The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-19
RECOLLECTIONS OF GREG
captsin Gordon MeCabs Recalls HE Meet
ings With Mr.. 0reg--Ris Psculisritiss.
Ardent Devotion 70 the South.


IN response to many requests made
through the public prints and by private
letter. we are allowed to print the fol-
lowing excerpts from Captain Gordon Nc
Cabe's Personal Recollectons Of Percy
Greg" which he recently read before the
Literary Club" of this city. The paper
was not designed for publication. but Cap
tain McCabe has kindly consented that
we should publish the greater portion OF
IL. as the public interest in Mr.. Greg and
his history seems TO be as keen as ever.
After his ordium. Captain McCaoe
continues: II first met Mr.. Greg In piS,
when he visited America and brought 10
me letter Of introduction.
I remember that 1 first saw him Tor
few hours in the Brevoort House. IN New
York. Soon after he paid me visit at
my house in Petersburg, and constantly
net him thereafter when went % Eng
land on my vacation trips abroad.
Most Englshmen, whom, / have met,
are not very conversant with American
Affairs. but / cannot say in fairness that.
according to my experience, their lgno-
rance is greater in this regard than is
am aware the contrary opinion Is held
by Americans.
So IL was that when first met this
tall, loose-made Englishman, grave TO
austerity In mien and bearing with sad
and rather lack-lustre eyes. and was In
formed by him trat he had come to
America 10 look personally into the con-
dition OF the Southern States, / naturally
expected a repetition of some OF the pre-
tNh Il haA nf
underworld to answer with becoming
gravity.
had not only become accustomed 70 be-
ing addressed and regarded in England as
"a South American" but recalled that an
intelligent Englshman. an intense south
ern sympathizer." had once said TO me
In London in &c. when the war was fresh
in the minds of all the world: law, i
beg pardon but ] believe you gentle
men, who served in the Confederate army,
are on half pay. now, are you not?'
promptly informed him that 1 was on
even less than that.
SO Il was that, when Mr. Percy Greg's
card was sent up TO me at the Bre2oort
House with his letter. / tried to fortify
my soul with patience for what ] felt
sure was coming. and descended to meet
my usual fate.
But, when after few words OF civil
greeting on both sides. he plunged into
the middle of affairs. / recognized within
a few minutes that l was talking TO a
man from whom 1 might learn much,
and to whom i could tell little touching
affairs In the South, outside my native
State. He at once accepted my invitation
10 visit me under my modest roof here
in Virginia. and many OF you here. old
friends. who know how naturally shy ard
silent ] am, will be surprised to learn
that during that visit we talked inces-
sanity oil day and far into the night.
His grasp of the deplorable condition
Of affairs in the Southern States as they
existed then, his exact knowledge Of all
the facts, political and material, his IA
miliarity with the burning questions that
had steadily widened the rift between the
two sections, under pressure OF passion
and interest. and had finally rent the
country asunder-his vehement denuncia-
tons Of the hypocrisy of the North, his
no less vehement convictions as to the
righteousness of our contention-his sim
pie, unconscious eloquence when he spoke
of Lee. whom he termed "the last repre-
sentative of Christian chivalry'-all this
made his talk a rare delight TO one who
believed as fully as / did, and do, that
eternal Right can never be made
Wrong" irrespective of defeat or victory
Before he came 10 me he had gone TO
A<cAliSloH 10 sldnu DeSlue Ine tonpS OF
Lee and jackson. There he had been
the guest Of General Gusts Lee who had
given him one Of the pens used by his
father. There was no lack-lustre in Gregs
eye. as he held II lovingly in his hand
and said to me: There Is not money
enough In the Bank Of England TO buy
this pen from me. poor as l am" His
memory was prodigious-his facts were
at his finger ends, and having a we'll
trained mind. he marshaled them with
easy logical precision, ind carried his
listener with him almost from the start
by his splendid powers Of speech and by
the absolute sincerity of his convictions
III has been my fortune to know a good
many famous men, but / have lever
known but two his peers as brilliant talk
ers. One has recently passed away; the
other Is Algeron Swinburne.
He was moody man. and would sit
for hours smoking silently. only from time
to time, at rare interval, asking a ques-
tion OF Offering an observation.
Yet he was thoroughly urbane. as a
rule. and in is own home the most cor
dial and gracious and simple of hosts
Only last night in searching for some Of
his letters. which i am sorry to say |
have mislaid. 1 came across his letter
inviting me to visit him at Dorset Hall"
IN Surrey. The cordial ring in ii brought
him back yet more vividly to me-
Thither ! went some year In the sew
enties."
1t was pretty unpretencing old place.
Notwithstanding its high-sounding name
embowered in climbing ivy. with small
Elizabethian windows and quaint gables.
situated in fine grounds.
/ met hearty welcome, I need not say
for the English are at once the coolest
race on earth to strangers. and the most
hosI liable TO friends
He and his family made me feel at home
at once. and the climax was reached
when. as We were about to go into din
ner. about s o'clock. his little son was
brought In In his night-gown to kiss me
goodnight.
dorset Hail. is only twenty miles from
London, and thither ne went nearly every
day for his work
saw much OF him IN town." too,
where he frequently entertained me at
his club. the Junior Carlton" In Pail
Mall.
But towards the last his life was great
ly saddened by personal hereavements
and his own continued ill-hcalth
One of his sons. bright and promising
boy. who had come home for his vaca.
ton from Germany, where he had been