The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-17
Men and Women.

Lszts profile is described by the Paris Char
ivari as that of "a Mephistopheles who touched
by the death of Marguerite, was meditating a
slow conversion"
"Templeton," in the Hartford Courant, al
ludes to the fact, not generally known, that
Mrs. Lander, now personating Hester Prynne
in the "Scarlet Letter at the Boston Theatre,
was the original study from which Dickens drew
his portrait of the Infant Phenomenon in
Nicholas Nickleby"
DR.. Oliver Wendell Holmes has added his
contribution to the discussion of the yexed
presidential question, and in a poem which he
read before the famous Harvard Glass of 1929
at its forty eighth annual supper. the other
evening, he tells "How Not to Settle It," The
poem will appear in the February Atlantic,
occupying three pages. The same number will
also contain poems by Whittier and LoDgfsl-
low.
The Shakespearean ideal of the great pas
slons OF mankind has to be watered for woman
through the modern novel, trickle by trickle of
protracted rhetoric, drop by drop of over-fav.
ored style. She turns with resentful cheeks
from Julie:'s expectant mood, and manages to
read pages that are too sickly to kindle blush
And yet, perhaps, they are equivocal enough to
have puzzled Dame Quickly and frightened
Falstaff John Weiss.
Rogers, the American sculptor in Rome. has
the independence of thought to dress like an
artist of the time of Da Vinci, which few per-
sons would attempt to do even in Rome In
his studio he wears black velvet skull cap,
and the peculiar long frock of light gray cloth,
belted and tucked at the waist. Mr.. Story 1t is
said, is rather exclusive, and maintains with
his wife certain select society, into which ad-
mittance, if sought, is not always obtained.
He recognizesj perfectly, the una
vowed principle on which all fashionable So
cIety is conducted, ed,-namely, that no man on
any account must be pleased to make the ac-
quaintance of anybody who really wants to
know him.
Lecky, the historian, is one of the shyest of
men, in spite of the fact that he is an Irish
man. just after his first famous book was
published very brilliant woman of English
society was consigned at dinner party as
table companion to tall, blushing young man
who seemed almost too bashful to speak, and
whose name she failed to catch. The clever
woman was inwardly abusing her hostess for
sending her out to dinner with such shy and
silent being of no consequence, when suddenly
the conversation at table began to interest him
aud he broke into such eloquent and delightful
talk, that she was not surprised to hear some-
body address him as "LsckY' He married
one of the maids of honor of the queen of Hol-
land, aud probably no poor wretch ever went
through worse agouies of shyness than he did
during the series of entertainments which the
queen insisted on giving the pair
Gerome is about forty-fve years old, and
looks like student as well as an artist. His
studio is simply magnificent in size, decoration
and furniture. The walls are ornamented with
costly and rare collection of the armor and
weapons of the ancient conquering races
Among them are shields, swords, and pixies of
various periods, together with helmets actually
used by the gladiators of Rome, and marked by
the blows which they received. This collection
was made with considerable trouble and at
great expense. Gerome says that he passed
two years in studying the details of his picture
of the Gladiator" before be put mark upon
the canvas, and the came careful study charac-
terized the prelimininary steps toward the pro-
duction of the "Chariot Race"
Thurlow Weeds "reminiscences of Wander
bilt: On one occasion, gentleman called on
the commodore to propose for one of his daugh-
tiers, and commenced, by the most eager and
vehement protestations, to assert that he was
not actuated by any desire to obtain her for
tune, but was animated by the sincerest and
purest affection, and inspired by admiration for
her personal and mental beauty; and when, to
emphasize these protestations, he was about to
renew them again, the commodore stopped
him, saying, quite quietly, 81 did not know she
had any fortune" On another OCCASION, when,
after the commodore had displayed more than
usual judgment and ability in the conduct of
railroad negotiation, his son-in-law, Horace
Clark, said to him, Commodore, it is pity
you had not college education He answer
ed, "Had you not acollege education, Horace?''
"Yes, sir" swell, Horace, do not think
could afford to swap with you"