New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-08
JEFFERIEs's LAST ESSAYS.
A BnAuT4FUL BOOK.

z
Il, ,-ba have ,ead MI. Waiter Besanfs Euiogy
- r,scra,d J.fferess win open this collceacn OF
the lattsrs essays with pleasant ansiclps''0 Ivy
,s,s1, ,,,,t ~ 6ssaopoipted II is rarely that so
.h...n,,x and attractive volume appears, and
49,, ybe have rifted cut Of sympathy with
,,.t,,.. x.gl fId in these pages enough vivid por-
:, many quaint aspects Of human hfe ana
.,vort ~ interest them deeply When one retiec's
,,,.o IRE circumstances under which all these en-
ss.,,,, RANGES were written, too-when one re-
s.,ssbers that tho brain that produced them COW
.rsd an organism which all the time was suffering
M sYow torment OF hopeless and unspeakapiy
y,ainfnl disease--a pathos viii be added 70 tne
nerusal which cannot but deepen the readers IN
feress and excite his wonder at SO splendid NC
torv of soul over body IL is not often that hicn-
ara Jesferies complains or shows depression DUB
NOW 5.enlv his enforced confinement and depriva-
zion Of thas daily close communion wIth MANURE
which had been the very breath OF life 70 MN
ayeesed his spirits is knowingly shown IN the nrst
.ssav--one Of the strongest in the coitecton-en-
titled Hours Of SPRING Lying, hike Heine' IN
bis n,attresg- he looks out into taat para
assa from which he is barred forever by the uans-
sno sword of pain, and for once ne gives express
siou "a the emotions which excited by the dis
,snt view Of his lost kingdom. Even thus, now
ever. pitiful attempt at humor accentuaes the
depth Of his sorrow, and proves how hard anu
manfuIly he stroye to keep cheerful face be"afu
the world. Listen TO the poor brave soul:
wonder TO myself how hcy can sl got on Sasnt
out mellow they msSsSe pi sbe ana For noted it
So carefully and lovingly day by day, the %
on tie mounds in tho sheltered places yna ~ oc
ns s sns me ~ oosfso heavy thick
lod the odden elicESesd aesp,ssd ys so doSs to
y blade e grass , was r mleo s nav psts, as
asa gsnssSs 81 + Isysr q Ss gssn tends %
All TO grasses OF the meadow were my pets ioseo
an and HsSsPsa sis ow wss nSs isp
bird any srsse Why nSsp pee 's y Ss ar ss Wss
w nee f ,sya that hs sS careless night ii
throw q MS gnSn In bis ssa eysr 10 n see his
and curve OF HIS going through the az9re shy uirS
were my psss and AZ h s graz gSay aod the starDss
running % and fro the surface that ala not sns k
sssd high above y and nS ys Isss pa y1 81 daS
. change; always note to make. The moss dryItpg
gpE y yss s1s SSsn
Hoek upan books 70 DO filled with these n tninss
casnot ss how sy %anSge see lark high
Wa 4 t. ss s' saa s
without book Sn sa pencil Incl bs sna sss
lew Stone wall Of the poughed field, TO battle with
his hlgh-orested rival, 70 balance himself on hls
earth. and utter that sweet little loving fss, i
we're Of song,oh hsgpy, happy days 50 os en-
4 years since went out amongst them n the old
nelds, and saw them IN the green corn they must
Ten Sir how does this Lark today that hear through
she window know It is his houri
And again the plant sounds:
Thought myself 50 much to the earliest leaf and
me n re Tsa s q hs dss soo
pronounce It summer, because now the oas were
aDs should Sls CAY @ - How
re droop Of the gea brcne srsss BY the Woo sSs
soors with him. bas through the windSw-psne. and
tho bulinck carries tho rootet fibre to his meet WITH
NOV their times and scsscns~not only the civised
rcom, with their libraries Of knowledge u ther ola
s1d the shess rom 'n over YEA IN the ash WOOD
They 60 on without me- orchs flower ana oovsiig-
pstier q their fset-owes and bud and the beautiful
clouds thai go over with ne sweet rush OF IAN ara
on, and ! am no more than the least q the empty
shells that strewed the swssd Of the hin Nstar e
iaxzs that Sang years ago The earth Is all in all TO
me- but nothing 20 the earth; It Is bitter to know
are sweet for tbemssives they we're not shaped and
eolored and gifted with thar exquisite proportion
asaiuss TIE gray cloud hear the lark through the
window singing, and each note falls into my heart
But he soon rises above this mood and settles
TO the recording of all his observations upon winter
and spring They are fun Of interest and vivid
with descriptive power. He tells us how the poor
fare in hard winters; how old men and women
struggle and endure to eyade the workhouse.
There is an old woman in one Of Dickens's stories
who carries through life with her that horror Of
the union1 which haunts the thresholds Of so
many decent English poor, and the old fellow
Jcffcries has drawn might be the mate % Betty
Higden. Here is his picture:
Another aged man came once 3 week Regularly
% = 10 s woreS scs e SR % e began he had
bed no snpioyment. but supported himself by g9ine
s0S 2 the fs g citation 0Snny 4sy 81 g gave gss sn
scnsting; and 50 be lived and slept slept the nv whole o
BONG Of any kind why did he not 20 into the work
kcusef l be afeared IL / goes IN There Rey'h put
s % y s s s sSas s9a EST 1 n 60 e e
snoe he would so.e ~ round z "a sss ts Of s
a re s,s wss ss5se n Of dignity and %snSce
lot s bis siosSes wers worn but Sss1 , and q. &c
sDst DO straw Of tAe outhouses. was better thar
that he was ssrssng against age sgafnst ns a9
law and order rsesssd upon hm to foTos him TO los
Ms ss!frespecs and Liberty ne would rather Isl
Gods Ad not help him; sun and stars, where wer'
theyf 30 knpcEsd Of the doors Of the farms ant
found good Ia man oQly--not In Law or Order, but
fnaividus1 man aicDe.
Another strong clear sketch Of the shifts Of
poverty in hard weather may be given. aud it vii
he wen to observe that here there is no complain,
Of suffering, but what happens is accepted with {
rudo kind of philosophy:
Tho titter north wind drives even the Wild eldfar
b The berries In the garden hedge; IL drives sra,
human creatures TO Tho door. third cane--an Ok
xtRsy woman--siin stout and hearty, with green hcsi
Was lefk on tbs Kitchen floor, and the tane rabbi
eibbzsd IT, It proved 10 DO heather The true broom
5npe. ghe would see the Elgiss Bless you "a,
goM Lady, II be weather, bean't iti hopes you'll
never know what Il be- 70 want my good lady. All
wekl sop looks good tempered II you don't want =
buy nosttng DO you see Il you can't find nae an OF
% tsH % tho ooznon- nothing but one Of our tents
1syf iwath bsssfusss and an air OF uunp6. he
she III Yes eot tvins, ycn seA my lady, but She
eli nq>f md a. w1fl e4n Do. She wants get up
and ShR eHs p me, Mefhef. do,ee Try and gee ms