New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-02
February and March, catalogues OF which are 10 DC
issued in time TO reach American buyers.
CLARA CTERS IN HAND WRITING.
COMMENTS ON FAMOUS PERsONAGEs


THEIR AUTOGRAPHS AND MANUSCRIPTS ANALfzED
AND DEDUCTIONS MADE FROM THEM-THE
HANDS OF BEACoSsFIELD, GLADSTONE, LoNO-
FELLOW. TENNYsON, BRYANT. CARLYLE HUGO
swISBURNE AND MANY OTHERS
Nobody has yet succeeded in getting any
large part of mankind TO believe that mans CHARACTER
can foretold from his handwriting but WORK on
this subject recently published IN England ana JUST IT,
ceiyed by scrbner Wexford has considerable interest
from rhe free and caustc observations u cohtalhs o
the autographs and manuscripts OF wel-knowh men VI
che present period Although It has Cor Its title the
words 1.-The Philosophy OF HANDWRITING II has III rea
y very little do with the subject as Maiter VI
philosophy and confined exclusively 10 comments on
the handwriting Of individuals. The author wHo cans
himself Don Felix de Enthusiastically nOhue
plume-prns first the top OF lsgc the autograph oI
celebrated person in fac slmie, and then comments
upon the length of page more Just as he likes
usually very spicy way. In preface ne slates tha'
TIE articles first printed in illustrated kngsh
periodical aud that they excited some interest ana
amusement IA the time, the idea Deihs
| Frequently plagiarzcd.' Much correspondence
came OF tie comments. zone Of the most
distinguished scientists of the age" IN ACKNOWLEDGING
the Justice Of structures whch had been passed upon MS
writing regretted that lie was too old TO mehu'
Other well-known personages desired nlche III tue
chrographc pan iheOn" The series finally brought
TO a close by certain unavoidable eli circumstances, and
IA her than resume original scheme 1t was thought
best 10 publish whole OF the sketches In book FORM
There are In all 1876 autographs. Below are given ao
s;racs of some OF the interesting OF Salamaneas
comments:
Matthew Arnolds AUTOGRAPH typies his literary char
acfer If an authors ever did. IT is clear, classic
cold and ms neatly penncd one could wsh, making
it easy believe It's writer 70 be man OF taste ana OF
talent but scarcely genius, and not without slight
suspicion Of dogmasm.'
Lord Bcaconsn.lds writing has changed in character
as It's authors fortunes have changed Gen
orally IL may be described as "bod aud hashy" bu,
changes lis style even rapidly than the semi-ia0
ulous chameleon its hue "s0metimes an entire note
has been decently writen-especiay when intended to
be complimentary in tOne-and upon other occasions
scarcely single letter has been well formed, AMI only
the autOgraph-upon which extra carefulness is invar
ably avishcd - has been presumably fnisded' lis
shy and changeable character does not inspire much
confidence in the writer's stability OF purpose, although
seli-esteen may safely be predicated upon it."
General Beauregards writing although not so pleas
ing to critics as General JohnSons is the cearest and
most legibe Of the Confederate cheitns IL indicates
straightforward person. having nothing to conceal
but not ilI-disposed toward the pomp OF office"
As for Rosa BOnheur, Of her strokes are most
artistic and picturesque" While her nourishes arc
vertable lines OF beauty" they not "handwrl:-
ing" Only few letters legible, and these are not
correctly formed IAN intense love Of bold design and
OF a somewhat defiant brGrurG Is all the author ven
lures to say of her character from her penmanshP.
John Bright's autograph "is one Of unpretentous
strength and simplicity" or grace and picturesque
ness II has little, but it Indicates "a straightforward,
decided temperam ent not quite unaoyed with spice
OF scfesteem."
Robert Browning "wIites poet should write"
And his manuscript thoroughly embematic OF bis
poetry" He punctuates carefully, and Ills words are
neatly finished his beautiful chirograpby placed
before us as that Of a stranger should at pro-
dis np1ife bCd all
OF one who ever did anything careessy."
Mr. Bryant's writing is severely censured. For
young clerk seeking a situation, IL might prove
commentator" hut for the poet who wrote the lines
on June IT is most Disappointing" Late In life II az
sumed more manly and decided STYLE" but during
the larger part of his career, il was simply horrible
and did not intimate the slightest scntilation Of
genius" The letters soping in different direct ons the
array ourshes and the looping Of words on TO each
other give his manuscript an execrable appearance"
Indeed. these eagraphca fanfaroDades In literary
man are hesrtrending and cast grave doubts on hls
genius Finally there Is no beauty and nothing but
onplaceness about every specimen OF Bryants
correspopdence that has yet come under our KEN"
CarIyle's hand is not a very commendable ono, al
though IL Is not conventional There is " too much ev
dent effort effect for 1t 10 pass current "a pure In
spiratIon" Eccentric and tpiieulOokug little -four
shes dart about his manuscript in various odd ways"
the autograph, ITS Grabbed LOOK Is not very sig
uifcant OF AVAILABILITY"
Charles Dsrwn's writing Is nlegibo that be has
certainly never carried out his idea of Natural seec
ton and Survival OF the Fttest In the choice OF his
letters They are without form, and void" The only
inference the author draws from them Is Immense
labor that allows OF no leisure"
In the writing Of celebrated Confedcrates there Is
certain family likeness" while ther signatures
clearer than those OF most European statesmen AS
rule they appear to have PAID much attention
to handwriting did some Of their Northern oppo-
nents."
Jefferson Davis writes a fairly good STYLE somewhat
too free, however, though legibe." Its mauuer is
dctatoria not say far as our experience OF hs
correspondence extends, tyrannical."
Theophe Gauer's hand is one Of the most singular
to be met with" Sometimes 1t was most exqusitey
fine again 1t larger after the manner or the
teenth century, but 1t always beautiful and
original" "Thc author Of such hand could by
any possible chance be ordinary person" In the
paragraph on Gaulier Edgar Poe Is ALLUDED to
supreme prince OF manuscript"
The introduction OF postal cards has denoralized Mr.
Gledstone's handwriting. Previous TO them IL
the usual Parliamentary type" clear undemonstrative
and readable" II had, however, chief defect" IN
certainty" But since the postal Innovation IL has
fallen into chaos" The fac-simile which Salamanca
gives Ia signature prior TO that iamenable de-
scent"
The writing OF American pleases Salamanca so
much as that of Oliver Wendell Holmes. Like his verse
II is sometimes oldfashoned but has the polish OF
man accustomed 10 good society and Is indeed that Of
gentleman" 1t indicates " enough dependence TO
preserve him from doing a shabby act, without any
trace OF those nourishes which beoken offensive ego
tism"
As for Victor Hugo's. no one could glance 1t
without arriving at the conclusion. that 1t was the
production of an ilustrlous parsonage"
Lowel's is far more slightly than that OF Longfeows
and would prognoscate greater wealth Of imagira
aud more ters0ness of style than author has yet
given evidence Of 1t is dshgured by vaIngorious
flourish nor affected sranings after originality but Is
last what one would wish poets 20 be-"
George Sand "inditcd mole manly hand than did
most of her manly compatrlots." Hers was very