The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-01-15
BAYARD TAYLOR.
Edmund &. Stedman's "Reminiscences oi tho
Dead Poet, Journalist and Traveller.

Edmund &. Stedman's "reminiscences oi the
Dead Poet, journalist and Traveller.
Edmund O. Stedman, the poet, gives
the following "reminiscences of the late
Bayard Taylor in the New York 7ri'
bnne.'
"The causes which led to his death at
this time," said Mr.. Stedman, otter a
pause, "date back several years.
When he returned from Europe then,
he found his real estate and personal
property largely deprecated and encum-
bered, and though near the age Of fifty,
he again found himself forced to tolera.
bly, hard work to support his family and
position. It was this hard work, coupled
with his resolute purpose, however other
work might engross him, to keep up his
more serious contributions to permanent
literature, that ultimately led to his
death. He took great pride in his home
and broad acres at Kennett Square,
Penn, his native place. he designed
his own house, 'Cedar-croft, and spent
great deal of money in it's erection,
and that with the 200 acres of land
which he owned and had greatly i'm
proved, was a source of expense rather
| than income to him. He had q hand
some competence when he went abroad,
all of which be earned as a journalist.
author and lect, rer; never having earned
any money except by his pen. He de-
sired to maintain his property in Ken.
nett Square, and he set to work imme-
diately to pay off the debt. During the
last four years he has accomplished
this, his income amounting to from
$4,000 to $4,000 year, but he oh.
tanned it by very hard work. In fact. he
had worked harder and accomplished
more in that time than perhaps any
other living literary man. He lectured
each winter, in all sorts of weather, and
in different parts of the country. He
contributed largely to magazines and re-
views, and never more brilliantly, be-
sides doing a great amount of regular
work for the Tribune. He came from q
long lived family, and his strength was
very great, but he undertook too much.
He did the work of two able-bodied men
every day, and his health gave way
under the great strain on one or two
occasions. He was compelled to go to
the White Sulphur springs and other
places for recuperation, but he forced
himself to work again before he had
fully recovered. During this time he
wrote his last and most important poem,
Prince Deukalion.' It was source of
great trial to himself and of regret to
his friends that he was unable to 20 on
with his Life of Goethe, for which he
had secured material during his last
sojourn in Germany. The great trou-
BILE with him was his inability, owing to
his excessive labors, to take sufficient
social recreation. His enemies, very
few in number, have falsely attempted
to make a point against him on this
account, charging him with excessive
beer.drinking. It was his want of rec
reation and rest that killed him. He
was forced to take some stimulus to
support himself under exhausting labor,
but he was not an excessive beer-drinker
as has been charged, though what he did
take may have helped to develop his
disease.
"No man in the country could do 80
much journalistic work, and do it SO
well in given time, as could MIR. lay
lor. he was remarkable in brilliant Off
hand feats of literary criticism. As m
illustration I might mention that about
a year ago two large octave volumes, con-
tanning poems by Victor Hugo, in the
French, arrived by steamer and were
placed in MI. Taylor's hands on Thurs
day evening. For some reason it was
desirable that the criticism should ap-
pear in the Tribune of the following
Saturday, and of course the copy had to
be in the printers hands early on Fri
day night. Mr.. Taylor's health was bad
at the time, and he also had in the
meantime to deliver lecture in Brook
lyn and another in New York. He fin
ished his review in time on Friday
night, and it appeared in the Tribune
the following morning, covering more
than two-thirds of page. Itwas equal
to any of his literary criticisms, and sur
passed any analysis of Hugo's genius
that I have ever seen. One remarkable
feature of the review was over column
of translation into English poetry from
the original, including several lyrics and
idyls, 30 beautifully done that they
seemed like original poems in the Eng
lish.
"Mr. Taylor was man of wide and
thorough learning, and was much more
exact scholar than would be supposed,
considering that he was never at college
and spent great deal of time in travel
and observation. he had q smattering
of all languages. He was familiar with
Latin and Greek, spoke French we'll,
aud German like native he also con-
ye1sed in Russian, Morse, Arabic, Ital
ian, and knew something of modern
Greek. His knowledge of Greek was
increased by his classical feeling, which,
as with Keats, amounted almost to O
passion. He was good botanist, and
somewhat of a geologist, and was an es-
tablished authority on geographical
questions. He was greatly interested
in all scientific studies.
GAS man he was peer among his
fellows. He was the most simple, gen.
erous-hearted man of letters I ever
knew. he was the first literary man I
met in New York, my acquaintance
dating from the time he came and took
me by the hand in 1860, after the publ
cation of one of my articles. he was
never so happy as when surrounded by
his friends in his own house. He had
unbounded hospitality, and made his
house the center of literary life in the
city. New York will greatly miss him,
and Just such a leader was needed to
give encouragement to our literary life.
He was accused sometime of egoism,
but he was not egoistical in the proper
sense of the term. He was frank and
outspoken, and showed his feelings
plainly, which gave rise to that charge.
He always denounced shams and hum
bugs, but do not believe he ever did a
mean act; and he never grew angry ex-
cept on account of the meanness OF
others.
"His private letters, of which have
great number, we're far more delight
ful than his published ones. He was
very careful in his published letters not
to say anything that might wound the
feelings Of distinguished persons from
whom he received hospitality abroad.
His private letters are full of the most
interesting anecdotes and conversations
with leading authors and magnates OF
other lands, and are charming in their
clearness and esprit. His faults, and
we all have them, we're rather of Iowa
BILE nature. He cared most for his repu.
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