The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-02-09

and the wider circle. the whole body of
American writer's of the present day,
still exists in the person of Thomas
Bailey Aldrich. 1t is not possible to
feel that the "tree" spoken of is utterly
bereft while it retains upon its branches
"leaf" 30 full of vitality, so seizure in
its hold, and SO fair and good to look up
on as Mr.. Aldrich. If Mr.. Aldrich's
writings do not flavor as strongly of the
soil as some Of the authors mentioned,
it is not because of any lack OF early in
fuence, training or association. He
had the good fortune to be born at Ports
mouth, New Hampshire. the seaport of
quaint hooks and fine old houses, which,
under the uame of Rivermouth, forms
the setting of so many poems and stories.
,, including his own photographed mar
rative of "A Bad Boy" 1t is true that
at tender and susceptible age the flu
ture author was removed for period to
a home in New Orleans, but it was not for
long, and the circumstances accompany
have left any deep and lasting impress
upon the character of the boy. Neither
this brief Southern experience, nor a
subsequent sojourn in New York, lasting
number of years, have been sufficient
to disassociate Aldrich from the group
of authors which New England has the
right to claim and to glory in as her
own.
1t is chiefly in and around the ATHENS
of America" that Aldrich has lived and
moved and had his literary being. Here
his best works have been written and
his chief success won. He was the edi.
tor of The Atlantic Monthly from 1881
to 1890, and that alone was enough to
confirm him as New Highlander of the
genuine stamp. Who else could be an
editor of The Atlantic Monthly
1t is difficult to say under what special
literary classification Mr.. Aldrich should
be placed. 1t is better, perhaps, not to
try to classify him at all. He is man
of letters in the broadcast and finest sense
of the term. He has tried his hand by
turns, at poetry, fiction, the essay and
the drama, and has been eminently sue
cessful in each trial, as his exquisite bal
lads and lyrics, his story, Marjorie Daw,
his Atlantic essays and his Mercedes
amply testify. The latter was drama,
published in 1884, but not put upon the
stage until 1898, when it pleased the
critics at least In dignity, purity of
tone and literary finish. it was far
above the average drama of recent days
That it failed to become popular with
the theater going public was due to it's
merits rather than to its defects, judged
from the best literary and dramatic
standards.
1t must be added that Mr.. Aldrich
was success as magazine editor. also,
literary achievement quite distinct
from the other named.
The chief fault to be found with Mr.
Aldrich as a writer is that he does not
write enough. But this failing leans SO
far toward virtues side that it is doubt
full whether it might really to be called
a failing 1t is rare thing among
writer's in these days, whatever it may
be called, and as such is worthy or men
ton. A finer example of self imposed
literary restraint does not exist in mod
ern literature. An auther who could
flash into enduring popularity with one
poem, as Aldrich did with his Ballad of
Baby Bell.' and that at the age of twen-
ty, and have the good sense and literary
discretion not to follow up that particu-
lar success with rush of mediocre stuff
"cut from the same stick" was surely
born for higher things than the produc-
ton of "pot-boilers." AS matter Of
sober fact it may be doubted whether
Mr.. Aldrich ever wrote "pot-boiler" in
his life Something of his attitude in
these matters is expressed in the follow
ing lines which Mr.. Aldrich once adj
dressed to his muse
Though lacking gold. we never stopped
To pick it up in all our days;
Though lacking praise we sometimes dropped
We never asket soul for praise"
Mr.. Aldrich is still in the full prime of
life. He is fifty eight, but he looks much
younger. He has an athletic figure,
erect and striking, and the air and bear
ing of man on whom the cares of the
world have rested lightly. His wife,
whom he married in 1865. has been a
most congenial and helpful companion.
and his homelife has been quite all that
a man of his tastes and tendencies could
possibly desire. He has two sons, twins,
now promising young men.
The winter home of the Aldrich fami-
ly in recent years has been on Mt. Yer
non Street, Boston. on the height of
Beacon Hill. They also have had two
country homes, the one on the seashore
at Lynn and the other at Ponkapog, two
miles from Boston behind the Blue Hills