The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-08-27

A number Of names suggest themselves
as examples of this purely occidental versa
tility E. e. Stedman is broker as we'll
as a poet. Edgar Allan Poe, Charles King
and Mayne Reid were in the regular army.
Fitz Greene Halleck lived on his salary as
a clerk in the office of John Jacob Astor.
The Abbotts were clergymen, and the
Adnnses have stamped their individuality
on public affairs since the days Of the col
onics Thomas Bailey Aldrich began life
as clerk in New York counting house.
George Bancroft, the elder Hawthorne,
Bayard Taylor. w. ". Astor and Bret
Harte figured in political affairs Andrew
Carnegie was an irouna>tar ere he was an
author. Samuel l.. Clemens was IL printer,
river pilot and several other things be<
fore lie became Mark Twain and wrote
1.-The Innocents Abroad" Holmes Is q
physician, and Bel"ny is Il lawyer.
The list might be extended almost in
definitely, but enough Instances are set
down to sustain the proposition that versa
tility is an American characteristic and
that those who shine us literary stars Of
the first magnitude have capabilities be-
yond the realms of phrHse turning and
bookmaking Lowell thoroughly recog.
nized this, aud was himself one Of the best
Of modern examples. He started out IN
life with certain views that experience and
q widened horizon induced him to modify
or totally abjure. When Harvard stu.
dent he wrote his first poem and devoted
many OF its lines to satire of the aboli-
tionists. Later on these abolitiouists-
Emerson. Giddin9s, and SO on-became his
closest friends, and In bis verses he exalted
those whom he had formerly debased.
Then, too, as q graduate Of q leading
university, he was wont to have small re-
gard for the lesser educational institu-
tions. But as the years went by this preju-
dice was supplanted by other convictions,
Is witness the following extract from an
address delivered by him not many years
ago at the opening Of a new college for
girls at Bryn Mawr, near Philadelphia:
II once had u strong prejudice against
the building of small colleges, but am re-
minded that they are Of great use as semi
naries Of culture. We are too apt in Ameri-
ca to take credit for education. l have
been taken to task for saying hard things
about the culture of America I don't
| know what good a man is to his country
unless he tells the truth about 1t. don't
know what good country is to a man II
be can't bear to have the truth told about
it. Once l said universities were places
where nothing useful was taught, but
nave QuAllHeu tudC. OOue say LQAC tQelk
use is to help man as u breadwinner, but
l don't believe that. My opinion is that
what he learns there is not that which
makes him any the better or worse az .
| breadwinner, but it will act as a asweetener
| Of what bread he gets"
Mr.. Lowell began his manhood life un-
| der fortunate conditions. He possessed
money, brains and ambition So when he
felt that he lad made mistake in choos-
| INK the law AS a profession he was able to
| abandon IL rather lEeEGer practice without
any fear as to the bread and butter conse-
Quences. Freed from all financial cares,
he did two very na:nral things-took to
| writing and fell in love. The lady of his
| choice had decided views on public ques-
tions, and perhaps it was owing to her in
| fluence that Lowell for the remainder Of
| his life was in constant conflict with him