Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-23

.hnk never Old. 'Of course you never did.
sald ne you might az well look for Q joke In
the book of Revelations"
This last observation was too much for the
modest young artist and myself. We greeted il
with hearty laughter, in which Mr.. Sumner evil
IDENTIFY found it difficult to refrain from joining.
SUMNER AS LETTER WRITER.
As Mr.. Sumner was q constant and laborious
student, and an indefatigable worker in his COM
mittee room at the Capitol, and never absent
from his seat in the Senate during session, his
attention to matters Of comparatively minor i'm
portance was truly remarkable His cOrres2on-
dence was excessive, and a heavy tax upon his
time and thought, as he would frequently re-
ceiye more than one hundred letters by a single
mall each one of which was read the moment If
was opened and promptly answered either
oy MS secretary or himself He wrote with
great rapidity and was remarkable for his con-
essences, having the happy faculty of saving
much in a few words.
Some of his letters now open before me Occn
Pr less than page of his coarse writing. while
ethers Ill an entire sheet. One of the longest
letters ever received from him is dated March
9th. 1864, and closes with these earnest and
characteristic words 81 am yery busy. re-
port sweeping away all fugitive slave acts is be-
fore the committee. Another sweeping away
all laws for the exclusion of colored Testimony
will be on our table tomorrow. More will fol-
low. Others may hang back or stand still 1
Shall go forward Slavery shall die If can
not fell the tree to the earth will girdle it,
LACONIC NOTE.
The following laconic and slightly umorous
note is reply to one / addressed to him i'm be-
half of a friend who in consequence of change
in the collectOrship of the port OF Boston, felt
insecure in a position he held in the custom
house, and to which he was appointed through
the influence of an elder brother, an eminent
writer. who had, during the war; and for many
years previous, done much by his active and
eloquent pen TO create sentiment that made
the republican party necessity, and gave to it
from its birth. an assurance of victory. That
one appointed to Office under such auspices,
should be removed therefrom for political rea-
sons evidently seemed to Mr. Sumner an impos-
sibility. and all fears concerning his official
safety grOundiess and absurd:
"BosroN, 4th Sept, 65.
Dear Mr.. B.:-If the brother of is
not safe at the Custom House, we will build a
new one. or at least have new collector. As
the French say, Soyez Tranq'dde.
Ever yours, CHARLES SUMNER"
A correct idea OF the extent of Mr. Summers
correspondence is conveyed in the statement Of
his private secretary. that although of all the
letters he received not one in a hundred was
preserved; yet after his DEATH one hundred
and tWenty-four volumes of letter files,
were sent to his literary executor in Boston, and
these letters represented the correspondence
OF only two years.
SUMMERS COLLECTIONS OF AUTOGRAPHS AND
ENGRAvINGS.
Mr. Summers cultured and refined literary
tastes made the collection of autographs of
famous authors a source of real pleasure, which
he delighted in sharing with others of similar
tastes. The autograph most highly priced by him
was one written by John Milton, during q visit to
ITALY, in an album amicOrum kept by Camillus
Cordoyn, a NeapOlitan nObleman residing at
Geneva during the first half of the sixteenth
century. This album was about six inches
square, and contained. among several hundred
interesting autographs besides that of Milton,
one OF Thomas Wentworth, afterwards Lord
STAFFORD, written when q young man on his
continental tour. Wentworth was afterwards
an adherent of Charles the First of England, in
consequence of which he was beheaded on Tower
Hill in 1641
The autograph Of Milton in this album con-
sisted OF a cOuplet from 1.-THE Masque of Comus."
followed by sentence in Latin. to which his
signature was appended, the whole being written
IN plain, bold hand. and read thus:
If Vertue feeble were
heaven ltSelfe would stOOpe to her.
CCelum non aEimuS mutO du trans mare euro.
,,,o,o ICON JoANNEs MILTosIUs,
June 10, 1882 Angus.
MIR. Sumner reOiced in the possession of this
Autograph and would often exhibit it to his
friends. On such occasions he would quote with
ment Of the autograph is included:
"Mortals that would follow me.
Love virtue; she alone is free;
She can teach We how to climb
Higher than the Sphery chime;
Or, II virtue feeble were,
Heaven itself would sto0p to her."
Mr.. Sumner cherished a passionate fondness
for engravings. of which he had a very large
and valuable collection, which contained many
choice examples of the skill of the most famous
engravers of Europe. They filed several large
portfolios, and many Of them were displayed on
the walls, and even on the doors, of his apart
mentS.
HIS SENSE OF ART LIMITED.
Few men were better read in the history of art
or had more extensive knowledge of the
art treasures of Europe and America, than Mr.
Sumner, yet he was not, in the strictest sense
Of the term, an art critic. He had. however,
keen appreciation of the merits Of good en-
craving, and would sometimes expatiate with
much earnestness. and even elOquence, upon
the skill exhibited by some famous engraver in
rendering the drapcries and other difficult Dor
ti"ns OF the painting he had reproduced on cop
per or steel. He had several excellent proof i'm
pressOns of engrayings from Turner's most fam
Gus landscapes which he justly admired: but
doubt if the splendid cOlOring, and fine atmOs-
pherc effects OF the original paintings would have
excited that degree Of admiration which he cher
ished for the engravings which graced his walls
years, and one who had many opportunities of
forming correct opinion concerning his real
and appreciation OF art. was. think.
correct, when he said, in an address, delivered
at the Art Museum. in this city-.He" Mr.
Sumner, was constantly discIplning himself on
art, as on all else worth knowing, but with COM
plete unsuccess. The world Of art. as art. pure
ly. was to him a locked world. He lOnged to
enter into it, and feel it as artist dOes but the
keys were never given to him. His interest in
it was historical and literary, not artistic His
sense OF art. was very limited though he ever
strOve to cultivate his taste and feeling for it."
On the walls of Mr.. Summers Washington res
idence were many portraits of celebrated men,
engraved by masters of the art of engraving. to
which he would sometimes call the attention of
his visitors. and after speaking of their artistic
merits would proceed to give biographical
sketches OF the originals. together with brief
histories of the times in which they lived; thus
making each picture the text of historical and
biographical discourse, to which it was both
pleasant and instructive to listen.
MIR. SUMMERS LOVE FOR CHILDREN
was prominent trait of his character and few
men that have ever met possessed happier
faculty of inspiring their confidence and win
ming their affection. His influence over them
was truly magnetic called at his residence in