New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-30
GEORGE BANCROFT AT HOME.
From The ReD,thlie.

KeDuhuC.
In n moderately large double house of brick with
n succeed frontSOn HIST. lives and works Americas
great historian, George Bancroft: The house is solid
iOnable The bright green trees the flowers, ana
the children in the beautiful Lafayette-square arc
in view from .nc broad stone steps, the historic
mansion of General Beale is just across the way, the
attractive residence OF Judge Bancroft DAVIS IS
separated only 10y, an alley, whlle within stones
Judge Cox General Myers and other notable gen
tlcmcn Mr.. BancrOfts hOuse is three stories high,
ing from the hail. hich is delicons cool and PLAIN
these hot Summer days, are reception and dining
rooms while the whole west side OF tho house 10
taken IN with parlOrs that are both handsome ana
rich. As remember these rooms, there were large,
wide and deep chairs and sofas of rich material III
inviting variety and location, some aannson ne
pictnrcs and mirrors in gold frames on the walls
grand piano, an ornamental bookcase or two, rch
lamps and n great and bewidcring variety OF orna-
of great comfort and luxury. Probably the most
conspicuous object is q beautiful printing of the
Emperor of Gcrmany-a full length figure IN bright
uniform. The frame, heavy carved gold one, -
surmounted by the Imperial crown Mr. Bancroft
treasures this picture very highly, ~ 1t was pre-
scented 10 him by the Emperor himself.
Mr. BancrOft's workshop is upon the second moor,
In a large square room facing the street. What
Mace of rest and study! Great leather aud Shaker
chairs n great desk in the middle OF the room, and
ali about the walls, books and books; from the
ceiling to the floor, on every side, books! NOT an
inch of space that is net filed And he has four
rooms like this. Tie table was strcwn with
pamphlets hooks, and bushels of docume ts and
inouusrripts The picture. yOu enter, Is one yOu
have often seen. An old man sitting ~ ms desk az
work and young secretary opposite copying, VEN,
fyiuv and arranging documents, and both cncirclcd
Ly walls of books. Within the four rooms COM
posing his library, Mr. Bancroft has over Twelve
thousand volumes. There are larger collections OF
hooks i'm prvat" houses but Mr.. BancrOfts library
is remarkable for hcing more select than extensive
II is peculiarly rich in the best editions ot anclcnt
classics and has almost all the notable works IN the
modern European languages. The great feature OF
the library Is the manuscripts No man IN inc
country has such - collection ot Original uocu-
nruts e n military or political character r1lalHlg
o tkr country lie hrgan his great historical work
i'm $50 IL was in tins year he began t. gather
materials and to iay ont the work that VIII hl'Ac
his name great while the world lasts.
Ilc WAS born In Worcester, Mass, III" son OF q
| clergyman. When he was thirteen years old ne
emf, red Harvard College, and WIS graduatcd Win
DISTINGUISHED hunors IN lNl1. lie Is Described as
having hecn ut this age, very brilliant ana prom
! Using young man. Edward Everett was his great
/ friend and took great pride III the young man IL
was through his aid that Mr. Bancroft went abroad
/ in ISIS There are few better HnWuists IN the
! country. lie studied the German, French Italian;
/ the great masters of the day, AMI at me age oil
| twenty he was given the title or IN. -: lie was
! then "A valued friend of humboldt and II was at
this time q! his life that hc formed those regular
habits OF work and rest that he hns followed through
/ life The little spaIroWs That sung ~ the tlreS
Lr(orr hi- door are not regular IN their alltS
md thcy hardly ris. earlier than he does. The first
roys Of The SIM and the first breath Of the morning
! greet this old worker ~ hls desk, ana fGll i'rly
,Io.- he work Never au idle dar, never n sick one
| never a halliday There Is not reporter on the
! daily press who works nard and as regularly,
/ aud mot one know has the physical health 0l TINS
! MIR bancroft himself attributes his surprising
I health mud physical and mental activity "a his
REGULAR habits, his moderation IN eating ana drink
! iup and his outdoor exercise. lie WAS always q
! Great pedestrian and hurSrlnan. Not day passes
thot hr does not spend three or four hours I'D the
saddle His friends speak of HIM ~ daring horse,
| man even now Only a few days ago, accompanied
Inv Mr. Scott his secretary, he tied of Ia Great
| Falls n distance uf about fifteen miles After Mr.
| bancroft had climbed ahont the rocks Tor awIllle'
and given his horse chance 10 rest ttir, the TWO
! Gentlemen ngain mounted, aud rode back to town:
| Thirty miles on horseback IN a single day WOhd
seem 10 be quite enough for exercise even Tor slch
| "A lnan ms Mr. Bancroft Every day ut O'Clock tne
historian stops work.. AZ tins Time ne Is ready 10
nav visits receive calls, drive out with ms laihllS'
| or ride Startlc his handsome Kentucky horse with
| a long tail and peugrcc. The ride he never omlts.
| unless the day is particularly uniav0rabe lie says
| "A three hours ride rests and invigOrates llln Ills
exercise is a part Of his daily life. During all MS
| residence abroad he never omitted II. lie was
| always gallopng through the forests aro nd
| of his health Alr SpOnOrd, the Librarian ol Con-
| gress rides with Mr. Bancroft nearly every SUNDAY
| afternoon They go oil like n couple OF boys play
ina " hockey" iald spend the whole AFTERNOON III
rlllopng through woods, skrting streams, or tol-
| lowing paths which have no beginning ana no
| ending Mr.. Bancroft says he has often ridden hlty
miles day. but he says that it is too much Tor one
horse. ~, n
| II is not generally known, think, that Mr.. Ban
croft is n poet rs we'll as historian. EarlY III life
| he developed great love for poetry, and no once
| published volume of his poems. but l believe IL
! was q "school-boy freak. unworthy praise or
| blame"