New-York tribune., 1879-05-10
BROADWAY REVISITED:
LETTER FROM WALT WHITMAN.


NV months visit is about up; but before |
get back 10 Camden let print some jottings of
the last four weeks. Have you not, reader dear.
among your intimate friends, some one. Temporarily
absent whose letters to you, avoiding all the big
topics and disquisitons, give only minor, Gosslpy
sights and scenes-iust as they cOme-remniscences
subjects dsdained 10y solid writer's but interesting
20 You because they were such as happen to every
body. aud were the moving eutourage TO your
friend-to his or her steps, eyes, mentality Well
with an idea something Of that kind, | suppose.
set ont on the following mems and hurrygraphs ofa
breezy early-summer visit 10 Newly ork City and up
the North River-especally at present of some
hours along Broadway.
WHAT CAME To NEw-YORK FOR
To try the experiment of a lecture-to see
whether could stand it. and whether an audience
could-was my specific object Some friends had IN
yited me-I was bv no means clear how II would
end-I stipulated that they should get only third
rate hall and not sound the advertising trumpets
bit-and so / started. much wanted something to
do for occupation consistent with my imping aud
paralyzcd state. And now, since it came OFF, and
since neither my hearers nor l myself really col
lapsed at the aforesaid lecture, intend to 90 mp
and down the land lin moderatioul, seeking whom
may devour with locturesand reading of my own
pOems-short pulls, howeyer-never exceeding an
hour
CROSSING FROM JERSEY CITY.
April Q. . to p. m.-The city part
of the North River with its life, breadth,
peculiarities-the amplitude of and wharf,
cargo and commerce-one don't realize them
till one has been away long time and,
as now returning crossng from Jersey City to Des-
brosses-st) gazes on the nriyalled panorama, and
far down the thn-vapored visas of the bay, toward
the NarrowS-or nOrthward up the HudsOn-Or on
the ample spread and infinite variety, free and
floating of the more immediate views-a countless
river series-everything moving, yet so easy, and
such plenty of room! Little, say, do folks here
appreciate the most ample, eligible, picturesque
bay and estuary surroundings in the world! This
is the third time such conviction has come to me
after absence. returning TO New-IOrk, dwelling on
its magnificent entrances-approachng the city by
them from any point
more and more, too the old name absorbs into me
-MANHAHArrA. "the place cncircled by many swift
tides and sparkling waters" How fit name for
America great Democratic island city! The word
itself, how beautiful! how aboriginal! how 1t seems
10 rise with tall spires gstening in sunshine, with
such New World atmosphere, vista and actionJ
THE BATTERY.
ApyiI 19-One fine day devoted good part oft,
first to the Battery, and then ride and partial
walk ,or bobJlc) nearly the whole distance up
Broadway to Fourteenth-st. Everything looks yet
familiar-the same old view from the Battery, with
steamers plying constantly, vessels lying at anchor
and the vistas down the bav seaward, over TO
Station Island OF ND the Hudson. The broad fan
shaped street-splce at South Ferry now all covered
over with III open-work roof, and ponderOus netting
of iron beams, rail-racks supports, etc., can't get
used to-Dether here or lhlrd-ave., or the Bowery,
or any whcre-but doubtless would IN tmeJ
The Batterv-its past as5OciationS-what tales
those trees and walks could tell! The old times
even twenty-five or thirty years ago. Who Of my
reader. viii recall the splendid seasons OF Italian
Opera. by the Havana troupe under Maretzek. IN
the old Building-the fine band and the cool sea-
breezes-Bcttm, the tenor, Mariui. the bass-the
SOPRANOS Bjsio. Tuffi-" NlarinO Faliero"f no bet
ter playing or singing ever in Ncw-York.
THE OLE PARK THEATRE TOO.
Then mp along the Bowling Green-On by
War-st.-lrinity Church-the Astor-the Post
Omce-tho Park. But | must stop few minutes
here toreca1 looking across a little south of the
head OF Reekman-st.I - spot of much happiness, my
early manhood. The old Park Theatre-what names.
"reminiscences, the words bring back! Placde,
Clarke Mrs Vernon, Fisher, Clara T., Mrs. Segun.
Ellen Tree Hackett, the younger Kean, MacTeady,
Mrs. richardson, Rice-siugers, tragedians, come
dans. What acting! Henry Placide IN "Narole-
op's Old Guard" or Grandfather Whitehead or
"Thc Tempest with Mrs. Knight as Ariel. and
Peter Rchngs as Caban-or - The Provoked llus-
band of Cibber, with Fanny Kemble as Lady
TOwnley-or sheridan Knowles IN ms own . NIr-
ginius or inimitable Power III Born TO GoOd
Luck
scenes Nithal-pprhaps the greatest ITcnember weil
her rendering of Blanca ~ "Fazlo and Marlanha
In The Wife, Nothing finer did ever stage exhibit
tho veterans # all nations SAID so, and my young
heart and head felt 1t IN every minute cell. me
lady was just matured, strong. better than merely
beautiiul-bOrn from the fOOtllghtS-hau lad lhitc
wears practice in London and through the British
towns, and then She came to give America thaty Young
maturity and rOse3te power IN all their noon, or
rather forenoon, flush. 1t was my good luck TO see
her nearly every night she played at the Old Park
certainly in all her principal characters lStiahgG-
but ccWauy tTue-that her playing ana the elder
Booths. with AlbOni's and Bettini's singing, gave
the first part of the Influences that afterwards re-
suited in my Leaves of Grass.)
JOHN JACOB AsTOg GOES sLEIGHRIDING.
Still up Broadway and along the most crowded,
Slittering, Showy, fashionable busting parts OF 1T
the great stores the panorama OF the vehicles.
the interminable streams OF well-dressed men and
women on the sidewalks-overhead the pure bright
sky. the finest about the gobe-tho Flag Beautiful
Haunting in the west wind-the intersectng
streets Canal, Grand, Bleecker. But let me stop
a moment opposite Metropolitan Hotel. Here. on
the west side of Broadway. just below Houston. /
once saw lit must have been between fOrty-lye and
fifty years ago of q sharp, bright January day q
bent feeble but stout-built old man, bearded,
swathed in rich furs with great ermiue cap on
his head. led and assisted, almost carried, down
the steps of his high front stOop "a dozen friends
and servants emulous, carefully holding, glGing
biml and then lifted and tucked in gorgeous
sleigh, enveOped in other furs, Tor q ride. lbe
sleigh was drawn by as hne IA team OF horses as
ever saw. Folks needn't THINK all the BEST animals
are brought up nowadays; never was such horse
flesh rs nifty years ago Long Island, or South, or
i'm this city; folks looked for spirit and mettle IN
nag not tame speed merely. Well, L. boy OF per-
hap5 thirteen or fourteen stopped and looked long