The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-10-31
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.
REcOLLECTIONs nv GEORGE
TICKNoR CURTIS
The Venerable Gsnticmss Recalls Inci-
dents OF the Life Of tho Author
From Youth TO Old Age =
His Peculiar un,nor.

The death Of James Russell Lowell
awakened in me q long train Of recol-
lections. says George Ticknor Curtis
In the New York Sun. knew him,
when he was little boy. He was 10
years old and ! was 16 when In 1897
- wei both attended as day pupils the
boarding school of William Wells In
Cambridge which was nearly opposite
to the house OF the Rev. DR.. Lowell,
James father. In that house James
was born. and he had the rare good
fortune to live In 1t all his life. except
when he was abroad. His first wife,
Maria White OF Waterfowl. was my
second cousin. She was most intel
lectual person, OF a highly spirituelle
nature and her influence In develop
ing In him propensity OF literary
pursuits was very great Her consti-
tuition was extremely delicate, and she
died early. leaving a daughter, her only
child. now Mrs. Burnett
/ remained ut Mr.. Wells school only
one year. In August 1928. entered
Harvard college leaving Jimmy
Lowell" as we called him. still at the
school Mr.. Wells was an English
man married to lady who was a
member OF the Bost family In Boston,
and they had three grown-up daughters
and two younger sons. Mr.. Wells
was a fine classical scholar. and stern
schoolmaster OF the old fashioned Eng
lish type. He always heard a recita-
ton with book in his left hand and
a rattan In his right, and. II the boy
made false quantity or did not know
the meaning OF word, down came
the rattan on his head. But this
chastisement was never administered
to me nor to Jimmy Lowell" Not
to me because was too old for it and
not to him. because he was too young.
graduated from Harvard In 1882.
six years before Lowell. / did not
know much about him until he became
engaged to my cousin. Miss White. 1t
was long engagement for James had
no very good prospect OF being estab-
lished in business as lawyer. Miss
Whites father and some OF Lowell's
own relatives regarded him as young
man who would not make his own way
In the world. They did rot know his
genius but his Maria did know it. and
with the fidelity Of true woman she
believed in his future. used to hear
good deal about them in a circle OF
young people with whom ! was intim-
ate, but who were younger than my
self. Lowell had a kinsman in Boston
who might have promoted his pros
poets at the bar but this cousin of his
| always shook his head when James
name was mentioned, and II any one
had predicted James career in his
presence this cousin would have been
utterly incredulous. But this gentle
man died before the young poet had
gained much reputation. / am not
aware that Lowell owed his success in
.any degree to any one but himself.
Still, think he was not naturally an
Industrious man. He had, fancy. a
propensity to idleness, which he
bravely overcame. Having witnessed
the whole OF his career, ! think I can
say that the estimate OF it given BY
Canon Farrar is perfectly just.
Undoubtedly the greatest public SER
vice that Mr.. Lowell ever rendered
consisted in what he cid to promote
and cement the friendship between
the government and people OF Great
Britain and the government and peo-
pie OF the United States. We have
had other ministers to England who
have done good deal Of this useful
and beneficial kind OF work. But
Lowell was in England at peculiar
| time-a time when It was necessary
that the work should be undertaken
anew, because the unpleasant feelings
| engendered by our civil war were not
entirely worn out For this task
| Lowell was eminently fitted In every
| way. His genial manners, his tact
and his varied accomplishments en-
abled him to fill with great success q
difficult post
| The last time that saw Mr.. Lowell
was when committee OF the United
States senate had the Chase interna-
tional copyright bill under considera-
ton. He had come there to advocate
| II at the request of the American copy
right league. He was preceded. in
addressing the committee, by a gen.
| ticihhh WIN uuu mduo NoTy large
fortune by buying into the Bell tele-
phone patent ut the time when the tel
ephone was first invented. Strange
TO say. this person hazarded the re-
mark that there Is no such thing as
property In ideas when expressed in
written or printed words. He said
that all books ought to be public prop
erty. Mr.. Lowelrs reply TO him was
given with quiet dignity and quizzical
sarcasm. He said that according to
TINT gentleman's doctrine the owner
OF patent had no property at all In
the invention or in the money derived
from II; that such a doctrine would
justify any kind Of, robbery.
hnve heard an anecdote which IL
lustrates his peculiar humor. A lady
asked him why he had not sent her
copy Of his last book. Il could not afford
to-" no replied. If my friends don't
buy my cooks who tho deuce will buy
themp" Most authors are exposed to
such solicitations from persons who