Sharp County record., 1878-07-12
THE AUTHOR OF THANATOPSIS.
"reminiscences of the Late William Cullen
Bryant.
From the New York SUM-

From the New York SUM-
Mr.. Bryant was a man of the simplest
tastes and habits. From early youth he
delighted in the country, and loved to
roam over its hills and through its val
leys. He was an expert gymnast. AT
ter he had passed the milestone of four
score, he could outwalk many young
man at his rural home in Berkshire or
on the pavementS of the metropolis.
Forty years ago he listened to the lee
lures on hygiene and dietetics of that er
ratio genius, Sylvester Graham, the
founder of what was once known as the
Graham system, and even yet fingers
among uSin the shape of Graham bread.
Graham was a superb lecturer. He
was natiye-born orator, and carried
his audiences along with him to the eX-
tremest lengths. He not only discard
ed spirits and wine and every form of
alcoholic beverages, but placed the
drinking of tea and coffee, and the eat
ing of meat, and the use of pepper and
condiments of that description among
the deadly sins. Graham produced a
strong impression upon all who had
dyspepsia or the blues, arising from in
digestion, but did not exactly know
what allied them. So, under his teach
ingS, thousands of semi-invalids in New
York and New England threw phvsic
to the dogs, and fell back upon Graham
bread. Among them was Mr.. Bryant,
who gave an elaborate review in the
Evening Post of Graham's two volumes,
which brought him and his system into
prominence before the public. 1t is
from Graham'S theories that Mr.. Bry-
ant caught the idea of making his
breakfasts on oatmeal, practice, we
believe, which he pursued with unfal-
tering assiduity for a long series Of
years.
The venerable subject of this notice
had high sense of personal dignity,
which he was ready to assert in his quiet
way on all proper occasions. We have
heard it stated that during DickenS's
last visit to this country Mr.. Bryant
called upon him and sent up his card.
For some reason never, perhaps, clearly
explained, the great English novelist
declined to receive the great American
bard. Probably no slight was intended.
Nevertheless, when the press of New
York City gave Mr.. Dickens reception
just as he was on the point of sailing
for Europe, Mr.. Bryant was invited to
preside. He declined to accept the in
vitation and Mr.. Horace Greeley took
his place.
A writer in the Post says that the
scheme of "ThanatopSis " was devised
while young Bryant was still student
at Williams, and that "local tradition
represents him as actually composing
the poem while seated on rock in a
lovely ravine known as Flora's Glen,
on the outskirts of Williamstown. For
nearly four years the work lay in its
authors portfolio, untouched, save fol
the purposes of occasional correction
then it was sent to the North AnaeTiCqn
ReUiew, with so modest note of intro.
duction that it's authorship was left in
considerable doubt.
"The ReUieW at that day was con.
Quoted by a number of young literary
gentlemen, united under the name o.
the North American Club A com
mittee of publication managed the buSi'
ness of the periodical, while two mem
bers, Richard H. Dana, and Edward 7
Charming, had the editorial department
in charge. Dana read sThanatopsis
carefully when it was submitted, anC
turned it over to his associate with the
remark, that it could not possibly be thu
work of an American. There was s
completeness, an artistic finish about it
added to the beauty and grandeur
of the ideas, to which, in his
opinion, none of our native writers hac
attained. Charming, and others of the
club through whose hands the manu-
script was passed, concurred in thi;
view. One day, while the poem was
still under consideration, Dana received
intelligence at his Cambridge home tha
the mysterious author was member ot
the Massachusetts State Senate, which
was then in session. Throwing every
thing else aside, the editor seized his ha
and cane and set out for Boston on foot
Arrived at the State House, he sough
the Senate Chamber, and had pointed
out to him the person he was looking
fora tall, middle-aged man, with
business-like aspect. Plainly, this was
not the author of 'Thanatopsis, and
without waiting for an introduction, hi
started for home again in great disap'
pointment. The mistake on the part O
his informant was the result of a simi
larity of names between the poet and tht
Senator, but it soon led, by round
about course, to the Identification he de
sired, and correspondence was opened
which brought the two young men into
those relations OF friendship and respec
which each cherished through life