The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-17

MS employers nan learned 10 appreciate MIN.
But excellent rs were his rotations with tho
Messrs Seelcy. there are signs In his journal
and letters that the position of dependence was
irksomc to him. and as the years went on no
became more and more eager to enter upon
business on his own account. But the want of
capital forbade his making tho attempt.
until at last the longed-for aid came
from an unexpected quarter. He had
road in 1910 the "Guesses at Truth"
published anonymously by the Hare brothers.
and his conviction of the singular usefulness
of the book led him to write to the unknown
authors. A kindly reply came from Archdea-
con Hare. and there tho matter for time
onded; but the correspondence being subsc-
Guontly renewed ho received an invitation to
Hurstmonceaux. the parish Of which Hare was
rector In his letters recounting this visit we
hear good deal OF interesting literary gossip.
Thus Hare told Macmillan that De Quincy
and Wordsworth both Of them dislike Goethe.
and think him little better than a duack.
Wordsworth speaks OF him in the most con-
temptuous manner" Hare said also that
Wordsworth. Notwithstanding his greatness.
really and heartily admired very few poets.
Milton and Spenser-those he loved and appre-
ciated-scarcely any other" Hare spoke in the
most affectionate manner OF Charles Lamb.
and mentioned sitting next to him at dinner
opposite side Of the table. Lamb touched Hare
and said quite loudly so that the whole table
might hear him: DO you see that little
man Ipointing to De Quinceyl? Well. though
he Is so little. he has written thing about
Macbeth better than anything l could write;
no. not better than anything could write. but
could not write anything better"
The acquaintance thus begun soon ripened
into friendship and on the part Of Arch
deacon Hare. into desire to assist his young
correspondent in establishing himself in some
place where he would have scope to carry out
his IDEAS. He bids Macmillan look about him.
and. in August. 1s43 tho latter writes to the
Archdeacon that the booksellng business of
Mr.. Newly at Cambridge. which he thinks
would suit his purpose. is in the market The
brothers Hare advanced him $500. with which
the purchase was promptly made. Daniel had
some time previously installed his younger
brother Alexander in II small book shop in AL
dcrssate street. London. and this remained
under his management, while Daniel himself
took charge OF the new and more important
venture at Cambridge. The labor OF organic
ing the business. rearranging the stock. and
preparing the catalogue fell entirely upon him.
and the strain proved so severe that his pulmo-
nary trouble took the form Of bleeding from
the lungs. and he was Obliged to summon his
brother from London TO his assistance. and the
small shop in Aldersgate street was given up.
Apropos of his catalogue. Archdcacon Hare
wrote to say that he was much grieved to SEQ
that "Faublas " had place it, The book was
apparently inserted for the sake of the we'll
known quotation from Carlyle. but as soon as
Macmillan received Hares comment on the
Offering Of such demoralizing publications to
young men he burnt it.
Mr.. Hughes applies to Daniel Macmillan. at
the time when the latter became his own mas
ter. tho commentator bestowed By Perthes
the great German bookseller. on his partner
Bcsser: 1t would be hard to find in any indi-
vidual bookseller SO extensive a knowledge us
he possesses of the most celebrated books in
all languages. their character and value. and
there is no one who knows so well whore and
how TO procure them" But although his quail
ilcations were. exceptional. Naomi llans po-
sition ut Cambridge had great drawbacks.
Among these. next to his bad health. which.
after the first year Of intense labor and anXi-
ETY. necessitated long absences from the shop.
Hh the wGpt Of Sapa All the On
and il soon proved too little for the business.
university town is heavily weighted. for
tenn OF long credits; and the Efforts Of the new
mrn To- cultivate among their customers
source Of ineessant trouble 10 them. On the
other hand, Macmillan's friendship with Arch
his own tact and knowledge enabled him to
improve. Outside the university, too. the
Archdeacons connection stood him in good
stead. and h. was soon i'll relations more or
less intimate with +. d. Maurice, 4. F. stanley.
the present Archbishop of Dublin then Mr.
Trenchl bishop tolenso. Charles Kingsley. and
others Of the liberal school If churchmcn. The
time. moreover tlS43l. was singularly fortunate
for man OF ripe experience and W de sympa-
thies to star n bookseller in II university
town E!sland has seldom been in q more
electric state, intellectually and morally. and
at Cambridge Macmillan had his hand on tho
nnlsr OF the reading public, every section OF
soon began 10 frequent his shop.
Already before the end Of the first year the
possibilities 9t the publishing business We're in
ments in this direction. As time went on he
took less and less active share in the work OF
the shop; and concentrated his attention on
the development OF the publIs hing business.
he was the first to recognize the advantages
rnry centre g,lv" him for the attain'i.ent of his
object, Here he perceived WIS . mine hi therto
power in England SO lar AT ali events. as edu-
"attnna ite'stiscS We're concerned There
a great want of these. while in every 20 nera-
ton OF Undergraduates wore men specially
lifted Tor editing orwriting them. With Tia, year
1916 he began the publication OF, that Sc
Macmillan has boon SO much distinguished
and it is not n ittln creditabe TO his acumcn
pecnnarily Interested was the valuable edition
Of Bacon by Spadt,in; and Ellis BY the end of
Six ysnrs m"rf yi@ in iS52 he was able to
tail business wi keep as good as
ever, hut my great hopes are in tho
publishing. | am convinced that WE shall
gradually. in u few years. have first rate and
capitaly paying publishers trade. Our retail
trade vii les chiefly valuable as bringing about
us men who will grow int, authors" He had
bur Hye years moro to live. vet in that brief
period his forecast WAS com pletply verified.
The balance sheet of 1856 WAS the best the firm
had ever known, and tho prospect WAS brighter.
Their business had taken root and tn" grow
ing demand for their books inspired printers
and paper makers with II readiness To u We
long credit and advance funds. 50 tha, all the
troubles arising from n stintnd capital were
over But although tn" aim for which he had
strivcn SO long and eturlily was achieved his
own end was near In MAY, 1857. an attack of
peurisy aggravated his chronic pulmonary
mnlady and in June of the same year he died.
From the humorous extracts from his CORE
spondonce given in this book We can understand
the strong impression which Macman's char
actor seems to have mad" on those who came
across him. Ha was not only u man Of wide
reading and marked intellectual power but he
was deeply Interested in the spiritual rovolu-
ton which In his time had already begun. and
which Is now test M to th"iI foundations all
cr"cds and ccclesastical systems Macmillan
died ms he had lived II deyout Christian hut
h. was a Christian of the broad liberal type.
when had been powerfully commended tn his
heart aud brain by his friend. l.. ID. Maurice.
Few thinE- indeed are more str king than the
contrast between the narrow religious atnlns-