New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-22

Mr. 'Frothnghams interesting memoir touches
with brevity upon the personal characteriS'eSo.
Mr. Ripley, his eleious feeling, his high sense VI
duty his strong affections his SIMPLE ne the htlrc
,,oniof his in society his literary friendships
md Ina correspondcnce Probably he has made the
best use of the materials ut his disposal ana IL may
he that q fuller survey of the last and by iar inc
most important portion of Mr.. Ripleys career inc
period in which ne was not trying VAN experiments
but welding great poSer in the world. Is reserved
for a selection from his writings and letters 1t
will seem to most Of Mr.. Ripey's friends that
somewhat more elaborate treatment of tho points
We hive Indicted than MI. Frothingham's plan
permitted is necessary TO an accurate knowledge
of this remarkable man. There could be no better
testimony TO the charm of his disposition than the
story of his domestic happiness and the catalogue
of his friends 1t is recorded TINT his manner 10
strangers sometimes too cold and reserved.
That complaint will hardly be made By those VINO
knew him in his later years. when circumstances
threw open to him the intercourse with the world
from which poverty aud hard work dcbarred nm
in his youth. lie had an extensive acquaintance,
both at home and in Europe; he WAS extremely
companiOnrbe; and one could be long IN MS
company without pcrceiving the qulckress O1 MS
sympathies and the kindness of his heart. Ills
Pensioners In Boston loved hin for his Tenderness
Farm honored his hercsm and unsefshness. In
the position of power which he acquired i'll New
York young men found in him n friend and guide,
ready to give what young men SO often need ahd
so rarely get, self-forgeting interest i'll their
concerns IL was the good fortune Of many a
literary beginner TO work under Mr.. Ripleys eye
or in the sunshine of his company, and such men
will always hold him in grateful and adinlrng
remembrance Theodore Parker describes one OF
Mr.. Ripleys discussions with Claiming at the
Transcendental Club and remarks: Had the
conversation o. this evening been written out hy
Plato, it would equal any of his beautiful dia-
lognos." We can believe it. Mr.. Ripley had a
genius for conversation. lie never monopolized
the talk He loved 10 draw ont his companions.
He had an instinct for dynng what they could
best talk abont, and adapting himself to Their
subjects On all topics he conld say something to
be remembered. His voice clear and pleasant
his cnunciaIion was perfect: hs sentences wero as
exact and uent and transparent in idle chat as III
his literary work and not seldom they flashed with
epigrammatic wit He had IL Tacy humOr, keen
sense of the ludicrous, n hearty and contagious
laugh Mr.. rockingham speaks of his "consttu-
tiona hiarity." IL is an apt phrase. One seldom
sees a wise and serious so readily pros Oked ~
Inerrimeut. Those were bright days indeed when
two such genial friends as George Ripley and
Bayard Taylor sat nj work in the same room, with
the intent faces OF Younger Journalists around
them The last time the writer of this notice saw
Mr.. Ripley his health was broken and death
was not Ear of but lie was as buOyaut and fas-
cinating a. ever; he poured forth a stream Of
cheerful rcminiscencc inquiries after old friends,
droll stories, aud shrewd comment upon men and
things 70 the last he was happy, ardent, and ener-
gctc. He used ut times to wax wroth-On becoming
occasions-and then the idomatic vIgor Of his
speech left nothing to lie misunderstood Mr..
rockingham observes in some part of his memoir
that he made his use Of the English language
matter OF conScence the conscience that ruled his
noble indgnatIoEs may have been inherited from
some lighting Puritan ancestor But in truth he
was Il laughing philosopher; and the laughter
spranc from sunny temper, an enthusiastic dis
position and d warm heart.