New-York tribune., 1891-05-04
THACKERAY.
A FRIENDS "REMINISCENCES.

bhe sNifirtiea of the present century-say 18S3'34
,-when he, young man OF two or three ana twen
ty, was looked upon by me, boy oil 1ouIteen VI VI
fifteen, Us q sort Of good genius whose presence
bhed brightness on my out-oi-scho0l eAst9nIIo I
He would Sketch for me the very nguIes uo
lighted 10 contemplate, take me to the piaces pt sha
delighted to I've taken TO, and make hlnisSII uIo
pleasantest of companions, although tne oLetttn0 oLt
Of age was just sufficient cause, Ia tne es. nito
tion Of most men, to bring about tastes and
capabilties, | remember walking WIN MN iI One n
day when his thoughts were aimosI w5sens Mr.
gagged on the so-called African Rosclus -a,,ons
ira Aldridoe whom he bad seen on the previous
night in "Othello." He led me INTO ocnIlec
er's lin or near CornhilD, drew IRON IeCVlieu a1re
sioo the somewhat singular but trutnIui ~"
with which his brain was haunted, and hau' aC
once several copics struck of Tor SAFE. Az In, Sre
sioht of these eA posed afterward IN the ;s snop
dows felt sort OF boyish pride IN the s W.
mess If having assisted, as it were, at their pro
dnction. But am not aware that any recIea'ihc tc
Measure eAperience1 by me In after years oan h; %
comnared 10 that which / derived from pelns
snatod hy him 10 tete-a-tete dinner in the Clty
and then taken to the Adephi Theatre, IN 'nose c
DAYS specially attractive resort 70 ninc r,~hS rem
and wimen and all boys III had cna.n'i'E na W.
sescntatiye of domestic heroines IN Mrs 1ates
a splendid Frenchman and part actor III ,1ii' dd
iadv's husband. the able manager; pan VI % az,
,nirable contrasted and excellent farceurs IN JUn
Peeve and Blackstone; and O. simply unrlVaIeeu ea
Villain" in Mr. 0. Smith All these were 10 W tnc
fore on the night in question, when the od an
ances consisted of the popular Vletorlne,, an Moh %
sdentation of Fenimorc Cooper's Bravo" Much
os enioveG the occasion from sheer boyish love
of the theatre feel sur that my older anu nnd
eyneriencd Guide was aimOt csquauy ainuseu anu
stpnrested-my own appreciation of the treat
throwinq certain weight iiito the scale; .u,;oo
Years passed it was my lot 70 enter que nd ioin a
native regiment in Madras, returning on meuIcal od
certificate TO England in lS46. Ihis vas soile
months before the appearance OF part Oh Sa!llt ny
Fairs-wben indeed, / had only discovered thaI
NJ " Michael Angelo Titmarsh was the sympa-
tbetic friend of my boyhood by the likeness in
sFrazers Magazine" 1t so happened that shortly
after arrival in London was invited 10 dlhe W WIN
a gentleman in BromptOn: and here | Unexpectedly
met Tbackeray, now rising star IN the literary
world The meeting was most erateiul W nc, W
and may say that he showed hhlsell unaHetoeuS
glad TO recognize his quondam boy acqualnta!ice ic,
Indeed. the next morning received his invitation
to dinner the letter concluding with the assurance
that his maid should walk nome eStonate wim e Aunt
I saw much of him from this period lor tne
remainder of my leave in England, ana WEI Wuen
was orderly officer at the Company MillUaIy
College, Addscombe, in ls41-4S. liefe; III oIte
mass day or two Ny impression is that he
did not long remain incognitO. and that there was
certain slight unsteadiness eyinced by the CADETS
Who must have recognized him when he accom-
panied me TO chapel in the evening. But one
circumstance in connection with the NislU 70
Addiscombe recalls itself distinctly 70 my mlhu.
He eynressed wish TO see some of the rooms IN
the Governors house-or mansion as 1t was usually
STYLED One bedroom, he entered ana examined
thing in a low voice which caused me TO turn
toward him. | observed that he was much
affected and made a hurried movement to the
door An b edsT Mrs. aeeY ha % BY
second marriage became the wife of Major Car
michael Smyth a distinguished officer of engineers,
who had been for some tWf GoHernGf r Ui onte AaaS
youth, had resided with her and his stepiather
at the last-named institution, and now CHANGED 70
be revsiting the familiar locality Coming into
u. Iar'e c1oo q
recognized the old-fashioned bedstead: and there
were possibly portraits or other objects which
helped to intensity the vividness of the retrospect
Those only who have cared TO understand a tem-
perament not always easy of Interpretation will
understand this illustration of one Of its phases
however simple and commonplace 1T may appear
to the outside world.
During these same two years he dined with me
once or twice at the Oriental Club, and from this
corner Of Hanover Square accompanied hun on
one Of those night rambles to stray places of
entertainment which furnished material for u
series of papers in Punch" We went, if remem-
her rightly, to the Grecian Saloon in the City
Road and other establishments where music and
melodrama-one or both-found a home untram-
melled by the legislation of any County Council.
What he approved in this kind of thing was its
freedom from conventional restraint. His enjoy
ment of It. if any, was derived from the con-
temptation Of the crowd around him. But he had
duty to fulfil in taking notes Of his surroundings
and turning them to account.
have no record to show how often ! was in
Youngest whether of my own will or by
invitation: but shall never forget the "drum
TO which allusion has already been made MY
kind host paid me as much attention as though
] had been stranger of distinction, introducing
me not only to the greater intellectual luminarles,
To talk with Macready, to listen to Adelaide
Kemble Mrs. SartOrisl. to mingle in groups of
well-known literati-all this was enough to turn
the head of an Indian subaltern. the main reason
of whose dispatch to the East had been the sur
reptitious publication of tragedy in five acts!
One call that l made is worthy Of mention, il
bnly as ON illustration Of Thackeray's lndsputaDle
good nature. The period was that of the Adds
combe vacation, when the college authorities TN
Guiding orderly officers and cadets were with thelI
friends in London or elsewhere. Among those oNel
whom had to exercise during term quaSl-mlll-
tary supervision was a bright, rosy-cheeked youth
known to me by special introduction with whose
family my own was on visiting terms Inns
cadet-in after years a smart horseartlery officer
and now doing excellent public service in oul
great metrOpolis-had conceived so great al
admiration for the author of Vanity Fair thai
he would have esteemed his acquaintance richer
boon than the companionship of emperor or sultan
Hearing that | was going 10 cali on the forenoon
of a certain day in Youngest. he instantly pro
posed TO accompany me- From natural reasons
chiefly perhaps, because q strangers presenc'
might not be acceptable TO busy man in work
ing hours-I disinclined to accept the proposal
and sought 10 defer the matter to filter opp0r
tunity Objection and remonstrance were vain
and although had put determined verbal vet
on his appearance the eager hoy was on IN
step as l knocked at the honored door, and en-
tered with me so soon as it was opened. MI
Thackefay was at home" but had not risen
j was informed, however, that he .wou'
See me if | would go to bis room. The invita-
ton was accepted am uncertain what actual
said 10 my young friend in the endeavor I
dissuade him from following me, but whateve
it was it was unheeded. In an instant he wa
at my side in the bedroom There is at TIN
moment a vague but Observation-Disclosures in
preston on my mind, o. Mr. Michael Angelo Til
marsh in bed MS. of Pendcnnis' in hand survey
ing with quiet but genuine surprise the form
of his two visitors one of whom was perfec
stranger. My explanation was given and under
stood That he was not offended at the intrusiv
incident may be concluded from the fact that h
then and there gave me a copy OF Vanity Fair,
then Just completed. writing my n?me on th
Nv. NJ. T."
/ had the privilege, as his private guest,
sitting next to Thackeray at the dinner of d
RoyI Literary Fund or the 21th of May, lS4
He had 10 make speech in rerurning tbnIs
for a toost to the "Tol lclsrs OF England" wit
whom his name had thus cfrly been couple