Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-16
Mr.. Martin f. Upper at Home.
From the London Wogld.l

Albury House, long the dwelling Of Mr.
Martin + upper and his wife--who, BY
the way, are cousins--must not bo con-
founded with the "great house" of The
neighborhood, Albury Park, feature OF
the pretty country In which IL 10 situstoti.
The great house is still inhabited by the
Duke OF Northumberland, to whom II
came with his wife, daughter of the late
Mr.. Henry Drummond. Perhaps no man
OF mark has been more mercilessly lam.
pooned aud laughed 1t than Mr.. upper.
and most assuredly no living authors
works have obtained a wider circulation.
His "Proverbial Philosophy" which by
no means made q great hit whom II first
appeared In 1887, has since then passed
through 40 editions In Eogland, and ia
America has been sold To the extent CT a
million copies. A large illustrated edL
uon 10 again about to be published, and
the tota! sale OF Mr.. iupper's principal
work may be put down at five thousand
per annum. The odd part Of all this is
that the success which endures until now
was made 30 long ago. 1t requires men.
!al effort 10 realize that the author OF
"Proverbial Philosophy WAS I'm honme
arrive and +. Il. s. five and thirty years
ago. Hese%'
The secret of the success OF the work
with which he Is identified is probably TO
be found IN that middle mental stratum At
which Mr.. Upper unconsc iously aimed
At the early age at which be wrote his
celebrated book he had most assuredly
not grasped the formula which Mr. Gil
bert declares to be the result of prolonged
experience The latter gentleman asserts
that the dramstist must neither write
quite up to the intellectual level OF the
stalls, or he will be over the heads OF the
gods, nor down TO that OF the pit, or he
will offend the dress.crce. He should
aim somewhere between the latter and
the upper boxes; and il he can hit this
point accurately he will achieve his Oh
Jet, that of being "understsnded" and
appreciated by the greatest number Mr..
Upper Is one Of those fortunate literary
folk who are not compelled 10 live on The
produce of their wares. He and Mrs.
Upper were beyond the reach Of poverty
when they married and seetled in her old
family house AT Albury, charming
dwelling, with massive Oaken staircase
and low proved d rooms full of pictures,
curious cabinets and Cnippendsle frfni
lure There, and ia the course o! long
tours on the European ana American con-
tihenis, he has written, as he EXPRESSES 1t,
when be telt absolutely ,snpeaed 10 say
sOmethin now Working vigorously iOr
months at a sketch, now ujoying fsii
quiet aud sweet rest for years unmarked
by literary production. ...
Time aud recent sorrow have whitcSed
The hair OF the man who al one tuDc
might, save for his lessor stature, have
been mistaken for his celebrated conttrn-
porary, Mr. Harrison Ai1sworih, who was
al the zenith OF his fame when "PeOyer-
bial Philosophy" was slowly making It's
way to popular favor. Now Mr. Atnsworth
was u1quesuonably - batting, perhaps,
~ Orsay himself, and this Is not beyond
dispu e--by far the hsndsomest man OF
the D'Orsay period, OF the cuIled, be-
chained, and be.rInped dsndies whom
Maclise painted 81 admirably. Mr.. Aims
worth, however when We last ale roast
chicken and egg.sauce at his hosnitahle
table, had not yet allowed himself -
run to bard" and retained all the
juvenlity expressed by clean shaving and
physical as well as mental activity while
Mr. Upper still cherishes Inc beard he
cultivated when the fashion for retaining
that ornament came In Phe two men
have thus grown apart, SO to speak, AL
though it Is impossible to overlook the
resem blsnce of the clean-cut features.
Mr. Ainsworth, however. 10 always
dandy, while Mr. Upper haa long since
forsakeu the "daDditcal body" His broad