New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-25
POEMS BY WILLARD FlSKE.
ADDRESSED TO HIS WIFE.
s,rcr,oxs FROM VOLUME IN THE SOUTH

-or,oxs FROM A VOLUME IN THE SOUTH
WORTH LIBRARY AT DRYDEN
x,ov OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF The TRIBUNE
,.,.c. y w. June GA beautiful drive OF some
e,cven miles from here through the richest anu nos'
eautitu section Of Central New-lork prhss ono '"
.h ,,,,le village Of Dryden i'll Tompkins County
Ill.,. e Tho homes of the late Congressman Dwight
.,d 1ohn southworth, who died some twenty years
- ,be grandfather Of Mrs. Jennie Mc''iaw flshe
whose benefactions to Cornell University were ''e
subject OF the great Fske VIII suit. lhc onioi oo''
Of interest in the little town is me puOlc no'"s
which WAS established some seven years ago 'nrous
IN. benefactions Of Mrs Jennie Mco'raw flshe' by
inc terms Of her will left 100000 for this purpose
y, 600 % he cxnended for a building. and Slo'ooo
Gov hooks In honor Of her grandfather the trustees
~ tho institution decided to call 1t the souCh"or'"
Library. ~ T., ~,
rho most notable thing about this library Is the
testimony il bears to the world regarding the lives VI
protcssor Willard Fiskc and his wife, Mrs. Jennie
NcCraw Fskc Their mutual love, their motives
their actions have been variously criticised ior ue
I,s, fen wears by the public. and yet very ShaH
mar, of the truth in the matter has ever come l" eht
Few men have been more magned ana misreprescncu
than Professor Fiskc Both by friend and zoe ne HAS
heen denounced fortune -hu'er' "" az"
vcut,rer" lf-seclinS and avarcious man ana ne
hos Maternity borne the calumny, and conch'eo hiih
r Win noinc over books Of Icclandic lore III far
vroy Florence The Fiskc will suit has showed that lie
ra right I'm his legal claims the present discovery OF
lj1tlc book Of poems shows the beauty ana SWoccSs
NJ his domestic life. Few people think OF ir"ieSSor
Fiskc a, a poet and vet If ono were 10 'SN 'lo
librarian Of the Dryden library Miss cor" iioioeh,
for a volume of poems by Willard l>Ne s'o o',u
hiring from the shelves most beautiful HUE DOOR,
whose author was the former librarian OF Cornell
University and the plaintiff in the great Fiske VIII SUIT
The book itself a revelation. II shows inc "h"io
course of true love from its inception, ba' hot 10 us
close for true love lasts forever ana odN' ana
such Professor Fske still cherislcS for hi vic Inc
nocns not only show this. but 80 also DO the Pro
fes.or's acts scarcely week passes without the
sou,hwor.h Library getting quota of books rom
Florence the gift of Professor Fskc in loving memoir
of the departed. Curously enough, mhN ID '"c'c
volumes are works Of the poet Dryden possibly oc-
cause Mr. Fiske thinks that the village people VIII be
interested in anything concerning their patron SAINT
The little book of poems is one Of The hhe't Spe'i-
mons Of lookwork that the Old World can produce
II is beautifully bound in vcllnm, and the'NpoTaph-
cal ornamentation and illumination showta' INC hhe>t
nress Of Florence did the work. without a recital II
this fact on the pages. The paper Il uheiaHeo ana
untrimmcd ana there los pages only ficen copies
were printed and then the plates were DESTROYED
These fifteen copies sent 20 near and dear rend
Of Mrs. Fskc. The poems cover the periods OF ac.
quaintanccship. friendship. courtship, marriage ana
the death of Mrs Fskc. II Will be remembered that
Mrs FIskc married in Germany in July. 1-7o. ana
died in september, 1851. at Ithaca The honeymoon
included trip up the Nile. and the return nome Wa
only Journey TO the grave. The bis FiNkc mansion
overlooking Lake CavuCa al Ithaca was intended TO be
the home Of the happy couple If these few facts arc
borne in mind. the poems covering some ten years,
can be- readily understood.
Above the line A Memorial OF ]. VI F' the title
page bears the following in the Handwriting of Pro
fessor FiShc;
Villa Forni. Porta ALA CrOce. To the southworh
Library. founded by the dear subject OF this volume.
| From WILLARD flNht.
| Florence, Italy, Nov. Il, 1857