New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
JERSEYS NOTED MEN.
THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH. AUTHOR, EDITOR
AND STATESMAN.

| oxr OF THE UNIQUE CHARACTERS IN POiH"i'
LIFE ~ TIE srArE-HE WROTE BEN BOLT"
But DOES NOT LIKE TO BIZ REMINDED OF
THIS PERSONAL TRAITS.
Nev-Jersey has no more picturesque figure 'ha"
Or Thomas Dunn English. Before mos OF us ".'
born he had international repn'a"on'
his trenchnnt pen was engaged In dlrect'hs "'e'''
| bombsiells at Edgar Allan Poe $500
! Dr. English has been lawyer, physician poe'' Jo
nalist and polltican-no. not politician e'ther III
! the common acceptatlon of the term for ne 'acHS
the oily tongue and diplomatic manner OF tae men
who usually make a mark in politics Yet ne mas
served in the New-Jersey Legislature for TWO terms
and he was twice elected to the Nauohdi ii'"Se -
Representatives.
on his election to Congress thc Ioio"''e 49,"
/ biography published:
d. English was born in Philadelphia. June 20 1871
The Enellshes are an old New-Jersey family OF Norman
Irish origin which settled on the banks OF the p'
ware in Burlington County, over two centuries SUI
The mother Of Dr. English born in Ireland ana was
the daughter Joseph Kempstoho and Alice "'es'
McMlen. DR. English began journalism OF an carry az
studied medicine and received the decree OF Do0"i
Medicine from the University Of Pennsylvania In lN''
In 1872 he was called the Philadelphia Bar ne n'
pracsed PROFESSIONS but Of late years has '.p'e
mainly on authorship on the 4h Of July, 1870 "ii''"
and Mary College Virginia, conferred On MN vac uee,
OF Doctor OF Laws. lie has held political OFFICES DU
served terms, lSOJ VI, as HieiDei - N"e $780,
Assembly Of NewJersey
That however gives the reader no idea OF the
man as he TO- He is a man of medium height ana
spare build His face is long ard lean, ana -
marked by deep lines denotng aggressiveness and
individuality HIS eyes are deep set and 'hey "e'e
wont to be piercing and full OF fire. but age mas
dimmed them almost to the verge OF blindness
Since his boyhood DR.. English has been worker
and even to-day the pen of an amanuensis Is Kept
busy transcribng the thoughts when radiale Ho'
his fertile brain Whether In literature or JouF"a'-
ism or politics he always In the van OF 'he
militant forces He has what Is known "a 'he
Southern ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, easily aroused
70 anger and at the same time generous hospiti-
ble and sympathet.c even beyond the BOUNDS OF
moderation. But these characteristics the DOCTOR
himself ascr.bes to the strain of Irish blood OF
which he is proud
Or. English IL a thorough cosmopolitan TIC
understands and appreciates the finer and better
sido Of the worlds leading races and their sub
divisions To hear him talk, at Caledonian CiuD
dinner OF Burns you would imagine HIN ram
pant Scot, but he has discoursed just as eoqush'V
to Irlshmen and Germans and Poles. on the men
who wrote their songs and stories ana iough' 'ne'i
battles for freedom. Struggling nationaties every
where find In him a warm champion. but never
through all does he swerve iota from his pas
sionate attachment the Stars and Stripes and the
principles of liberty which that flag repreSsenHfs e
was not against the Union. but his nature com
PEELED him to feel considerable sympathy Tor the
''under-dog'' in that terrific war OF brothers;
AS a poet and song-wr.ter he will probably be
longest remembered the author OF ben Bolt,
which received a new lease OF popularity through
It's Incorporation in Du Maurer's "Trlby. strange
though it may seem, that is the one production or
all others in which DR.. English takes least pride
He positively dislikes to have people mention pen
Bolt in his presence, and the mere suggestion tnat
posterlty wifi know him only In connection Wit. WITH
those verses is enough to produce visible irrita-
ton One incident Illustrative OF his Feeling on TINS
subject may be mentioned. Not long ago the Doctor
was present at concert where a hoted E En
was singing American, Irish, Scotch and Engiisa
ballads The writer sent note TO me singer sus-
costing that the presence OF Dr. English in the
audience would make Ben Bolt" appropriate The
Doctor heard OF this and he became angry
III you sing that I'll leave the hail. he declared
II not sung ,r 49,
DR. English was for time editor % THE New
ark Morning Register, after the elders Ielt IT,
| and he was afterward editorial writer on Inc
Newark Journal" In those days he chewed tobacco
voraciously, but when elected to Congress In 1880
ne broke, off the habit absolutely. That election
by the way, remarkable tribute to the man
genius He had not penny to spend on campaign
purposes He served notice publicly on the strikers
and campaign clubs that they might better Keep