New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-27
OLD BOHEMIANS OF NEW-YORE
prpIy To Johnny BOUQUET.

IEcTrNO THEIR WORKS viNDICATED-wHAr THE
OLD BoHEMIANs ACTUALLY wERR-REMARKs ON
HENRY CLAP, IRA PROTEST.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: As it is of material Importance TO me that
the readers of THE TRIBUNE-ior whom have been
writer during more than fifteen years--shouid not
be misled as to my character and motives in author
shin wish to offer here brief rejonder to certain
remarkable observations. personal to myself. which
were lntey printed in your journal, over the sigma
ture of Johnny Bouquet"
lwi sh to say that have collected and publlshed
the writings of George Arnold and tltz-JameS
OBrien.-old friends and comrades OF mine, long
since dead and gone and unable to speak Tor theh-
selyes-not because those writer's and myself were
once fraternal drunkards Mr.. Bouquet is pleased
to ms nuate but because those writings are good
literature and therefore ought not to be lost OF
neglected. 1t is q singular sensation that one ex-
neriences when, after having with Conscientious
labor performed a difficult and important literary
task he finds himself rs the reward OF his TOLL Pill
lored before the public as regenerate proniRa'e'
The anazement of Sir Joseph Porter found an
optical expression. Mine will not undertake "
convey. but will remark that, although it may
suit Mr. John b. Cough to be exhibited as o re-
formed drunkard, it does not suit everybody
wish also to say that Mr.. Bouquet, when he states
that have cleansed the intellect OF Arnold and
astonishing declaration. A by the name OF
Bouquet" surely might be expected to know what
il is " to paint tho lily" He does me far too much
honor when he ascribes to my hand the accomplish
ment of any such feat The writings OF Arnold ana
OUrien are among the cleanest and purest tna'
have been produced in America; and IL IS my
opinion that they will " smell sweet and blossom"
long after the perfume Of Mr.. Bouquet has eXhaled
| and been forgotten.
Mr. Bouquet is too gracious and liberal by hail.
| likewise when he pitcs those writers ana myself
for our alleged remorseful su1erings, through our
sense of conscience and of good" do not know
how much of this novel ingredient in moral science
| Arnold ana O'Brcn had about them; but ] do know
| that living or dead, they have never needed either
tho charity or the patronage of such writer as Mr.
| Bououet They were gentlcmen-whatever were
| their faults U'Brcn may. at the last, have been
| sorry Il think he wasl that he had not accom-
| plished more. a man who writes two thousand
| nores of good literature, though, and then dies
soldiers death for his country at the age OF thirty
| two is not altogether failure. lie may not nave
ripcned into a whole Bouquet, but he makes very
| fair bud. AS to Arnold-the ascripton Oh " re-
morse" to that sweet gentle, sunshiny nature that
| kind soul who never harmed human being nor
wrote line that could wound or injuIe IS little less
| than monstrous. AS to myself, Mr.. Bouquet can
dry his tears at once. The burden of my anguish
at having ever bought my dinner in Mr. Piafs
| restaurant is still quite tOerable Perhaps my
| " sense of conscience and Of right" is soothed by
the palliatIng remembrance that occasionally
dned at Curct's. All the same am obliged TO MI
Bououet. Captain says Mrs. Malaprop. "you
oye1whclm me with your condensation"
| And / should like, ut the same time, to relieve
| Mr. Bouquets socitude on another point. Nv skill
in the cleansing of intelects las his approval but
he sadly dstrusts my ability to renOvate archtec-
ture. {" SIR. Winter will not be ablo to lift mp the
ruins of that old edilice in the cellar In my
capacity Of redeemed hummer have, 1t appears,
succeeded in rchabilitating n couple OF literary
tramps who were not quito destitute of the sense OF
conscience and of good y; but never can succeed
| in rebuilding and whtewashing defunct pothouso
whereof once was well-dcservng pillar. This
solemn thought to the mind OF Mr. Bouquet, is both
mourniul and comfortable Lot me comfort him
still more never had the slightest design or de-
sire to build up an edilce, either in cellar or out
OF il. 1 have merely tried to do slight service 10
literature and society, by reprinting few good
noems md stories by authors now dead whom l
once knew and loved, and who honored me with
their friendship. Mr. Bouquet mixes himself pain
fully and disquiets himself altogether III VAN,
when he looks Mt 1t in the architectural hsht'
Perhaps, however, mental confusion Is an INSOFAR
able attribute or condition OF the Bouquet family
q R,sto, he says in the Same cOuded vein Of Mrs.
F's aunt at last celebrates her interment OF the
whole school, by publishing kindly books to Arnold
and to O'Brien, and to Winter" Precisely wheie
the kindness" OF Boston strikes in. as to my Dhsi-
ness affairs. am not able to perceive. The books
written or edited by mo have always paid their
own way. And precisely when Boston performed
those funeral rites Mr.. Bouquet neglects to state
| II nv own obseuuies have occurred there 1t must
have been case OF "no cards for never till now
did hear of the sad occurrences and the corpse rs
| Mr.. Bouquet may perceive, IL still lively.
However, it is true, as Mr.. Bouquet observes. that
moat of nv literary associates OF twenty-five years
ago are dead and it is also true as he intmates'
that several OF them died before they had the honor
| of making his acquaintance. This latter cGcuih-
stance would seem TO account, in sufficient man
ner for the OF fact and mistakes OF opinion
| respecting them and me. with which he has favored
the readers of THE TRIBUNE. Mr.. Bouquet, accord
ing to his own showing, is in an excellent position
| for holding his horses; and certainly, soft
hearted, benignant mOralist, with such tender
concern for the sense OF conscience and OF good,
| will be enraptured to learn that even those poor,
fallen creatures with their feeble remr ants OF the
embers of grace who were trying to earn their Nv
ing by writing for the papers before the golden age
OF Bouquet came in, were, really and truly, not so
black as his meek credulity has been led to be-
lieve. There was l beg 10 assure him, no
"cuddle." Some OF those writer's quarrelled as
cordially if they had been good gesrrymen OF the
orthodox Church That idea about "aspiripg TO
no. ke NewYork the Partisan centre Of light letters
and criticism for America" Is pure fiction; such n
purpose was never entertained by those persons.
ada Glare " was Tot "dying In 1861 &C." when
Mr. Bouquet thinks he fell in with the Bohe-
mians" but was in vigorous health and splendid
beauty. If Shepherd lived precaIiously" Poor
Daisy how he would have ughed at that descrip-
ton .. his experience was not vastly unlike that OF
most writer's even now. And when Mr. Bouquet