New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01
LORD HOUGHTON.
A SUNNY NATURE.
THE LIFE. LETTERS AND FRIENDSHIPS OF RICH
ARD N0NCKTON MINES, FIRST LORD HOCGH-
ron nv r Wemyss Reid Casscll & Co.

Monclton Mines the first Lord lioughton, eVOke5
in this country memories fully as delightful If
perhaps not quite as numerous, as on the other
side of the broad Atlantic. There Is hardly a
page of these two bulky volumes which does not
contain an interesting anecdote OF some we'll
known parsonage, a valuable and hitherto I'M
nublshed letter from some of the political
literary or social celebrities of the century. The
noct- pecr was the personal friend and correspond
ent OF almost every man and woman OF note DUR
inc tho last fifty years, and from the time OF the
accession of Queen Victoria until the date or his
death at Vichy. five years ago, was one OF the
most conspicuous figures of European society. The
task undertaken by his biographer was of mag
ntude that would have appalled, any author
less ACCOMPLISHED than Mr. Wemyss Reid 1t has
involved the making of a selection for publication
from n mass of 10000 letters, nearly every one
of which bore tie Signature OF a famous name
Among Lord Houghtons American correspondents
may be mentioned Emerson, Hawthorne, ReVerdy
Johnson. Daniel Webster. Longfcllow, Sam
Ward and Charles Sumner, while those IN the
Old World included everybody Of note, from the
late Queen of Holland and the Emperor OF the
French down to the ill-fated young Scotch poet
David Gray, whom he saved from starvation and
bcfrendcd with rare kindness and considerate
generosity.
The numerous letters from Carlyle to his " Dear
Ri,hardn which we find in Mr.. Wemyss Reds
volumes show the gloomy author Of Sartor Re
sartus" in an altogether new and UNEXPECTEDLY
amiable light His mi,anthropy and cantanker-
ous temper seemed to melt away like those oil
Saul in the presence of David. whenever they were
brought into contact with the sunny nature OIL
Lcrd Houghton. man who "warmcd both hands
at the fire of life
lie always put Won in 5ooh hunor' WIZ
The words of 1cnnyson. in describing his college
chum and lifelong friend. " lie had III MN a
reservoir Of sympaty which few could match.
writes Mr. Gladstone concerning the biography
but the speciality in which these volumes Will
show lin 10 have been without rival was his
power of drawing forth sympathy in return.
Charles Sumner portrays him as a member OF
Parliament a poet, n Tory who does not forget
the people and man Of fashion with ScnslblilteS,
love Of virtue and merit among the simple, the
moor and the lowly" As much the pcrSonliica-
ton Of the culture thought, circumstances ana
conditions Of the present era MS LORD 'hestcrhclh
was of that Of the eighteenth century, Lord
Iloughton differed from that wording IN the
quality Of his wit. which was always good-natured
and without sting He shrunk from the idea
Of causing pain To another, and. unlike Chester
field found no pleasure in setting men by the
ears. His highest dcsre-apari from that OF writ
ing good poctry-was 10 reconcile differences, 10
lessen the divisions between the classes ana
10 bring men more and more into harmony with
each other in politics, in religion in material
condition. in possessions and in cnioymcnts. So
strongly developed this love Of harmony and
this goodwill that on one occasion, when Lord
lIoughton half-laughngly complained that Sir Rob
crt Peel had neglected to offer him post in his
newly formed administration. Carlyle exclaimed
Peel knows what he is about. There is only
one post fit for YOU ard that is the office Of PEI
pctual President Of the Heaven and Hell Anal
pamation Society" Lord Beaconsiicld too, makes
allueon to this in his novel "Tancrcd." when he
depicts him under the pscudonym Of Mr. Nnva-
sour" MS the host at n brcal5fast-tibe around
which "indivduals met who had never met be
fore, hut who had for years been chcrishing
in solitude mutual dccstation with all the ir-
ritablc eXaggcration of the literary character"
II Houghtoa could have had his way he would
have invited King Louis Philippe 70 meet Ma
polcpn III. the revolutionary Louis Blanc 10 meet
old Prince Mcttcrnich, and Garbaldi TO meet
Pope Plus. Win all he was equally well ac
quainted. and when at Paris during the Empire
we find him brcakfasting with w. Thicrs. address
ing the little man greatly to his delight
Monsieur le President, and dining in the evening
AT the Tuileries seated on the right hand Of the
Empress Eugene Carlyle was wont 10 refer 10
Lord IIourhton's catholicity in the distribution Of
his invitations 10 breakfast in a manner far from
rcvcrcnt "lf Christ was again on EARTH he
would remark. Mines would invite Him TO break
fast and the clubs would aftcrward all bc talking
of the good things that Christ had said" Were
Christ TO come to London now. continued Carlyle
" He would not Lc crucifcd. Oh no; He would be
lionzrd asked ont 10 dinner 10 hear the strange
things lie had got to say. and the hcttcrmost
people would wonder that man who could be
50 sensible on some points should be so foolish on
others, would wish He were n little more practical
and on
On another occasion Carlyle made somewhat
analogous observation with regard 10 the spirit
of evil, rcmarking " If Bcclzcbub were 10 appear
in England he would receive a letter from the
Secretary Of the Manchester Athcnaeum, ms Eugene
sac did, requesting the honor OF his interesting
company, and yeriuring TO hope for an address
Carlyle, accord g.. Lord Iloughton was NOT
very kindly disposed toward MS. "Cobdcn. he
declared, is an inspired bagman, who believes in
a calico millennium. He is always praisng America
to me- | said 10 him: What have the Americans
done but bcgct, with unexampled rapiilty. 90
600. 900 of the greatest bores on the face az tLo
earth p"
Both Sir Robert Peel and Lord Palmerston
were in the habit of consulting Lord
ilought0n in regard 10 the distribution of the
literary patronage of the Government, much in
the same way that Lord PamcrstoN was accus-
toned TO take the advice of Lord Shaftesbury
about his Episcopal appointments II was al Lord
lioushton's suggestion that a pension of 81 900
per annum granted 10 Tennyson then a young
and comparatively unknown man in order TO
enable him TO devote himself unicscrvcdly to liter
ature At first Houehton appears to have had
some doubts rs to the proprlety Of pressing the
claims Of the present poet-ldurcate upon the Gov
eminent. But these hcsilations were banishcd by
Carlyle in he following Characteristic fashion
Richard Mines, he exclaimed, withdrawing
his clay pipe from his mouth, men seated one
day with his friend in the little house in Cheyne
Row; when are YOU going TO get that pension
for Alfred lennysOn ?"