office of the Home Journal. Aldrich
has wife and several children.
William Morris, the poet, lives in a
charming house in London. frightened
by the presence of beautiful wife and
three pretty children. His study is
reached by three flights of stairs, and is
bare room, hung with Jumps of to-
bacco, and having for writing purposes
q curious hacked table and an ancient
ink-horn. Herein the " Earthly Par
adise" was written. The shaggy-6aired,
kind-faced poet never looked hand.
somer than when his little ones are
dancing about him and climbing over
him.