New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-14
THE LATE MICHAEL HEILPRIN.
A Tribute TO A MAN or RARE ATrAfSMENTs By
THE REV. JOHN W. CHADWICK.
Il L.

TO ne Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: To what has already boon printed concerning
the late Michael Heprn, VIII you permit me TO aad
the testimony of friend TO his many sterling quar-
files OF mind and hearti am aware that he was not
a Tribune man, that his literary connection with
"The Nation, was of long duration, dating back al
most to It's beginning, and that 1t was well nigh ex
elusive OF other journalistic work But 2 mind OF
such commanding force great attachments, Char
acter of so much nobility, and personality 80 intcre'
ing and engaging, are deserving Of recognition
wider than the field of literary activity with which
they were Immediately concerned
There is another reason why Mr.. Heilprn shouiu
be honorably mentioned here He friend OF
Horace Greeley 1t might be more exact to say that
Horace Greeley was his friend as he was the friend
of Kossuth and all the company OF Hungarian eAileS
who came to America after the failure OF the Hun
gsrian revolution of 1s49. Moreover, MI Greeley
and Mr. Heilprn had q common friend whom they
valued very highly, Richard Henry Manning OF
Brooklyn whose death last November was loss 10
Mr. H.llprin that he could hardly ovcrstate II was
under Mr. Nannny's hospitabls roof that Mr. Hellpnn
had hts opportunity in America for those Delights
OF friendship which not less essential TO him than
the activities OF his restless mind. Under the same
roof Madame Zulavski, the sister OF Ko,suh had ten
der nursing during = protractsd Illness, and whom
death brought her 10 the end OF pain II was Mr. He'll
prn who in behalf Of the cxles, spoke the word OF
gratitude to Mr. and Mrs and Miss Elizabeth Manning
trio Of persons whom naught was easier than to
bless.n
Mr. Heilprin was a man Of most remarkable attain
ments They were linguistic, historical and critical
II I remember rightly he easy reader OF thr-
teen different languages speaking eight OF these with
greater or less facility. He wrote in English easily
and forcbly as II he were the born. But the
language with which he was most familiar was not
English nor German the Magyar Of his first
adopted country, but Hebrew. should perhaps say
the most lovingly familiar He learned II as child
upon his fathers knee, and in his marvellous men,
DRY the Hebrew Bible seemed to be imbedded a.
whole. l do not imagine that he ever thought OF tho
Bible under any but the Hebrew form. He was per-
fectly familiar with the entire VI Old Testament
criticism and not less With the criticism OF tho
New. lie accepted not gruigingly but with enthu
siasm and delight, those views of tho Old Testament
which have been developed b. Graf and Kuenen and
wellshausen and Reuss, which assign the Leyitca
portions Of the Pcnatcuch to tho fifth century d. C.
But he was a slavish follower Of Of these.
In his Historical Poetry OF the Ancient Hebrews
there are many novel points Of view, mary original
constructions Of the text and OF the tendency OF
various documents His knowledge Of history was
nothing less than epome OF lis universal course.
His stomach for facts something wonderful His
command Of dates was by tens Of thousands. He
would his eye along such pages a. those of Hay
dens Dictionary OF Dates and make corrections
by the half dozen or the dozen upon every page.
Reviewing a certain dictionary Of biography, he ex-
pressed the opinion that It would not be difficult to
convict It Of 5000 errors and he knew whereof he
spoke. This marvellous Information served him adj
mirably in his editorial work on Appletons Eneyclo-
psodia' 1t served him constantly. Take such art-
Gle the elaborate obituary Of The late German En-
peror in The Evening POST do not imagine that In
writing II he obliged to look up single fast or
date One OF the elaborate reviews he ever wrote
was OF Mettornich's Memoirs. The substance Of the
under eonsaeTson II was written IRON mo A,J anu
point OF wider knowlodge. IL Checked ana chai
special preparation II required and he said, None
Whatever But his historical knowledge was not
e1elISveIy mater Of information 1t Vas pro-
transformations he always said could not look too
deep. lie was especially home in all the ins and
outs OF the Eastern Question AMI has probably done
more to difuse sound information and create Just
opinion on the Bulgarian and kindred complications
than any other writer In this country.
There are learned men whose knowledge consists
IN knowing whore TO look for anything in books But
in himself He had his stores Of knowledge at his
pen-polnt and at his tongues end Those who only
lncw HIN from his writings did not half know him.
There was nothing specially attractive in his style
1t was simple aud transparent. But his conversation
to express the crowd Of his ideas Thoss wS a have
read his Historical Poetry Of tho Ancient Hebrews,
san Ss nav, than & on s' ns sqS 10 c
talk His intellectual enthusiasm was Immense and
uous s"s' OOd along wltR Rai hearers in ,t tu%g
modest There never any assumption Of
extensive knowledge apparently AIRY conscious-
ness OF H. he made II easy for those who knew but
ntile 10 talk with him he never reminded them Of
thcr ignorance but always gave them credit for much
wider knowledge tnan they had.
The heats OF sesosrshp DID not exhaust him he
natural Juices OF inc man lie was no DyHsdusf. The
child OF two revoutons-for his father wa an exile
from roland 10 HrhsMy-he had the lvoIlest sym
an political affairs American and foreign The pel.e-
cution OF the Jews IN hhsa and In Germany exe0d IN
aim not much the ardor o. co-relIsIon.f-f1r he
was not Jewish seetary-as the ind rnation OF fellow
being 10 whom morning human or nhnman was Ind fer
ent The vgor OF his intellect wss NOT Al tb- .xrense
OF his affections. HIS heart a little chlId's He
had gres. iAcnlty Tor friendship; ever loyal and
which the sudcnt.liic may easily obscure while 70.
his Immediate family he seemed to have n-art foe.
gentle and deliberate as n he had no life bur
that OF his own kIeside Joys Yours respectfully.
JOHN W CHADWICK.
GIG Carltonsve., Brooklyn, May IL las