New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-21
GLIMPSES OF BANCROFT.
HOW HE LOOKED, WORKED AND LIVED.
A LIFE DEVOTED TO ONE oCCUPATIoN-HIs
HIS RULES OF LIvING-LIMITATIoN
OF HIS CHARACTER.

|
| figures of Washington life during the last twenty
years Perhaps more has been written about his
appearance than that of any other public man Of
the Capital Some of the reasons for this were
his extraordinary activity his intense individual
| ty and the physical vigOr which kept him active
and alert up to the close of his long life OF over
ninety years Ii is interesting TO study how Mr..
| Bancroft able TO live so long and TO be free
| during that period from the ordinary aches and
| pains of mortal existence. In the first place. he
| inherited fine constitution. strong physical
| frame; second. he devoted almost his entire life
TO one occupation. the writing of his history. His
| share in politics and diplomacy was TO n GER
| tain extent incidental to this absorbing
| patton of his life. His work upon the history of
the United States he began in his early maturity
| He had enough fortune left TO him early in his
career TO leave his mind free from every care
so far as ordinary things concerned; he was
not dependent upon his literary work, but in the
end this literary work brought him in revenue
large enough to constitute a moderate fortune
His position from the first in connection with his
history recognized, and SO he had from the
outset the great tonic of success to support him
This success was never so great, however, MS TO
intoXicate him with its briancy; il insured TO
him, first, prominent place a writer. and.
a historian. the success which was moderate al
the first increased year by year. and Mr.. Ban
croft became the leading historian of the United
States. In his field he had no rival. His work
had been so carefully done that he had been sub
iected 10 little criticism; in this he was
a favorite of fortune. lie found his field, and
kept it to the exclusion of all rivals. Having thus
a congcnial occupation, occupation not exhaust
ing, but pleasing, he able to concentrate his
mind upon it and not he tempted into than
iutn oil
No one who knew him ever classrd him MS a
great man. He was man of exceptional talent
and intense individuality of character. He had
the cold judicial temperament necessary for the
consideration Of the work OF historical writing.
In his methods he extremely careful. He
took great pains 10 verify from the best dOcu-
menary evidence every declaration Of facts in his
writings. Yet with all his calmncss and lack of
prejudice, as shown in his works. il is probable
that he would have shown some prejudice or at
least a different point Of view from the popular
one, if lie had been able TO contnuc his history
beyond the Colonial period. He wrote of a tine
The history Of which involves but little dispute.
Few readers take much. if any. interest i'm the
Colonial period Of our history. Ii is a question
whether Mr.. Bancroft would have been as free
from criticism if he had written of later period
covering the slavery struggle for he was an ont
in the ancient doctrine Of States Rights. In his
writing he careful to strip away every
form of color, every super1uous adjective, that
in the end his STYLE though elegant, precise ami
simple, is yet without life. Many people have
read BancrOft's History Of the United States,
but never yet have any one who did not
regard II as the drycst reading Of almost any work
| in the English language.
Mr. Bancroft narrow man through the
! very nature of his work, his mind being
centrated almost entirely upon that | do not
| think it is unjust 10 him to say that he
| intensely selfish man: it was his constant study
TO protect himself against any physical mental
depression lie carefully avoided all disagrceablc
emotions, all painful Stories and, in fact. had
bat little sympathy with the su1erings Of others.
Although fond OF the pleasures Of life, he always
lived within restricted Ines and was never cx-
IRENE in anything. He always lived we'll and
used stmulants in moderation. lie was mod
crate user of tobacco, and rarely took up his
cigar until after dinner II is interesting to study
| carefully some Of the phases Of bis daily eN-
stence, for he had given much thought to the
best way to prolong life. lie reidly kept away
| from everything which might have a tendency
10 shorten his days The fact that he lived 10 be
| over ninety years Of age indicates the success Of
! his system To the last he kept his spare figure.
| He held that fat meant early decline and
| that the race of life was for the lean. lie was
| passionately fond Of outdoor life and exercise
Ii was stormy day that could keep
| him in the house. Up TO within about
| five wears ago, lie rode four or five hours day
| on horseback lie fond Of riding horses too
| young and nervous for man Of his age. lie was
seen at that time nearly every day troiting along
| the winding roads through the hills outside OF
Washington, followed by negro groom in neat
livery. One day Mr. Bancroft was thrown from
his horse He found that his knee grip was not
strong enough to hold him in position when his
Young horse plunged. The shock and the fall
might have killed him. He came out OF this
accident without any unhappy results, ana was
easily persuaded by his physicians to give mp
future attempts at riding horseback. lie s'lo
then that that experience marked one OF tho
closing chapters Of his life. He became pedcs-
TRAN, and soon was able to do four or five miles
a day. Up 10 the last. within three or four days
Of his death, he did not neglect TO take his
daily walk During the last year he rarely walked
ont without his stout servant To lean upon.
saw him three weeks ago passing the War and
Navy Department, walking down toward The
White House lot. His step was then strong ana
his touch upon the arm Of his servant light.
He was almost a sun wOrshipper he DcheFed
in the heath-giving powers OF the sun ne pre-
ferred bedroom in which the sun poured all day.
His large house on Asst faced the sun his Work
room had a large window through which the sun
might pour all day. The only other heat IN 1hiS
worl,room was an occasional wood fire MI ian
croft believed that people were too AFRAID OIL OUT
door air and that our over-hcat@d houses "eIc
RESPONSIBLE for the delicacy of our people. lie
was an enemy 10 furnace heat and 10 coal hIe'
giving out poisonous gases. One OF INC most III
tercsting pictures Of the venerable historian was
taken by the late Mrs. Henry Adams. ohe was
an artistic woman her photographs were "ohceF
full productions; she had the artists eye an"
.l-...l. Lor studr hid hccnme sklllnI III pnO-