Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-15
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF MIR. BRYANT'S ILLNESS
Mr.. Bryant had filled the place of honor on
several public occasions during the past win
Ter and spring. He had been long an ardent
admirer of the life and works of the Italian
patriot Mazzini and accepted readily the invi-
tailon to participate prominently in the exer-
Iark on May 20 On that day, after eating
| very light luncheon, he proceeded to the park
Ihe sun sh9ne brightly, and the weather was
stepped forward on the exposed platform TO
deliver his address, friend insisted on pro
ecilng his uncovered head from the suns rays
Mr; Bryant spoke with unnatural earnestness
and feeling, and, ON reaching his peroration,
stepped from under the umbrella, and facing
the statue, threw all the force at his command
into his closing words. He sat dOwn-nervous
and perceptibly exhausted.
Nhen the ceremonies were over. however.
MI Bryant SAID that he was not fatigued, and
accepted an Invitation to dine with Gen Jas
q. Wilson, whose residence was half mile to
The east OF the place of the exercises Mr.. Bfy-
ant was fond of walking and they went to the
house on 10Ot. He set out in a very cheerful
mood, with one hand on the arm Of his host
ana me other clasping the hand of Gen. Will
son son little daughter He was talking with the
little girl about the birds flying about them,
and asked her if she had ever heard of some
mes to the Bob O-link. She answered yes. and
mat she also knew who the poet was who wrote
III,
said he thought he would write out the lines
Tor her, sometime.
Mr. Bryant went up the steps of General
Wilson'S residence and stood leaning against
me outer doOrpOst, while his host stepped in
side the vestibule to open the inner door.
General Wilson had scarcely turned his hand
saw that Mr.. Bryant was falling. as if he had
taken step into the vestibule. lost his balance
and fallen directly backwards, his head strik-
ing the platform step.
A gentleman who was passing in the streat
and the servants helped to carry Mr.. Bryant
lnto the pail0r where he lay for several min
y 10 sit up, a glass of iced sherry, which he
drank, seemed to strengthen him. He put his
na 1I to ms head moaning, My head my head!
olier OF assistance, and seemed only to think
OF getting home, and desired to 60 in a horse
car ralher IMAM In carriage. General Wilson
car and from there in carriage to his house,
NO. "a West 10th street. On his way down Mr..
Bryant talked broken and sometimes wander
ed in thought. He did not recognize his street
or home, but as if mechanically, drew out his
latch-key and opened the door himself, the
servant answering the bell tardily., When the
son If he would like to see Miss Fairchild. his
niece, and sent the servant to call her. Gen.
wilson explained the matter to Miss Fairchild
in the parlOr, and she asked Mr. Bryant if DR..
cray should be summoned. He expressed a
doubt whether the doctor, who had almost
gwen a, up his practice, would answer the call.
hC tOiu L dill Cllllu JQdG ne was q very sick
man, and on being removed to the library up
stairs, gave an order to the servant, and then
fell into an unconscious state, which lasted
until noon Of the following day
STATEMENT OF HIS PHYSICIAN
Dr: John r. Gray, who is "A years of age,
pelng MIR. Bryant's Junior by 10 years. has
been been the poets family physician for nearly 40
that Mr.. Bryants fall caused comet. sion of
t the baTaln and that he had at no time ex-
Re res tne recovery of his patient The in
man could scarcely have survived them. As
the spot where Mr.. Bryant's head struck was
lower than his feet, his head must have fallen
a distance of 8 feet, and with great force, his
mead being proporlionaly SO much larger and
heavier than his body. The swoOn preceding
Inc ian was va s. caused by diminuton or inter
spirat9ry organs. This was probably accom-
panied with temporary loss of sensation and
other faculties.
Il sent for DR.. Carnochan, the surgeon
Dr. Gray continued. He could find no in
Jury to the skull, and therefore thought there
WAS Ms &C cf srnt OF recovery Mr. Bryant, dur
apout the library or sit in his favOrite chair
ne would occasionally say something about
dlet and ar: When his daughter arrived from
Atlantic City, where she mad been for her
nealth, she thought her father recognized her.
Ii is uncerta in how far he recognized her or
any OF his friends. The family were hopeful,
ana maze the most out of every sign of con-
seriousness or recognition.
"On the eighth day after the fall hemor-
mag tooh place IN tne Drain, resulting In pa
ralysis, technically called hemiplegia, and ex-
tending down the right side of the body
Alter this he was most of the time conatose.
ne ceased to recognize his friends in any Way,
and lay much of the time asleep. He was un.
able to speak, and when he attempted to swat
low his food lodged in his larynx and choked
nun nun. he was greatly troubled with, pllegn,
only that one attack of hemOrrhage of the
brain, and that was due to what is called
t dS1l inflammation. After the fourteenth
He was man who made little demonstra-
tlon OF affection or emotion but he had pro-
mission Of aszzn and ON the daV 1e ah ha
delivered the address he exhibited consider
able emotion. That and the walk afterward
ne overtaxed his strength during the winter
Ill attending evening entertainments and in
pubic speaking; He had few intimate &C
expressing appreciation or liking that one
could scarcely tell the extent of his frieniiy
1eelng Though had attended him for many
also at his old homestead in Massachusetts. I
never noticed an expression of more than
ordinary ordinary friendship till was prostrated by
OF coldness, but his poems show that he had
plenty nyin q feeling and great sympathy fDr
SOnce when at Roslyn we visited the sr.va
OF his wife in the village cemetery, ami we
saw the place by her side reserved for MIN.
ne frequently requested that his funeral
Shoa w oIupiC duu WlGllOuG OSte0CaGlOn. He
has had fulfilled his wish to die in June.
Mr.. Bryant owed his long life to an ex-
ceedlnely tenacious and tough constitution
and Vely prudent living. always found him
an cary. User. Although he was slight of
D0ay and limb he seemed to me unconscious
OF iallgge, and he would walk many stronger
man OIL his legs. He did not Walk rapidly but
seemed as wiry as an Indian. One day we
were walking across the fields at Roslyn. Mr.
BrA ant was then in his seventy-fourth year,
and astonished me by jumping up and catch
Ing The limb OF tree, and swinging himself
by one arm"
HABITS AND TASTES.
The strongest point in MIR. Bryant's CHI arac
te was It's simplicity. This is no more true of
his poems than of his prose writings; no more
habits. Travelling, as he did, through many
LANDS and among the proudest monuments Of
civilization; having, as he always did in his
character and position, perpetual passport
TO all society and every public place. his heart
remained liked in its first love of nature. Mr..
Bryant has told the story OF his daily habits
himself, Nothing eOuld ba simnlar Tho