New-York tribune., 1878-06-13

one looks ont upon the waters of the Sound. There
are about 5000 books on the shelves, many
of them being volumes OF foreign literature
The woodwork is of tulip wood, oiled ana var
nished. An old-tme fireplace has been modern
ized. though the Dutch tiles, of an ancient pattern
repTesenting events in Scripture history, Illustrate
its early character. In wood near his nome Mf'
Bryant loved to pass an afternoon lie had classl-
fed the trees, and not long before he died sald ne
had found thirty different specimens, Dut JneTe
were others whose place IN botany he hoped to hnd
On an emInence near by, overlooking the inlet is
the residence OF Mr.. Parke Goodwin. Among the
best known of Mr.. Bryants later poems is " The An
tquity of Freedom" The following are selections
from 1t
o Freedom thou art not. rs poets dream,
A far young girl. with light and delicate hmbe'
And wayy tresses gushing from the cap
With which the Roman master crowned his slave
When he took OF the gives.
Thy birthright was not given by human hands;
Thou vert twin-born with man.
Tyranny himself,
Thy enemy. although OF reverend look,
HOary with many years, and FAR obey cd,
Is later born than thou
HABITS AND TASTES.
The strongest point in Mr. Bryants character
was its simplicity. This is no more true of his
poems than of his prose writings more true of
either than Of his daily pursuits and habits Tray
ellng, as he did, through many lands and among
the proudest monuments of civilization ;'haying, as
he always did in his character and position, per
petual passport to all society and every public
place. his heart remained fixed in its first love Of
Nature. MI DiJdnt udS tolu lHo St"lJ VI NV
daily habits himself. Nothi 2 ycould be simpler. The
Atheuian, born the poorest soil in Greece, con-
tented himself at dinner with the head Of fish, an
onion and a few olives. Even the rich were quite
satisfied with dish Of vegetables; while people at
large were accustomed TO eat meat feast day for
the whole year. Mr. Bryant in diet and in all the
pursuits of the day quite as SIMPLE In Winter
he rose ALWAYS at half-past five; in Summer from
half an hour to an hour earlier. With little clothing
on his body he Immediately began an hours
exercise with dumb-bells horizontal bar,
and light char swung round the head.
Sometimes he gave more than van an h9ur ts 10 10
this exercise, but never less. When 1t was
over he bathed from head TO foot; In the summer
II living at ROslyu be usually shortened the eXer-
else IN the chamber and went out OF doors to engage
at work requiring brisk exercise, such as
pruning trees cutting wood. After the bath,
II breakfast not ready, he sat III his library
No breakfast could be palmer than his-homny ana |
milk or brown bread oatmeal or wheaton grlts, and |
in the season, baked sweet apples. Buckwheat |
cakes he did not refuse, but coffee OF animal tOod ne
never took. Occasionally he drank chocolate, as It |
has no narcotic effect. After the meal was over nc
engaged for awhile at his studies, and, II IN
the city, walked down TO The Ereamg Post Office,
distance of three miles, After three hours passed |
thus he returned, always walking, whatever the !
condition Of the streets or Wehthef might pc II
living IN the country. he studied or read until weary
aud then went into his garden 70 prtlue peartreGs
or walked through the woods he seldom drove. lie
dined early vegetables with Ittle meat OF hsL
At supper he never drank tea but was satished WIN
bread and butter and fruit Fruit formed large |
part OF his diet, and he ate II at almost any tlne
without Inconvenience. In the city, where people |
dine Later he only ate two meals n day |
Water bis almost exclusive drink, though |
he occasionally took WINE. lie once SAID |
he "a natural temperance man. ms ,mlnd being |
rather confused than eXbIlarated by alcohol NH |
ton once said, however. that the lyric poet may |
drink wine and 1--we generously but the epic poet
he who shall sing of The gods and their descent untO
men, must drink water out OF wooden bowl |
According TO Milton, then, Mr. Bryant was more OF
,.ro "A though
not of the epic order, no one lacking tne Cplc !
spirit could have translated Homer as no did !
Alr. Bryant retired early: IN town at 10
in the country somewhat earlier For several years
be- avoided, u the evening, every KIND Ol literary !
occupation which tasked the faculties. such rs COM
position, even To the writing ot letters, because ~
excited his nervous system and prevented sound |
sleep. lie never used tobacco. never meddIe /
with IL ~ he SAID, cXcept 10 quarrel with It's use
abomnate all drugs and narcotics, and have always |
carefully avoided everything which spurs Nature |
In rxtrfious which she would not otherwise make.
Even with my food do not take the usual condi- !
meuts, such pepper and salt" When practising /
law IN Massachusetts, be was elected Justice Of |
the Peace and at one time held the Office OF village
Cork. lie was often asked iater ~ lIe 10 accept
Office. but ne steadily refused. HIS name was |
once mentioned for the Italian Mission and he I'M
mcdiately responded, saying: Nhat WOuld |
| do IN the foul atmosphere OF "a court So |
cicty which derives It's tone from the |
sanction of royalty Give me the pure air, the |
bright skies and the green fields" la religion ne !
was a deep, though unprctenuous, believer. AT |
Roslyn he regularly attended the niue fresDy lerlah
II
Old AGE.
During the past ten or fifteen years Mr. Bryant |
has frequently appeared In public q speaker on !
important occasions and has payed several !
tributes to the memory Of eminent Amer- |
cans I'm 1870 he pronounced a eulogy on the |
life and character of VerplancS, who died IN
that year. lie made address upon tho career
and achievements Of Professor s. +. b. Morse, on
the occasion of the dedication of the statue IN
Central Park. In 1852 he delivered discourse on
the life and writings Of James Kenmore Cooper |
and in 1860 payed a similar trlbnte TO the memory |
of Washington Irving. On the death Of Thomas |
Cole in 1913 be pronounced n funeral oration, and
in 1879 was the orator at the dedication Of the
statues of Shakespeare and Scott IN Central Park |
At the unveiling in Central Park last year of the
statue of his friend IIalleck, whose "Marco
Bozzaris" he had printed in The AeC York Rereic in
Il :. he also delivered one of the orations. His
last effort of this kind was the last effort of his life
the grafton in honor of Mazzni, the Italian states
man.
When Mr.. Bryant reached his seventieth year, IN
1864 the event was celebrated by festival ut the
Century Club, Of which he has long been the pres- |
dent. nearly all the prominent literary men of the
country being present or sending complimentary |
letters, which were afterward printed IN volume |
" Bryant Vase" in 1876. Is event still |
fresh within the reCOlleCtlOnS OF readers. lie |
wasengaged for several years on his translation of
Homer, devOting stated hours of every day to the
work. The Had appeared IN 1870, and the Odyssey
in 1871. Both volumes were generally conceded |
10 be among the best English versions of the great
epics-sOme thought them to bo the best Greater |
credit could hardly have been gwen, when t is
meinbered that Homer has been translated into Eng
llsh at least dozen times and Chapman and Pope |
and COwper and Derby are among the translators. |
Some years ago he published a collection of poetry |
which he called "A Library of Poetry aud Song" IL |
at once became very popular and has taken rank |
as the most complete and satisfactory book of tho
ind A nd A