New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-15
DIR. HOWE'S CHARACTERISTICS

HIS DAUGHTER WRITES OF HIS MoDEsTY. RETI-
cENCE AND BRAVERY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Allow me. as daughter or inc american
Philhellene Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, to thank
The Tribune warmly for the article published In
the Issue Of Sunday, May 2
II shows such appreciation Of my dear father and
is In the main. correct that should be glad
TO add to It few words Of comment and explana-
tion.
Dr. Howes character presented an array OF quail
tiles that are seldom found united in one man. To
the courage which enabled him to look death un-
flnchingy In the face throughout the long ana
bloody struggle of the Greek revolution, and which
gained him so many laurels during the fifty years
Of his later and peaceful career, he added wise
prudence anc power of rapid survey and instan-
taneous decision which enabled him to do with
safety many things that would have proved fata
to ono less brave, cool and quick. HIS courage was
equalled by his tenderness, and the dislike or Wit
Messing suffering one reason for his abandon
Ing the practice OF his profession as surgeon: yet
he devoted his life to caring for the MANNED lambs
Of the human flock. He was, indeed, eyes TO the
blind and ears to the deaf" while not the least OF
his achievements was the founding. in the early
hfties, Of the first school for idotc and feeble
minded children as he had established some
twenty years earlier, tho first institution for the
blind in this country. beginning In his fathers
house with half a dozen little sightless waits picked
up by the wayside.
But probably the most remarkable feature OF his
character was his extreme modesty and the shy
ness which he was never able fully to overcome,
though no and his works were constantly before
the public Thus ne much disked TO speak before
large audiences, and would do only for the sake
OF some cause which he greatly desired to help
or himself and his own achievements ne rarely
spoke to any one. Indeed, IL difficult to get
him to do so, and 1t should be explained that what
is called his autobiography" Is in reality only II
short sketch written for his intimate friend Horace
Mann, at the earnest request Of the latter In the
form Of private letter. and never published. Since
Dr. Howe's death portions of II have been pub.
lshed.
This extreme retcencc with regard to his own
good works and brave deeds makes Ii somewhat
difficult to trace out his career in its entirety.
During the Greek revolution he kept a Journal
family, and from its records he wrote his His
torical Sketch OF tho Greek Revolution" But
although The Tribune correctly states. this
was founded largely upon his own adventures In
Greece there is not word about himself from
tho beginning TO the end of the volume. His name
the same way. the adventure which Whittier has
made famous in THE Hero
Flo looked forward TO the mountains.
Pack foes that spare
Then flung him from the saddle
And paced the there
we shall look for in vain in the pages Of Howe's
Greek Revolution" In an anonymous article In
he tells the story / never heard him mention 1t in
any way. though when as children we would grum-
bic about some article OF food he would some
times tell us that little knew what ii was to
live upon donkey's meat and wasps, roasted after
their stlngs had been extracted To the chivalrous