New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-03
HA lVTHORNE Il,
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE.
A CONVERSATION AT CoNCORD-HIs FRIENDS REMI-
NIsCENCES.
From The Boston Herald.

NIsCENCEs.
From The Boston Herald.
Miss Peabody cal ed up the remark OF the Kew.
James Freeman Clarke at HawthOrne's funeral.
that he the friend OF Sinners, abiding TO his
intense study of criminal careers. Hawthorne's
wife had tine temperament opposite TO her husbands
There never more perfect match than that
because the ideal he had which lie had not been
able to exempllfy IN his own outward action was
embodied in his wife, and he enjoyed her socially
though he thought 1t too late Tor him to cure him.
self of exclusveDess. Society was painful 10 him.
but he enjoyed her going out, and when they lived
in Salem he used 10 with her 10 the door and then
would 10 away. When she returned lie would SIT
up han the night to hear heI tell what had taken
place He enjoyed society through her, and enjoyed
it when in II himself, provided he was let alone.
He liked to hear everything Now and
then he would say word, and the
felt when with him that YOU dd all the talking and
had delightful conversation. His answer was IN
dlcated by question, Why not ~ and now aud
said that Haw th0rne had great love OF sitting I'M
noticed III barroOms and stage offices, and all places
where people came and went. lie would sit by the
hour in these places listening to tho conversation
and observing he characters. HIS note books
abound in scrptOns OF these country genlnscs.
about and 90 TO farm houses and talk with people
there He said he hadn't the least difficulty If they
didn't know his name. SO also IN sympathizng So
ciety he said he never felt any shyness.
Something is explained by bis mother who was
a woman of no sOcalty. She lived when widows
In New-Epglaud were expected 10 cherish the mem
ory of their husbands somewhat alter the HlDdOo
fashion, by retiring from the world. Mrs. Haw-
tAOrne was person of very fine common sense,
with clear, strong mind, and was not the least
bit OF a entimen ast, but sne rather took advan-
tage of that custom and her surroundings not beng
quite TO her mind she lived IN her own ROOM dress
ing in white. This custom broke up every family
arrangement. Hawthorne never remembered eit-
ting down 10 meal with his mother until after he
was married. He wife had the pleasure Of bring
Ing that about at Thanksgiving. Mrs. Hawthorne
said TO her sons wife one morning near that
| time, / want Una (the daughter, then
two years old, TO remember her first Thanks
giving dinner with her grandmother Una's mother,
sophia, SAID to her husband am gong 10 have
your mother laugh, but he laughed even at the idea
He TevercDced human liberty, thought every mai
vidual was "a messenger out OF heaven. lie never
directed his wife III any thing, but Ouy studied to
see what she wanted and then helped her to accom-
plish IT, He studied his children tie same way.
He felt them TO be open book IN his nature. He
wished TO speak spontaneously, and. II thew SAID
what he did not like he met them in the same
spectiUl way that he would a grown-up pc
D." HIS mother had great sensbity and force of
imagination. | often think of GOethe's mother She
could never hear anything GisagreeaDle There was
something of that III Mrs. Hawthorne. She as not
very thoroughly understood by those around her.
The Haw thorno family was extremely individual.
They had not much senslbillty as selt'deteImln-
ing powers. An old sea captain met my father on
the street. and SAID: Well. l hear that your
daughter IL gong TO marry Hawthorne
| know'd his father. He was he stcrnest man that
ever walked a deck. hat granite element was in
Hawthorne. He had immense steTDncss OF char
acter. If he had not had his. he would have been
swamped by this immense Susceptibility the
creates: susceptibility TO pain / ever saw. In the
Gentle Boy he describes himself He said he
destitute OF the malice that generally belongs TO
sensitive natures. | WAS struck with this, anu said
10 him, are sensitive natures maIcIOusT tie
said Yes they are wounded easily that self
defence begins at babybood, and when they feel
antagonisrn in that way they are pained'O
Mr. Kennedy here raised point as 10 how far the
element OF snyness III Hawthorne IS key to bis
original productions.
Miss Peabody said " / think it true that Haw-
thorne thought the social connection was the heal
ing and that insulation was the objectionable sin.
! nave heard many strong expressions from hlm on
tins point. because was almost the first lady
quantance he had whom he was at all intimate
with. ! remember two instances OF persons who
made confessions 10 him--One a very bad man. who
gave to him the whole story of his terrible hfe"
Miss Peabody here related the story OF the
original of Aunt Hester VINO was second cousin
of stephen HiggiDsOD and never accepted this gov
ernment, and always lived on pension from King
George. She was full of w.t. and, though keeping
to herself appeared II her place was at the
top of society Some say that IN ZenObia be de-
scribed Margaret Fullerj some that the character
was Mrs Ripley, OF Concord. Hawthorne said
he Was astonshed that any body should think thar,
but when said Zenoba reminded of Mar
garet Fuller III some things be reped i should
think any body would know that was not desorib-
ing her. Many persons went TO the formation of
that character suggested such and such person.