The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-07
NOTED MEN AND WOMEN.

Harvard college has recently become
the fortunate possessor of a manuscript
volume of Shelley's poems, containing in
his own handwriting the greatest and
best of his lyrics, such as the Skylarb,"
the Indian Serenade," "The Cloud"
etc.
Mr.. James Whitcomb Riley is men,
toned as one of the most painstaking of
writer's, going over and over his verses
Until they sing to suit him. He declares
that man has no right to impose on the
public verse that does not suit himself.
No, nor anything else.
Alexander Graham Bell, of telephone
fame, was penniless boy in Edinburgh
twenty five years ago. He is now forty
years old, and is described as hand
some man of modest demeanor. He
came to this country in 1872, and has a
beautiful home in Washington. His
wife Is deaf mute, but she and her hus-
band converse just as well as other peo-
pie, for he understands every movement
OF her lips, as she does of his.
In 1865, Jenny Lind, in Edinburgh,
visited music sellers in Prince street.
The attendant, young man, asked her
If she had ever heard Jenny Lind. The
singer replied in the affirmative, and her.
self asked If he had heard the Swedish
nightingale" He replied that the very
high price OF the tickets kept them far
beyond his income. She asked him to
play an accompaniment to the song which
she held in her hand. He did so, and at
the close the singer, saying, "Now you
have heard Jenny Lind" walked out.
The FIemings," says E. 8. Brooks, in
his Story of New York, amused them
selves during the deep SHOWS of winter
with manuscript Gazette, which was
contributed to by everybody in the house,
and read aloud at the breakfast table on
the day OF its weekly appearance" Such
intellectual pleasures, he affirme, were
not altogether appreciated by the indig-
enous beaux of Skaneateles, but it was
in just such homes that the intellectual
growth of the State was developed and
fostered. From Just such home, in
Plattsburg, on Lake Champlain, came
that most precocious of American girls
Lucretia Davidson.
The "reminiscences of Ludwig Schnei-
der, who was confidential secretary to
King Frederick William of Prussia, who
died in 1861, and afterwsrd the librarian
and trusted friend of the Emperor Will
lam, are to be published at Berlin in the
autumn. Schneider was for forty years
on terms OF the closest intimacy with the
late emperor, and he was thoroughly be-
hind the political, military and social
scenes at Berlin. The "Reminiscences "
will give minute account of the secret
history of Prussia between 1868 and 1871,
and it is understood that these chapters
and those dealing with the wars OF 1866
1870 were revised by the emperor him
self.
Addressing an assemblage of young
literary men recently, Mr.. James Russell
Lowell told them how he escaped the
fate Of most beginners in literature, and
reaped financial profits from his original
venture in authorship. His first book
had an edition of five hundred copies,
and he paid for the printing of it himself.
Soon after the book was issued, and be-
fore many copies had been sold, fire
occurred in the publishing house where
the volumes were stored, and they were
destroyed. As the publisher carried a
full insurance on the stock, Mr.. Lowell
was able to realize the full cash value of
his venture, and he had the satisfaction
Of saying that the entire edition was ex-
hausted.
The London home of Mary Hewitt was
for many years meeting place of all
that was best and brightest in the world
OF liberal literature OF that day. She
was careful and energetic mistress of
her household, and her home duties were
little interrupted by literary work. She
had no special room of her own, but
wrote in the drawing-room, open to all
Corners, and would rise from her desk at
every call with smile. She often wrote
late into the night to make up time with
out seeming to suffer in health. Her rare
physical strength and most plant temper
preserved her in almost undated enjoy
ment Of life to the verge of ninety.
Said Mr.. Brander Matthews recently
to writer for the Epoch: "Where shall
we find our examples of highly cultured
oratory when that delightful trio
Holmes, Curtis and Lowell-hsvs passed
away? None other of our public speak
ere, whatever their other merits may be,
approaches these men in classical ele-
gance of dictiop, literary aptness of SIM
lie, and nsstness OF phrase" This is
conundrum and complaint which has
been voiced in every age and cline since
Adam pleaded with such eloquence and
neatness for bite Of Ewes apple. Still
the crop of orators never fails, and no age
since the food has been wanting in men
who could talk and act up to,the demand.