Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-13
AMONG THE AUTHORS.
The Ages of Some of the Famous Writers
of this Country.

OF TINS Country.
1t is often said that our really great au-
thors are fast growing old, and that before
many years the leading literary men of the
century will have passed away. 1t is
rather interesting to see how the facts bear
out these statements. 1t is impossible not
to set apart that small group of writers,
when speaking of our literary heroes,
whose names are cherished as we'll nigh
sacred by all good New Englanders-
Holmes, Whittier and Lowell. Doctor
Holmes will be 80 in August, Whittier is
81 and Lowell has reached his three-score
years and ten.
Another group of authors is composed of
authors who are looked upon by the rising
generation as veterans-their regulations
were made many years ago and somehow
have assumed position of elderlyness
which is often not justified simply by their
years. Many are still most active, but
none need write another line to insure
their positions in the history of American
literature. To this class belong, among
others, Richard Henry Stoddard, who is
"a; George III. Baker, who is 65; George
Bancroft, who in next October will end
his seth year; George Ticknor Curtis, who
is rs; Joel t. Headley, who twenty-five
years ago was one of the most popular of
our writers, is 76 Colonel Thomas Went
worth Higginson is Is; Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe is 20, Edward Clarence Steadman is
56, John Bigelow is II, Mrs Stowe is II,
Donald G.. Mitchell is 81, Francis Park
man is S., Charles Dudley Warner is so,
George William Curtis is IS, Moncure
D. Conway is 81, and Edward Everett
Hale is 81.
Taking authors whose books are con-
stantly appearing and now in the heyday
of their popularity, fancy many people
will be surprised by the ages which must
be affixed to many of their names. How
often one gets an eradicable impression
of an authors personality, age and every
thing about him or her from their books
Impressions which are so often found to be
sadly inaccurate. To be most ungallant
at the beginning, let us record the ages of
some ladies: Sarah Orne Jewett will be 40
next September; Humphrey Ward is SO ::
Lucy Larcom is So; Harriet Prescott
Spofford is ga; Edith NJ. Thomas is 35 !:
Marion Harland MRS. Terhune) is SO I:
Amelia Rives-Chanler will be rs next
August; Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett is
80, and she published her first story when
only Is; Celia Thaxter is So; Mrs. Croly
Jennie June) is 81; Miss Braddon is So ::
Blanche Willis Howard, who is now pub
fishing an English magazine in Stuttgart.
Germany, is AZ; Rose Terry Cook Is So,
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward will be as
in August, Miss Louise Imogen Quincy is
q, Constance Fenimore Woolson is Al !:
nobody ever found the age of Miss Wool
sey Susan Coolidge), but it is believed
that she was born in 1S45, which would
make her age "A; Mrs Margaretta Wade
Deland, author of "John Ward, Preach
er," is 81, Miss Mary Mapes' Dodge is 81
and Mary Abigail Dodge (Gail Hamilton)
is at least eight years older, though the
records are not quite sure upon this deli
cate point.
To take some of the more popular of the
male authors who are writing now, F. Ma
rion Crawford will be 80 in August. and
he wrote "Mr. Isaacs" when only 81:
Robert Louis Stevenson is SO, w. d. How
ellis Is 81, +. w. Howe, whose "The Story
of a Country Town" made so great hit, is
35; Bret Harte is 40, Julian Hawthorne
is 4S, Richard Malcolm johnson is 81 and
Rossiter johnson is 40, Arlo Bates is 80,
Walter Besant is 81, Thomas Bailey AL
drich will be SO next November, and in
his picture looks %; VIM. Black is At,
VIM. ii. Bishop is AZ, General Lew Wall
ace is 81, and wrote Ben Hur" when 81 :;
John Habberton, the author of "Helen's
Babies" is AZ; Joel Chandler Harris is Al,
George w. Cable is A, Edward Eggleston
is 81, and looks fifteen years older; H. H.
Boyesen is 40, H. c. Bunner is about SO.
but has always been down on any one who
wants dates, and does not believe in giving
personal information;" James Anthony
Froude has begun now to write works at
the age of II Frank r. Stockton is So,
VIM. Hamilton Gibson is As, Thomas Nell
son Page is Sc, James Whitcomb Riley
was born in 1852, and was scarcely ever
heard of before he appeared at the au-
thor's readings, two years ago; James
Payn is 80, Brander Matthews is 81, J. T.
Trowbridge is 81, and Jules Verne is the
same age, while Edgar Fawcett was AZ on
May Goth last.-Chicdg0 journal.