Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-25

Bayard Taylor was born In kennett
Square, Chester county, Pa, Jan. 18th,
1925, and consequently at the time of his
Heath lacked but few days of being 81
years of age. lie received common
school education, and afterwards served
rs an apprentice in a printing office in
West Chester, Pa. Before he attained his
he became greatly enamored
with the writings of the late N. p. Willis. |
who was then editing, in connection with
George p Morris. a weekly literary Jour-
nal, entitled the New York Mirror. Young
Taylor opened correspondence with
Willis, the result of which was an invita-
tation to 90 to New York and talk the
matter over. This he did in 1871, and for
want of means he made the journey on
foot His description of the incidents of
that Journey attracted wide attention and
demonstrated his capacity for journalism
to such an extent that he shortly after de-
termined to make pedestrian tour in
Europe. With the credentials of the New
York Tribune in his pocket. and an agree
ment from the publishers to pay him Il
moderate price for his letters. he spent IL
year abroad in 1874 and 1915, at an expense
of only $50. and, on his return, published
volume mainly from his Tribune letters.
entitled "Fiews Afoot in Europe, with
Knapsack and Staff which had an extern
al md nH ,pJaI Lin,
The reputation thus acquired was IL step
ping stone in his career, and in 1917 he
was invited to take position on the edito
orial staff of the New York Tribune, which
he accepted and filled with credit to
himself, and TO the great advantage of that
journal. But he had II desire to travel,
and the Tribune managers. with a purpose
to have the most reliable information from
far-off lands. gave him leave to visit Cali
fornia in 1910. This he did and wrote
therefrom better descriptions of the coun-
try, its prospects and its people, for publi-
cation in the Tribune, than any other jour
nal could obtain. Two years later he sci
out on a long tour in the east, ascending
the Nile and making a journey of 4,0OC
miles through the interior of Africa. In
October, 1852, he went from England tC
Bombay, joined Commodore Perry's expe
dition to Japan, and made several Other
Journeys. His letters were all the while
published in the Tribune and since, in ;
series of volumes, which have had wide
circulation.
In 1923 he was secretary to the lega
ton at St. Petersburg, and last fall he wa
appointed minister to Germany.
His principal works of travel are: "
Journey to Central Africa" A Visit It
India, China and Japan" Northerl
Travel, Summer and Winter Pictures il
Sweden, Denmark and Lapland, " Travel
in Greece and Russia" and Egypt ant
Iceland"
Mr.. Taylor possessed poetic talent of ;
high order, and many Of his later poeiica
: productions have won for him II worth,
position on the American Parnassus. Hi
last published work, prince Deucalion,'
lyrical drama, is Il transcript offs author
own feelings and aspirations, and rs sucl
has now renewed though saddened inter
est. Among the other poetical works q
Mr.. Taylor, prominent are Poems OF tn
Orient" :" The Masque of the Gods
l." Lars, Pastoral of Norway" and " TIL
Prophet, Il Tragedy" OF late years MI
Taylor has devoted himself more particu
arly to poetry and to critical work, prin
cipally on topics of German literature o
which he had come to be considered tn
best authority in this country. He trans
lated in the original metres Goethe
}" Faust" and for number of years hi
been ut work upon q combined biograpfl
of Goethe and Schiller. This he designc
to be the browning work of his literary life
and his official appointment Ibrott hit;
been hailed by All lovers of literature =
atfording him the desired opportunity {
carving our his long cherished plan:
Unfortunately death has cut short his laool
ere the work was completed. Mr.. Taylo
mas also translated Firth offs Saga" froi
the Swedish and Auerbach S " Villa q
the Rhine and has edited \" Cyclopadi
of Modern Travel" and the " illustrate
, Library of Travel, Exploration and Ac
venture " Several of his WORKS have be
translated into German, French and Rms
sian, and poem read by him at the mi
lenpial celebration in Iceland. in 1871, IA
been translated into Icelnndic. Mr.. lay
lor has also written II number OF novel:
) which have not, however, attracted tt
attention or merited the commemorate
r given to his other literary efforts. The:
Fare Hannah Thurston, j." John Godfrey
Fortunes, j." " Joseph and His Friend, an
" A Story of Kennel"
During one of his visits to German.
! Mr.. Taylor married II lady of that COUNT
who, with II son and daughter, survlv'
him. Mr.. Taylors aged parents are ST
living in respected old age ut their hon
in Pennsylvania. This last summer. t
e venerable couple celebrated their diamo
, wedding, on which occasion their dist
j, cuisbed son sent IL poem from over t
water to be reul at the Old homestead.