New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15

U"''N%zlW
and I believe we all three enjoyed ourselves very
much"
Rospectng therefore. the feeling Of reticence and
the good sense which made the gifted novelist
shrink from exposing herself as an object OF adua-
ton or idle curiosity refrain from giving some
Of her letters in full The readers Of Mary Bar
ton and Of her other masterpieces. eliminating In
"Wlves and Daughters" Will. however welcome
the following hitherto imprinted extracts as bring
Ing us face to face with Mrs. Gaskell. and into
the very centre Of Knutsforl, the original OF the
now classic "CranfOrd.'
II seems hardly needful TO explain that Elizabeth
Cleghorn Gaskel born at Chelsea about 1910
and that she was the daughter Of the Rev. VIII
lam Stevenson. In 1872 she married the Rev VIII
lam Gaskcn Of Manchester. and devoted herself
strenuousy to her domestic duties and the care OF
the poor In May, 1888. she writes as a stranger
from No Il Dover-st.. oxford Road, Manchester,
TO William and Mary Hewitt 10 thank them Tor
the great pleasure two Of their works had given
her "by their charming descriptions OF natural
scenery and the thoughts and feelings arising from
the happy circumstance Of rural life
She adds: 81 was brought up In country town.
and my lot ls now 10 I'VE IN or rather on the Dor
dcrs Of great manufacturing town. but when spring
days first come and the bursting leaves ana sweet
earthly smells tel that somer IL ycomcn In
deep grassy sotudes Of the country. just like a
bird wakens up from ~ content NJ the change
OF the seasons and tends us way 10 some we'll
known but III then forgotten land. But rs hap
pen 10 be woman instead OF n bird, as nave Ties
at home and duties to perform. and as. moreover.
| have no wings like "a dove 10 fly away, but II
travel | must 20 by coach and remember the
coachman,' why, must stay at home ana content
myself with recalling the happy scenes which your
books bring up before me-
THE old solitary manor-houses. surrounded with
trees gray with chens. and with their painted
windows, from which may In fancy catch "A
glimpse OF the inhabitants of former days walking
through long dark avenues-with their solemn de-
serted feeling reminding you OF the merry laugh or
of the burst Of grief that may never more be
echoed by the old walls. OF the love and the life
that touched up with warmth and beauty the
stately deso.ation around-oh! | am particularly
glad you are thinking of describing some Of these
soemnly poetical places
Near the little clean, kindly country town
where as | have said before. | was brought up
Knutsford, in Cheshlre), there old house
with within park called Cd Tabiey,
formerly the dwelling place Of Sir Peter LEICESTER.
the historian Of Cheshire, and accounted very fine
specimen Of the Ezabethan style. 1t is beautifully
kept by its owner. who lives at new house built
about half a mile off, the velvet lawn up 10 the
deep windows being and rolled most regu-
larly and the large laure,s and the magnificent
beeches trimmed with most excellent care Here
on summer mornings did often come, merry
with sacks swung across-each with favorte
book, some with sketch books, and one or two
baskets filed with eatabes. Here We rambled.
lounged and medtated: some stretched on the
grass in ndoent repose. ha!f-readlng, hai-musing,
with a posy Of must roses from the old-tashonei
trim garden behind the house, lulled by the Ripe
Of the waters against the grassy avn some IN me
old crazy boats that would do nothing but float
on the SASS ae and to wsTSed Or ike w0 brds
Through the greenwood, through the greenwood.
or A boat. a boat unto the ferry. some sucn
old catch or glee. And when the meal was spread
beneath beech tree of no ordinary size 'did yoa
OF would mount up ladder to the berry OF
the old chapel and. to.i the bell TO call the wander
in the old hall! 1t gallered. with oak settles
and old armor hung up, and painted window from
In that unfrequented hall! The las, time was
there during the fall OF rain from one of those
when every drop Of rain IL sun-tnsed and falls
merri.y among the leaves, one or two OF Shakes
and 'Hark. bark the lark at Heavens gate sings
etc. were sung by the mus.cal SISTERS MARY and
How | wish my dear husband and | could afford
to ramb,e about the country this summer. the sun
is shining 50 brightly. But we are not the richest
OF the rich lmy husband Is uhitar ran minister,
on another occasion she makes the following al
fusion TO her youth: Long ago lived in Chelsea
occasionally with my father and stepmother. and
been for the beautiful. grand river. which was an
inexplcabe comfort me- and family OF the
name of Kenne.t. | think my childs heart would
have broken The sole remaining member OF the
family Fanny Kenneth Is now probably old
lady; the last thing | heard OF her her being
dreadfully shocked that l had married Unitarian
on August 49, 1888. find her thus addressing
mother:
''As for the Poetry OF Humble Life, that even
I'm a town is met with every hand We have
such district. and we constantly meet with ex-
amples OF the beautiful truth In that passage OF
The Cumberland Beggar:
Man Is dear to man. the poorest poor
Long for some moments In weary life
When they know and feel that they have been.
Themselves, tho fathers and the dealers out
or some small blessings have been kind TO such
AS needed kindness. for this simple cause,
That we have all OF us human heart
''In short, the beauty and poetry OF many OF the
common things and daily events OF life In It's hum
best aspect do not seem TO me sufficiently ap-
preclated.
I'VE once thought OF trying to write sketches
among the poor. rather In the manner OF Crabbe
now don't think this presumptuous), but In a
more seeing beauty spirit: and one-the only one
was published in 'Blackwood. January, 1897 But
| suppose spoke OF our plan a dogrose for
IL never went any further
SO wrote this gifted and dfident woman al the
age Of twenty-eght. II was therefore. n fortunate
circumstance both for the reading pubic ard the
cause Of general humanity that she and her hus-
band were residing In Manchester. when a few
months later than the date OF the above quota
tIon that terrible period OF commercial depression
set in that eliminated IN the starvation Years OF
witnesses OF the want and the despair OF the fam
ished Lancashire operatives and OF the luminosity
they cherished against their employers, their egls-
lat Jrs their magistrates and even the ministers OF
religion The dormant gift or forcible and effective
utterance could not long be que.led In Mrs Gas
ke,rs ardent soul. under the pseudonyme OF