New-York tribune., 1878-12-24
THE LATE BAYARD TAYLOB
HIS NEw-ENGLAND FRIENDS.

TRAVELLERS PIRST WELCOME IN BosIoN-
GLIMPsEs OF PLEASANT DAYS.
To ne Editor Of The Tribune.
SIa: The death of man like Bayard Taylor
awakens universal sorrow Throughout the land
of his birth fearful grief has overspread the Ma
ton, and he is mourned everywhere. far and wide
In America. There never lived public man OF
greater bonhomie or of franker disposition. He
had many honors to bear, but he bore them meeky,
and like an unspoiled child. Cynicism and vulgar
egotism were strangers to his truthful nature; {;
there were no jarrng chords either in his under
standing or his heart, and so he became his
couutrys fav orte. as well as her pride.
Thirty-two years ago, on bright Spring morning,
a young man of twenty-three held out his hand to
me, aud introduced himself as Bayard Taylor. We
had correspondcd at intervals since his first little
volume was published in 1914, but we had never
met until then lie had come 10 Boston. rather un-
cxpectedly, he said, to see Longfellow and Holmes,
and Whipple, and some others, who lad expressed
an interest in his Views Afoot,' then ,ecently
printed in book-form. No one could possibly look
upon the manly young fellow at that time without
loving him. He was tall and slight, with the
bloom Of youth mantliug face full Of eager, Joy
ous expectation. Health of that buOyant nature
which bctOkens delight in existence was visible III
every feature of the youthful traveller.
The fresh air lodged within his cheek
As light within cloud
We all hocked about him like swarm of broth
ers, heartily welcoming him to Boston. When we
told him how charmed all were with his travels,
he blushed like girl. aud tears filled his sensitive
eyes. ID is one of the most absOrbingy interesting
books ever read !" cried of our number, height
enlng the remark with an expletiye savoring more
Of strength than of carly piety. Taylor looked up,
full of happiness at the opinion so earnestly ex-
pressed. and asked, with that simple naIyete which
always belonged to his character, " Do you really
think soi Well, am 80 gladw
Then we began to lay out plans for weeks holt
day with him; tomorrow We would go 10 such
place down the harbor; next day to another point
Of interest after that wOuld all assemble at
supper party in his honor at Parkers lat thai timea
su0tcrranean caling-house IN Court-Stl; and fol-
lowing that festivitv would take him 60 see old
Booth in hicha,d. We went OF filling up the seven
DAYS with our designs upon him, when he protested,
with an explosive shout of laughter, chat he must
be back again III Newlork the next day. Then we
showered warm exhortations upon him to postpone
his exit but hc assured that go back he must for
he had promised to do Well, then, that were the
case and we saw by his cOnrtenance that he meant
what he sad, must adjourn at once to " Web
ster's" famous beefstelk house in those ancient
days and as Wmppe facetiously remarked, quot
ing the old ballad:
I" Put stake in his inside
Whore Tour crossroads did meet"
So tiithrrward we rolcked along into Washing
ton-st., and performed that pleasant duty Taylor
all the while brimming over with radiant spirits, his
young heart already illInined with the delight of
recognition and praise.
In the afternoon we handed him over to Longfel-
low, whom he anxious to meet, and who gave
him such a welcome as be never forgot In one oi
the last conversations hal with Taylor. few
h.f, l,. ad furtI Ina. Itnha hp aiI
with deep feeling: Prom the first, Longfellow
has been to me the truest aud most aifectODate
friend that ever man had. lie always gives me conr-
aye 10 90 on aud never fails to lift forward into
hopeful regions whenever meet hun. He is the dear
est soul in tho world. and my love for him is I'M
bounded"
Whittier Holmes Emerson, Hawthorne, among
many others in NowEnglaud, always rejoiced TO
Taylor's welcome face returning to us. Whenever
he came To lecture in Boston or Cambridge ii was
the signal for happy dinners and merry meetings at
each Others houses. His fiteth birthday occurring
during one OF these visits to Boston celebrated
by an informal dinner in my own house, at which
Longfelow proposed his health. and Holmes gar
landed him with plcasurablo words OF friendship
and praise.
When Taylor came here to give his lectures on
German Literature, at the :" Lowell Institute" the
crowd great that hundreds were unable to
gain admittance. Those mastery delineaOus of the
gens and character OF Goethe. Schiller Klopstock,
Leasing and other famous of Germany. will long
be remembered here. and we all looking for
ward TO no remote period when we should again
hear his voice kindred topics in the place.
No discourses have been listened to in Boston
with more enthusiasm. or have been oftener
ferred to with delight since they were delivered.
Bayard Taylor was not only houored and respected
here for his genius.-he was everywhere beloved.
His death saddens city, and is the absorbing
topic in every circle. JAMES +. FIELDS
Boston, Mass, Dec. 81. 1873.