New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-06

Bling T RI REcokLEcTfoSs OF MANY Y I3AIRs
OF MY LIFE; BY NJ; e w Sherwood. Crown
Svo. pp. $50 Harper g. Brothers.
Mrs. Sherwood's book Is a mixture OF rem-
nisceuce, anecdote and semi-philosophic COM
ment all set forth in gentle and kindly fash
ion. Some Of its material may perhaps seem
rather trivial to her contemporaries. but TO their
deoccndants the public to which 1t Is addressed
these glimpses Of the people and the life OF TO-
doy and OF yesterday will doubtless be enter
tanning IL not valuable. Mrs. Sherwood has
known many particularly interesting Ameri-
cans and has observed many interesting cpl
sodes, social and otherwise. in the history OF
her time. and about these personages ana
events she writes with tact and good humor.
She was born in New-England and a part OF
her education was obtained In Mr.. G. b. Emer-
sons school In Boston. There. at some time
in the forties she was taken TO hear Margaret
Fuller talk, and was kindly received. That &C.
centric sybil was very plain woman, with al
most humpback. but the moment she began
to talk the girl found her most fascinating
there was "a sort OF continuous long low stream
of well-constructed sentences" the pronuncia-
ton being that OF Boston. which In those days
was more perceptible than It is now. Talk
about your friends interests said Margaret,
"and not your own; always put the pronouh
YOU for the pronoun Il when you cam Here
another feminine auditor sitting near pulled
our chroniclers skirt and whispered ''She Is a
great egotist herself" Then the talker went on
to deliver injunction Of exceeding value.
Never talk Of your diseases your domesucs or
your dresses" she said, and added. Think De-
fore you speak, and never speak unless you leeI
YOU cannot help speaking. But then, salo
one of the listeners, Il should never speak at
ALL" The answer was inevitable. perhaps
said Margaret "the world would be none the
worse" 1t was rather cruel. her young critic
felt and "the girls all came away frightened
Mrs. Sherwoods youthful "reminiscences OF
Daniel Webster present him as priliian''
handsome magnetic man. whose genial ways
and great black eyes and beautiful smile maze
him very fascinating to the little visitor at
MarshGeld. She notes that he could be as ter
rible as he was gentle. and recounts curious
instance of his power related by his Wife Mrs.
Webster complained to him OF the revolt Of a
kitchen-maid. Send her to me- he said lie
did 40 more than simply look at the woman
when she cried out. Don't do that. Don't do
that l will scrub the buttery." 1T was ike
a lash on sensitive llesh" says Mrs Sherwood
ito have his black eyes flash their tightening on
one" She adds to her recollections of the great
man an anecdote illustrative of his personal
charm told to her by Story, the sculptor;
James Lowell and l." said he, were very
angry with Webster for staying in old Tylers
Cabinet, and as he was to speak in Faneuil Hall
on the evening OF the 3Oth OF September, l~t-;
we determined TO go in and boot al MN ana
show him that he had incurred our displeasure'
There were three thousand people there and we
felt sure they would boot with us, young as we
were. A.,
Webster beautifully dressed. stepped calmly
forward His great eyes looked. as | shall al
ways think. straight at me pulled OH my
H.. -ffb tic 10 hnth he
as ice and respectful as Indian coolies. saw
James turn pale; he said was livid And when
the great creature began that most beautiful
exordium our scorn turned to deepest admlra-
tion from abject contempt to belief and appro-
baton"
One Of Mrs. Sherwood's most agreeable recol-
lections is Of an early visit TO Washington.
where she saw Webster again and at his house
an overdressed young man with pillows or
green satin necktie. long hair, rather hand-
some face, and hanging on his arm pretty
little fat, rosy-cheeked wife-Charles Dickens,
In short. 1t was during the course Of her jour
ney Of which Washington was one Of the halt
ing points. that the young girl met James n.
Pauding who ais had literary pretensions ana
who was prodgiousy indignant at the atten-
tions which were then being showered on Dick
ers "a mere London newspaper reporter as
he used to say. OF the social life Of Washing
ton in those days the author has much to say
much of its simplicity. its good taste, its hos
pitality. its good talk. SIZE remarks that 1t was
then and there the fashion to be poor: and 1t
was possible to be amused without money.
In the early forties and fftes almost every
body had almost enough TO live on, and young
ladies dressed well on hundred dollars year
The daughters Of the richest in Boston
were dressed with scrupulous painness. and the
wife and mother owned one brocade. which did
service for several years, Display was CON
xt,,1y a1aCf only
dares TO go shabby: fine clothes have become n
necessity to the lesser lights. The greater
proportion Of people were happier because there
was not such emulation. such vulgar striving,
nor such soaring ambitions Then men and
women fell back on their own minds for that
entertainment which they now seek in fast
horses, yachts. great and constant change, jour
news to Europe and to Newport Books took
the place Of dress and display. When young
lady was introduced into society one bouquet
aid duty sor the seventy-fve which now are
considered too few. There was sober elegance
among even the first in position and the richest
in pocket. There was 10 talk about soney; 1t
has become subject Of conversation since the
war.
The changes In tine habits and aims OF society
are detailed by our author with much pictur-
esoueness The varying scenes OF the merry
markings she describes are indicated by her re-
mark that she only knows one family who are
living in the same house which they occupied
when she first came to New-York. Gradually In
the last twenty-five years expenditure became
more lavish, beautiful houses were built and
picture galleries formed. and the old fashioned
simplicity and stateness passed away-perhaps
forever. Apropos OF this change there was an
amusing story told by the Hon. Hamilton Fish
Of his experience at one of the Patriachs' balls
He had accompanied his daughters to the ball
and when they were to dance the german he
had retreated to an adjacent room.
A young man came up TO him and said, want
that chair sir for the german. The Governor
gave IL I'd peacefully and retreated to another
room. when presently another dancer followed
him and said
"Have to get out OF this. old gentleman. want
the chair for the german"
he still further adeld when