New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-05


| he crossed tho Alps as Winter approached, and
passed BY Trieste and Venice, finding all along the
road something fresh to describe aud some notable
person to talk with, and dspatchiDg his customary
letter to THE TRIBUNE. He reached Rome Just az
the city was Gling with tho bishops who came 10
attend the opening Of the Vatican Council. He
wrote for our columns series OF picturesque and
detailed accounts of the gorgeous ceremonies Oh TINS
great assembly and discussed in his acnte ana crtcal
spirit the influences which prevailed IN the secret
meetings Of the Council and the probable results
of the Giscnssions. HIS familiarity Win the whole
range of doctrinal controversy gave him opportuni-
,;es Cor understanding the drama of which he was
spectator far superior to those enjoyed py almost
INV other correspendent of Protestant newspaper;
while his powers of terse exposition, and OK severely
supIe vet effective description, were entirely unex-
ceIled Rarely has so good philosopher ana 'bee
Logan shown himself so fine literary artist MI.
Rpley's letters from the Council were rebhKabis
alike for their volume. their tboroughness, and
their freshness. Every mail brought one at
least of these striking productions, ana athough
they were continued far into the new year they
lost interest or variety Besides the important
topics of the Council they touched upon hundred
other questions of the day in Rome They gave life
like portraits of Cardinal Chen Archbishop Man
ming. and other prominent persOnages; they de
scribed visit to the Pope, and the pnbic appear
anees of the pontI aud the great festivals ID the
churches. Then there were other letters on inds-
pendent Italian subjeets-the character ana habits
of the people and the growth, of liberal
thought The later acts of the Coun-
Gil were treated by another hand, and
Mr. Ripley went back to Germany. where he wit
messed the popular uprising on the outbreak OF tia
war with France, and described for orr readers the
rapid formation OF German unity. Hisintimate ae-
| II, leading (rgTmanv
and his long familiarity with the German language
and literature aud German intellectual movements
gave him extraordinary fac lities fpr comprehend
ING what was gong on in those crowded and exert
ing weeks; and MS clear and compact Letters con-
trlbuted not little TO the value OF the great mass
Of correspondence for which The TRIBUNE re-
nowned during the war of 1870.
Soon after his return to the United States Mr.
Ripley made preparations for another exaetlng He
rary enterprise which he bad long had IN contein-
platoon namely, COMPLETE revision OF The Cycio-
pRdia to which he had devoted so many Yeas Of
his mature age The preparation OF the new edition
was almost as serious task as the making OF the
original for the work entirely recast and the
greater part of il written de In tins second
edition Mr. c. A. Dana was again partner, but the
heaviest part of the work fell, before. 10 Mr..
Ripley The first volume OF The American Cyclic
pedia" as the revised edition was called appeared
in 1873 and the sixteenth and last in 1876.
The last years of DR.. Ripleys life lhe hal re-
c9iyed the degree of LII. ID. from the University Of
Michigan in 1874 differed IN essential pariIcu-
lar from the rest of his busy career. Dir. Bayari
Taylor, for year or two before bis appointment 70
the Berlin Mission, contributed numerous literary
criticisms to The TRIBUNE. but Dr.. Ripley'S re-
views continued. with the same abundance and
panstakng regularity rs ever. They were not
sa1
far advanced. The last article prepared
by him for The TRIBUNE was ths
review of the Life and Letters of Horace Bush
neI.r which appeared June IL. 1880 When this
was written he had been for time confined to
his ROOM and in great suffering, but IL showed no
dmlnution of his intellectual powers. no binnting
of his sympathies, and deterioration of hIs crisp
and elegant style. He always retained a warm in
terest in the affairs of The TRIBUNE He became a
part Of the paper when he joined 1T in 1919,
and al the time of his death he had been for many
years the President OF the Tribune Association
having been unanimously elected 90 the post
shortly after Mr.. Greeley's DEATH aud unanimously
reelected at the beginning of each subsaq ent year.
The great age which Dr. Ripley attained and the
extraordinary ugor which in spite Of his MANY
years, he exhibited almost TO the last al test The
inal ROBUSTNESS OF his constitution. In person be
large and commanding Wi h a noble head and ear
riage OF unusual dignity. There was IN his manners
and speech downright sincerity which enhanced
the charm of his genial Intercourse with friends,
whom he counted b. legion in all the
higher walks of literature and science. lie
exceedingly methOdcal in all his pursuits, and dis
liked any disturbance of the routine of his stndious
everyday life. He wasted time, and met every
duty half way. Long practice had made his literary
labor easy But il had never made MN careless,
With sloveBly work OF any kind he had no
patience. His own was performed VITA
a precision which never at iaaL
In the office of this paper where. until few yrars
ago, he did most of his writing, his daily arrival
was hailed as the coming of kind aud cheerful
friend and his absence VIII DE long and deeply
mOurned
The disease to which be succumbed was angina
pectoris. He had a slight attack of this complaint
during the Winter. and it gave him great
uneasiness. for with ms thorough know edge
of physiology he was we'll aware Of
its dangerous nature. Four or five weeks
ago the disorder returned. and for ten days ora
fortnight there has been no hope of recovery.
He expressed perfect resignation from tue
beginning, and only hoped that the period
of his relief might soon come The pa-
tient was attended throughout his illness By
Drs. Marcy and Mosman. both of whom gave him
every possible care. DIR. Mosman especially rs the
crisis approached, watched almost necessarily
by the bedside. remained all night for several
successive nights, and never relaxed his attentions
until at o'clock yesterday afternoon DIR. Ripley
expired. HIS devoted wife with HIM till tie
lasr.
Dr. Ripley was twice married. His first wife. who
died In 1861, Miss Sophia W. Dana, a niece ~
the late venerable Richard III. Dana. sr. IL 1868
he was married to Mrs. Louisa A. >ehlossberger,