Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-18
GEO. WILLIAM CURTIS AT HOME.
A Glimpse of the Famous Editor, Es-
sayist, Author. Critic aud Reform
in his study.
from The New YORK Mail ami EXprcss.l

" IOlu inc NEW 1olh NlIlI In IlCaF'I
1t was blowing regular gale on Staten
Island yesterday, but in the coy home of
George William Curtis, for many years
editor of Harper'S Weakly, there was a
cherry warmth and comfort which of them
selves babe a welcome to the visitor. In his
study the tall, fine form of the editor, author,
critic and reformer stood outlined against the
gray sky beyond the window, and as he
turned with warm hand-greeting, the hair
and half-gray side whlskers as well rs the
stalwart form. reminded one much OF Presi-
dent Arthur. The bright camel coal fire
cleaning in the great cast occasionally
flashes over the glistening white of the
classic busts above the crowded bookcases,
and the severe face of Emerson, as it looked
across the paperlittered table toward the
man who had been the dead cssayists friend.
The fire screen standing beside the chimney
piece represented a heron with spread
wings. The feathers were natural and the
scattered brio a.hrac was not arranged Us if
tor ornament. The handsome rugs about
the hard floors were soft and warm a
ptttud Yorkshire terrier made himself COM
Portable on one of them, and the clicking of
the typc-wrting machine and the clear voice
of a canary in an adjoining room .chimed in
with the musical cracking which came from
the Fireplace. The tables were covered with
the latest literature while the cases Of the
well worn books of working library filled
all the available wall space.
Recent English Literature.
In answer to the question whether Amcri-
can authorship WAS, by comparison with that
Of Eugland, advancing or rctrograding Mr..
6 l., LOO = :,
or worse; it ia IN state of transition. Older
authors are passing off in both countries
The group of mea to which Bryant anC
LOngicllow belonged is going fast, bu' tho
same thing is true Of England, Dickens
Carlyle, Thackeray, Eliot and a host d
others are gone, and TcunysOn and. Brown
ing are past 70. In both countries the hghc
creative literature is at pause. Ii there ar
IN this country no younger mea to take tn,
place of Hawthorne, LOngfellOw and Bry
ant, 50 there are nOue in Eng1nd to take tn,
lace of the group If men who were in thCi
prime twenty-five or Thirty years ago.
know of no young men in England who ar
more distinctive ana original contributors t
our common English literature than Howels
James and Bret lIarte. The most cmincn
figure in what may be called the later a
though maturer circle of English authors
Matthew Arnold"
"YCur opinion of his Work will be {
interest in connection with his rcceL
visit z"
"Most of his work is distinctively critica
although he has written some verses which
regard as belonging to higher poetry. He hs
in nm extraordinary degree the courage q
his convictions Publicly he does not eS
press them even as strongly as he holC
them, but rather with a quiet literar
courtesy. But notwiths anding his reser'
he has by his example during his stay in tn
country been of great service to literary M
mere. His d-icate SENSE Of literary art az
his jus, feclnls ou that snhject to whiC
W. are Inclined 10 he much too Indifferent
sp,eimes ex1gg rate the importance Of Il
nj aud cons "a utly to underestimate Il
gr..ils # Literary york II seemed to e
liiua'r Mr. Emerson too exclusively fro
that point Il view He said jh4i Mr.. FL
cr,uu was unp OF the chief aids t. the splli
ul life 10 be sire, hnt be tri; d hhl Ivy wh
mnS fairly be Gala d technical literary ca
ons. Ma'th. " Arntld, | shoul say, has II
TIRE Greek sp'rr 10 his writing There
a ,nr.tlu freshness, grace HnI ilmpaiJ
~ l,t.. R'vusF # slyic which r,cil's I
~ ul,,k simplicity srd o. j,c.iVt.y, AID
h'cA ~ English the hIeGl exam pie is l.,
do,s Periclts and AspAsla. l. is the be
We have Of Greek sympathy and taste