New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-25

friend, If he will LET me call him such Whipple.
We walked. the KING and his squires and pages,
across some fields, and the youngest of the last
asked him if he remembered certain image of
Bryants, but he had forgotten it, at can be
found" 1 said, Gin After Tempest" and I
quoted the lines | had in mind for never for
got my Bryant:
g And darted up and down the butterfly,
mat seemed n living blossom In the air."
lie nodded his head like one who was well pleased
" He made note of that" said James Thomas as
we sauntered slowly behind. We went to dinner
soon afterward. | slipped little Laftte, which l
never liked and tho host told us OF his fancy for alb
surd books, some of which he had with him. i re-
collect that in the hero bOlted the door and
then bolted HIMSELF / dare say he had a
case full of Columbiads, Frelouiads Powhattans,
lamoydens, Milford Barls AlOnzo Lewises, and
other dead and - gone old Ounces. Rest,
Some tilne l3iter-I have no memory for dates-I
called upon him, on another summer day, at
Cambridge. | walked mp the stately entrance to
Cragle House. and was at once admitted, was shown
INTO an ante-room, lined with books. and, the family
helng ut dinner glass Of wine sent to until
me most c0nId lraYe his guests. III moment was
seated at his table, as had lately been the
shore surrounded by his children, and gossipng
chat went around. What was it about | could
sooner recall what song the Sirens sung to Ulysses,
what ditty Marsyas piped before Apollo, what tune
Achilles whiled ont Of his dista", or what courtly
dance Chairman trOd before the Herculean Roman
and the serpent of Old Nile. than that midsummer
medley over the walnuts and the wine. l dare say
1t was something like this:
"Care, like dun,
Turks at the gate;
Let the dog wait"
or more like this, in esse, if not in posse:
Forty times over let Michaelmas pass.
Grizzlng h3ir the brain doth clear
Then you know a boy Is
Then you know the worth OF lass,
once you have come 10 Forty Year"
j met or rather saw, Mr. LOhgfelow thrice again.
Once at the Old Corner Bookstore haunted with
memories of Ticknor, Fields, Hawthorne, Holmes,
Whittier Emerson, Sumner and Taylor-nore
glorious memories of those immortal boys, William
Alakepeace and Charles and, | fear, dwindling
memories of several youngsters in the AS and Hs,
and rs, and Us, but of THIS meeting only the
shadow of q gracious Presence remains. The next
tlme we met at the Brunswick where some
winter forenODns lang sync gathered to do honor
to the first of Friends, singer Of New-England's
legendary lore, good gray head which ali men
knew-(hail, JOIN Grceueaf Whttierl) }. and where
the Poet of The Golden Legend" welcomed me
with his clear eye, and reverent beard, tho Nestor
then Of our barls-Nestor, but younger than Bryant
by over twelve years. The third and last time |
heard of, but not. Longfelow, who came steal
ing into Sanders Theatre, OH a hot June forenoon
to hear certain rhapsodist essay poem upon His
tory. before the Young scholars of bis beloved Alma
Mater, but came late for the sly wag contriyed to
go before the learned divine who srove for an hour
and half to reconcile Science and his Canadian
Orthodoxy. Futile propOunder Of Paradoxes, |
pitied thee! Twas dear to me, said the venerable
figure gliding in and out but the man he so honored
beheld him not. nor ever again.
might have seen Iongfellow two weeks ago, but
| had not the heart to disturb his age | re-
membered the melancholy death of orr great Com
mander of the Flood of Years. aud broke not his
peace Generally speaking come to praise Caesar,
and not TO bury hm. What more need say of the
Man and his Work Only what hc said OF our dear
friend Hawthorne:
" All who shall lit that wand OF magic power,
And the lost cirW regain
Tn. unfinished window III Alaidin's tower
Unfinished must remain :"
RICHtRD Henry STODDARD.
Nclr- York March 2l 1852.