Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-11-05
TILDEN.
His Eruditfon, his Habits. and his
Eoibles.

NEW YORK, Oct. 20.-The Ameri.
eau people probably equal the French
in the avidity with which they pick
up and circulate all the current ''slnall
talk" about their celebrated men.
Chit-chat about the personal peculi-
arities and the private lives of tho
remarkable men of the country is tho
small change of the clubs, the social
coteries, and the newspaper press.
No American has of late years been
more talked about or more frequent
ly s.written up" than the Usage Of
Gramercy park :" and iu the belief
that any correct information about
this very quiet and secluded old gen.
tIcman is still acceptable. / propose
giving a few fresh details of his pri-
vate life.
AS has been announced already,
MIR. Tildeu is building an addition to
his house for the better acc0nmoda-
ton OF his very large library. His
residence at No. Is Gramercy park
has y frontage Of forty five feet. Tho
lot is two hundred feet deep, extend
lug to the next street. aud iu the rear
of the house is . lovely garden, 80
completely filled with trees aud shrub
berry that the house can hardly be
seen from the street in the rear. Mr..
Tilden is building upon his new pur.
chase of twenty-five feet adjoining
his home. The two buildings will bo
thrown iuto one, ,and when completed
the residence will have Q noble 'front.'
age Of seventy teet,l giving its own
or ample room III which to dispose
his library, pictures, aud other art
treasures. .i..4.e,,,,t. .........
Mr.. Tildeu's library is one Of the
largest private collections of books
IN the east. 1t now completely lines
the sides of his paler aud diuing.
room, and fills all available space
along the walls of two rooms up-
stairs. All his life he has been agreat
BUYER of books. He has, however,
little or nothing in common with tho
genius Of bookish men known %
bibl.omaniacs. He has no exception.
al liking for anaoId book, or q rare
edition. His iahelves present few
notable first editions, or musty and
faded GU riosities.. He especially de-
lights in tine illustrations and elegant
editions. His library covers q wide
field OF general literature, aud oil in
the best and costliest Of the book.
makers art. He'is very fond of pic
lures, aud has been q great collector
Of lprints aud of finely illustrated
editions of the best authors. ii His
shelves are especially rich in the polt-
ticsl literature of this country. He
has an y. unsurpassed collection, of
political tracts and pamphlets, and
large number OF government reports,
Including the treasury reports for the
entire period of our national exits
tence, aud an unbroken series OF the
records of cougress. American poli-
tics, poetry, and the best novels form
| the chief features of his library, and
have been the studious relaxations Of
| his secluded hours. Mr.. Tilden has
been great Oovel.resder, strange -
the fact may seem to some people.
All the great novelists have prominent
places and splendid editions od his
Shelves 1t iss q rather remarkable
fact, but it is, nevertheless true, that
| Mr.. Titden is deficient in his know.
ledge Of foreign politics. Many pub.
lie men who have not his general cul-
ture, nor tithe OF his intimate 40
quaintanceship with American af.
fairs, are much, more familiar than he
with the intricate politics Of Europe.
Lord Bacon, in ".rhe Advancement
of Learning,"I believe, divided ready
men into two classes, I. e., those who
have an intuitive knowledge Of things,
aud those whos having acquired great
resources of knowledge, have those
resources always at command. Mr..
Tiiden, one Of the readiest of men.
belongs to the latter class. The fruits
of his reading aud study are always
within his reach whenever he wishes
to pluck them" He is walking In
dex to the facts he has found in tho
books that have interested him. 1t 10
common thing when in converse
ton with aifriend to hear him say
something like this: "You will find
that subject fully treated in Q speech
of Benton's. is III the Congressional
debates of 1882" He used to be Q
very fine conversationalist when he
talked more fully and received more
company than he does now. He was
quick at repartee, aud was . very eh-
tertaining and hospitable host. He
. has never mingled much in society
? and has been indeed something OF .
recluse, though fond of entertaining
!. congenial company at his home.
His practices Of conversing with his
friends in whispers is nothing moro
than one Of tho precautions he takes
, 10 preserve bis strength. Mr.. Tiiden
has pleasant voice, and plenty Of IL,
; when ne chooses to use It /; but Il has
long been his belief that to man 90
busy with other men 40 he has been,
!, the almost continuous use Of tho
vocal organs was one Of the most
fatiguing of practices. He therefore
, acquired the habit Of talking in very
low voi.s. Or even in q whisper.
There.is undoubtedly good deal Of
truth in his theory. but he has earned
, it to such length as to include Il
among his old bachelor fusliness and
crochets, Of which he has . great
!. number. For instance, he has long
been noted among his acquaintanees
for his antipathy to- umbrellas aud
canes. He never carries either article.
He has been heard to say that il he
gets his hat Or his coast wet, he had
rather throw them away and procure
new wearing apparel than be bother.
ed with an umbrella. Another Pc
culiarityi of Ibis Ito descend to the
minutest OF trivialities) is that to
. every new pair Of trousers he hes .
pair of suspenders firmly sewed, aud
thus avoids:6 good deal Of bother with
buttons. r= fs.,
/ AL kCoht Ju6u nave tQ0lE uttl6
weaknesses, and the particular weak
ness Of Mr.. Tilden may be said to be
in the direction Of clothes. He has .
good many of the English ideas IN
the subject Of dress, aud, like the
aristocratic sprigs abroad, who array
themselves In six or seven different
suits day, re.dressing for every
meal, donning one sort of conyen-
ticnsl attire for the hunt, another for
the seaside, ETC., Mr.. Tilden has vivid
notions Of the appropriateness Of his
, apparel for the varying duties Of the
day. Latterly, however, he has not
been SO scrupnlous in this regard %
) he used to be before .overtaken by the
feebleness of old age. But he has
always been one of the best patrons
Of the tailor in New York. I was
, shown. the other day, the books Of .
very fashionable uptown tailor for
1871, aud Mr.. Tilden's name appeared
in them for bills amounting to $S 900
iu that one year. In his relations with
. tradespeople Mr.. TildeD may be de-
scribed as one of the very best patrons
i'll America of the book-publisher, tho
tailor. aud the grocer. He is master
! Of menu. Dining with him 10 fine
art. He loves the pleasures of the ap-
petite thinks the fat Of the land and
the fruit of the vine were made to