New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-15
us see the meanness and moral squalor inside
some rich mems houses.


RICHARD HENRY DANA.
To-dov. the second born of the first genera
ton of American authors-Richard Henry
Dana-completes his ninctieth year. His only
predecessor was Washington Irving, who, born
ON the Sd of April, 1888, was his senior by
four years and seven months. He was Just
beoinning TO walk and talk when George
Washington was inaugurated first President OF
the United States; he was advanced from petu-
coats TO trowsers when the French Revolution
broke ont :: he was in his eighteenth year when
Schiller died; and he might have been known
rs an author when Byron, his junior, pub
hshed ChIlde Harold. A life prolonged to such
n date, even when memory fails intellect grows
cloudy. and the body slowly loses its iunctlohs'
is sufficiently rare but life still clear Sc
rencly intelligent, responsive to all It's on III
terests and cnioymcnts, is almost phenomc-
non. II goes far to prove that the only Ion
geyity which is desirable depends more upon
intellectual activity than bodily vigor
Saadi. the Persian poet lived to the age OF
1917; Count WalGeck, artist and archTo'oglSt'
WIS 100, and Titan died in his hundredth
wear. But we cannot now recall any dlstln-
guished authors of Europe, except Rogers ana
Lord Brougham, who passed their ninth de-
cade. and the former Of these was almost
dead to the living world for several years be-
fore his end. The life of Richard Henry Dana
has a special interest for all Americans from
the circumstance that it includes the entire
literary history OF the nation, not excepting
Barlow's "Vision of Columbus" which APP
pcared about the time of his birth. He has
seen the whole achievement, of which he is an
h0nored part. His own contribution to 1t IS
none the less important, because so unobtru-
sycly made. Tie has never been one OF those
who attach themselves to the structure as
hviug bultrc,s, or seek to shoot alOit as an
ornate and conspicuous pinnacle; bat when
we examine the foundations, we shall find his
cIlisel-mark on many OF the most enduring
blocks. His cdi;orship of Tile horH american
Rerie,c, in the days when Bryan. first began
To write, his grave and refined essays,
lis poems. far above the fashion of the
times. and his lectures ON Shakespeare,
were a-cncies Of pure taste and pro-
founder culture, the operation OF which
must have been much wider than we can now
measure. His influence has been conservative,
but in the best sense. lie WAS perhaps the
very first American author % recognize the
genius of Wordsworth at is true value, and
in advance of most of the English critics
lie had no sympathy with the schools OF sim
ulltcd passion or sentiment which followed
Byron or Mrs. IIemaus, and was content to be
IGNORED while they were triumphant. But the
day has come, at last, when every one vino
studies the history of our intellectual de-
yeloDment, must of necessity recognize the
services he rendered.
Mr.. Dana comes Of distinguished line, and
is ihe literary link between father famed in
i.risnrudcnce and son who has already won
an honortd name in the same field. The son
of Chief Justice Dana, OF Massachusetts,; the
Grandson of William Elicry, the relative OF
Dr.. Claiming AMI Washington A.lSton, his life
has been passed in an auu0 phere OF high
thinking and upright action. H. HIS perhaps,
been less originally creative rs IN author than
woull have been Che case under other clrcum-
stances for the reason hat much of the eX-
preston which his intellect cnycd already eX-
i.tad around him. But it has been a happy
life, inspiring esteem from others ut the stare,
and now blessed by the love and reverence of
his family aud friends He still rides ont and
duiws rcfrtshmant from the stir Of the Boston
streets, siil retain, his interest in all that Is
going ON. In Summer, at his home on the
coast near Manchester, he passes much of his
time in the open air, and his sight Is keen to
detect sails 50 distant on the oceans rim that
they escape younger eyes. 1t must have been
with a prophetic instinct of Dana'S present life
that Bryant wrotr, forty or fifty years ago, OF
90 good Old age, released from care,
Journeyms In long serenity. away.
md bowers and brooks,
An dcarer yet, the sunshine OF kind looks,
And music Of kind voice. ever nigh"