The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-19
LITERARY NEW YORK.
Prof. John Fiske and His WOrk-The Last
of Richard Grant White.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
New YORK, April 18.-Among those who in
cline to intellectual associations, John Fiske has
lately been a great favorite. The invitations
with which he has been overwhelmed are justi
fed by his genial presence and interesting unaf
fected conversation. The work that he has done
in his bakers dozen of lectures on American his
tory is an important one. l have met with am
pie evidence of the fact that the deluge Of for
eign literature and the aping Of foreign ideas
and customs have decidedly dimmed the lustre
of American history, even to the eyes of very
intelligent people. Mr.. Fiske, with his clear
graphic style and his engaging manner, has
frightened it up magicaly 1t is amusing to
note how, to those who have heard him.
the character of Washington and the
thrilling interest of revolutionary annals
have come like Dew revelation. What
great man Washington was, after all! Our
past is really interesting is the exclamation of
persons who have DOUBTLESS had the works of
Bancroft and Irving in their book cases for years.
In private life Mr.. Fiske adds to his phenomenal
memory and his large requirements in science,
philosophy and history, the tastes of an ardent
musical amateur. He plays the piano, and can
entertain company agreeably with song, as
he has done at the Drawing room Club. This is
a new association of ladies and gentlemen which
is more like a salon than club, and meets at
the house of Nine. Negdel, Russian princess,
who, having married commoner of her own
nationality, has foresworn her title and come to
live in New York, where she may maintain, un-
molested, her democratic and socialstic opin-
ions.
Last week old ST. Marks Church, down on
Second avenue, was opened for the funeral of
Richard Grant White. With its pillared Greek
portico, Anticipated shape and brown coloring,
st. Marks is representative of old New York,
and fitting place for the obsequies of Mr..
White, who was conservative, and out of sym
pathy with the city's metropolitan develop
ment The iron-railed open ground on either
side of the church is thickly studded with stone
slabs covering the long-closed vaults of other
generations In the outer wall is stone mark
ing the resting place of Petrus Stuyvesant, 'late
Governor Of New Netherlands" and it is from
this same church yard that the body of the late
A. Z. Stewart was stolen. Within the church
the mural tablets the dim light and the voices
Of clergy and people uniting in the Episcopal
burial service all gave the effect of an English
scene. This, too, was appropriate, for, though
Mr.. White mildly satirized England, he was in
manner and appearance one of the most English
of Americans. Several artists and delegation
from the Authors Club were present; among the
latter E. C. Stedman, William Winter Hjalmar
Hjorth Boyesen and III. G. Bunner. But it
seems to me that the war veterans of the city
should have been represented, for Mr. White
was the secretary of the great Sanitary Fair, in
New York, which raised million dollars for the
relief of wounded soldiers during the civil war,
and in that office he performed great service to
the army. A scarcely less important aid to the
Union cause rendered by his satirical
pamphlet 1.-THE New Gospel of Peace directed
against wavering Northerners at critical De-
Rod. That publication did a great deal to
solidify opinion in New York in favor of vigor-
ously keeping up the fight Mr.. White once
was probably the most profitable of oil his pub
locations, his valuable ShaKsperean criticisms
and other scholarly works having brought him.
/ suspect, comparatively little reward, beyond
that of fame 1t is a curious fact that, notwith-
standing his great interest in Shakespeare and
knowledge of him, Mr.. White had seen few of
the chief actors of his time. / believe he went
once to see Ristori but never attended a per-
Torrance of Salvini. Indeed he was through
out, man of marked individuality, independ
ence and peculiarities, some of which stood in
the way Of his becoming popular. But these
should not have prevented silent recognition
OF his public services at the funeral by q deputa
ton Of soldiers. Unfortunately, new New York
cares little for old New York. and anyone who
cannot or does not choose to keep lin the SWIM
is quickly drowned in oblivion.