New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-13


Come vears ago Wa WsIkiug With several Amert-
esu friends through forest between ChautlIy and
senrs. when the name of St FtTmin caused ono to
cav. " Here in this wood died the aGthor OF Asnon
Iescaut'i5 Yes he was stabbed by IN inexperienced
s,1rreon while in apOpleEy, being supposed deal
He raised his voice and b0wled, and e1pTed. Nearly
100 wears afterward, my eyes filed with tears and
NV throat choked with grief, l am looking at the
story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier des
Greux at theatre m New-YorH
POET uPoS POET.
Returning from inauguration l had pleasant
conversation on miscellaneous matters with George
Fl. Boxer General Grants Minister to both Consan-
tinople and ST. Petersburg. He Is generally called
the first gentleman in Philadelphia having a COM
bnatio of social and literary talents, political
vices and manly beauty which would make him rare
anywhere-out Of Boston. / could hardly believe,
looking into his rich dark eyes and hearing his deep
modulated. melodious voice, that no WAS more than
forty wears of age. though tho books put him down
at Gfty-eight He is the president of the Union
League. and was a regular in the last election,
but previous to that opposed Repub-
lican candidate because he had written I'M
national letters to q London newspaper. Thirty
four years ago be published book of poems
Mr.. Boxer gave me an auecdote OF Poe, which
never heard before, aud perhaps recoLlect lmper-
feetIv. One day Mr.. Boxer was sitting at n book
seIEer,s who also published serial, when Poe came
in. nshabbv he was generally Genteel, and had
the inherent look of a man of tho world out OF
Mace and ostraeized, yet with a eompensating pride
in his sense of finer intellect After some little
while, he said to the publisher Lend me ten
dollars" can't do itD He was already in debt to
his friend hundred or two. LEND me ave. then
said Poe 81 can't do it, Poe l have made up my
mind not to lend any more" WeiI'D SAID roc
" will you give ME ten dollars for a poem 2 les
viii be glad 10 do that" Foo SAT
Jo1vn and almost without hesitation wrote
sonnet exquisite in its verDiage' tender IN us ieei-
ing. he handed it over to the publisher, who paid
the money. This sonnet" said Mr.. Boxer, " he
had no doubt written before IN hIs mind. at least
perhaps had written it on paper; and the apparent
eonposition of 1t in our presence was merely an
act Of copying"
SreakIpq of 4 prominent man-perhaps hr. Hayes
in Yespectfu way, Sir. Boxer said that his was
curious instance Of q NAN euamOrrd ct learnnC and
literature without the least talent for it. and NOS
uuch comprehens0n Of IL. lie had the greatest
reverence for instance fox Bayard Taylor yet On con-
versaton showed slight familiarity with his writings
and, where familiar, had an imperfect understand
inc. Yet he so admired the name and employment
of literary man that he stood toward Taylor IN
the light Of a wealthy man who had become the
patron Off litterateur, concednR everything to him.
bat u0more understanding his compositions than he
would Arabic.
MAcvEAGH ISvEIGHED AGAINST.
Another prominent Philadelphian, member OF the
bar. conveyed to me some idea why Wayne Mac
Veagh would be obviously received IN Pennsylvania
"A a member of the Cabinet MacNeagh Is such a
couacientioas man. he said THAT he searches al
p.to nc owes
up.the lob until he has found them unworthy some
where. Instead Of attacking some distant enemy.
or sgrue common enemy, his exc falls pom some
thing TO dIssect or oppose within the short radius
of his intimacy. Consequently he se'ms to have
Sigh. belief in thos5 parts OF tie world with which
he is absolutely familiar, and looks to ideal places
provinces, men and circles to which he has not yet
come but which whenever be comes to them he VIII
likewise turn the microscopes on ard prove hs ialth
uufouudcd. This disposition" said the taikcr, Is
an extreme refinement OF y ccrtain personal qloru-
lousncss in Pennsylvania. UnkapDiy, too, Mac Neagh
IL persopay honest lie Is one OF the best speakers
in the United state. especially when he becomes
fired with his subject, and IN defence Of some cause
Or opposition 10 SANE faction be TF,s out oil himself
until he almost towers, and looks inspired"
asked this gentleman II what he said Of
WAYNE MaeVeagh might not be the result
a general matcriaism aud soif-scekng and
high respect for position and authority without
apy respect to thclrlnOral leaningS " Well" said
he. 'tber. may BE- something in that very bright
sc1ntillaut spirit might take offence at the over
,yLeiniua commonplace and iD8eusibiiIty - the
finer distinctions OF honor which some think pre-
vail with us. Yet it il IN unhappy temperament 10
have. A man had better move, like benjamin
Fran Kiln, in tho channel OF his fellow ctzens than
10 stand OH the bank aud preach to the tide, which
Will move any how according to its own laws. Our
State was once tho most meJtIesOne in the Union on
points of morality That came from the old Quaker
element and from the collection OF unusually good
English families in Philadelphia, aided TO-,
at later period, by many naval
officers and Vlanter} families from the South.
Remnants Of that tone still exist. and give Phla-
dcphIa some Of the aristOcratic quality ascrlbed 10
its older families. But coal and iron have ma
terialized our State from ono end to the other
Everybody is in pursuit of the substantial and We
are the most substantial Of all American States
Although there appears to BIO less individuality
than in other States, there ought to be great deal
more, and even in Philadelphia there is hardly a
tsnementhOuse to be found, each family, however
small, living under its own roof.
"MacVtash, ?, he concluded. may have follow
ing we 10 not comprehend. Undoubtedly independ-
ent forces are 1t work in our State though we have
ascribed them material causes, such as taxation"
TALK ABOUT COLONEL JAMES.
Oar absent Postmaster, Colonel James, is no more
missed than good head clerk would be- because be,
like the head clerk Of any great mercantile house.
WA not distinguished for his person anything
comparative dramatic, bat for the pcrfectness Of
his machinery part Of which was TO have his alter
native ready, if death, removal promotion should
call himself away. Consequently the spirit Of the
Postmaster is yet in the Poet-0Gice, and the cogs
and wheels keep the same good time. As tho bead of
the POst-Offce Department, no will be in a higher
degree our Postmaster because the business Of the
Hew-York PostOflce does not cease with the limits