The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17
EARLY LITERARY GOTHAM.
MES VINO WERE FAMOUS ~ the
FIRST UILF or THE
so.. OF The- Hsir Forsott-. New. .ud
Othsrs wholly -.nt Isto Obiivion-The
Firs, Pro.i,e.t Literary Landmark
Novels s,d Poens Once Prntsed.


Novel;. a.d Poems Once Praised.
The literary Ian imsrk ks Of this old Knicker.
booker city 10 this year OF 1897 abound on
every side, and q literary roll Of the Cniver-
atty or he Lotos or the Manhattan Club
would disclose many groups OF tho eIistinR
writer's. Bnt during the three score and ten
years OF New York city life that ended In
1850 its literary landmarks were few. and its
prominent writer's under recognized names
would during all that time scarcely number
o score OF individuals in either sex.
The first prominent literary landmark In
Knickerbocker New York was set up at the
John Street Theatre whom Royal Tyler, q
Boston uttrat,ur. came to this city In 1885 to
prcdu % a comedy based uDon the manners OF
tho New York society OF that period, which
lie entitled The Contrast" He may justly
figure as the pioneer iRt'rditW OF this city.
Tie n.ll Of his comedy was 10 satirize tho
prevailing Anglon,ania OF the times. for the
echoes and sympathies Of the old Tory fami-
lies who had dominated New York colonial
society even all through revolutionary years
stll fingered. and affected the families even
Of those who reioiced over the departure Of
the British officers and soldiers whose uni
forms and London manners had long enliy-
en~d the leisure and amuscments Of New York
society. as Is graphically portrayed IN Coopcr's
novel THE Spy." That comedy. so far as
the subject Of Its satiro was concerned. could
be performed appropriately to-day. For has
not New York society much Of Anglomanisc
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Our author pictures not,from foreign climes
The fashions or the foliies OF the times;
But has eonhned the subject OF hs wo.s
'o'" sA' '''"e'
Perhaps in tho audience were Hamil-
ton aud Burr, and tho Murray, Beekman,
suyye.ant. Liyinurton. Bayard, and Clinton
families. With relays OF Columbia College stu
dents rejoicing over the change Of name from
king, College. And doubtless they heard
from the small orchestra the INSPIRING strains
of.the ''washington March, that soon after
ward. became adopted as the melody OF Hop
k.nson's national hymn of Hail Columbia"
The next notable ltterateur for Now York
ers to gossip about was a Young Quaker Of
PHILADELPHIA birth. WHO came TO their city to
take for his bride one Of their bellies. 4 Miss
Linn. and TO make her MIRA Charles Brockdep
Brown. He had established one OF the ear
Hest Known magazines, which he had named
tho Monthiu American Reri,u, and subsequent
lrschnnped 10 tbe'Ltteraru Maoariu. and AMER
tcan ReJister. But having arrived In this city.
he turned his attention to novel writing OF
the ponderous character belonging TO ''Cla-
ri.sa Harloxe e." or '.Rasselas." or The Monk. ~
By Mathew Gregory La wis. During the John
Adams administration New York society was
reading with ayidity Browns novels. which
were entitled variously iii.succession VIE
land .'Ormond," The Secret Witness
Memoir of n Sleep Walker" Arthur Mer-
yyn," CLARA Howard" and Jane Talbot"
Brown turned out romances with celebrity of
composition equal to that attributed TO Georq,
Prince Regent James. the creator Of the ub,oui.
ton. borreman who in every ar.t rhnotey
of his romances might be s.en slowly ascent.
ing or descending n hill. Now and then. n,
some book auction NJ ob.ole,e vo,ums. .oms
of Brockden Browns novels come under the
hammer. when attending pprcba..r. nrz,
x,inuly ask. ..And who was Hrown7" Rp, h.
was a lion for many A New York Mrs. Leo
Hunter. A clever pbvsician n, todav conId
mats =. cure =, insomnia he .r,oo.t,r, >, ~,
patiept to o,tain from The Mercantile IA.
brarv ,ne NJ .he old Rrown romance. .,d
,e.d N ,sw ch.n,.r. b.,,-a ,.,,,t,, % ,ha
arm. n, Nornh.rs
. Contemnorarv with BROWN as , Nav yorr
H,er,rv celehri,v st m. lose n, IN. I.s, c.r,
tprv wa. Noah wen.,.r who ,orrd.d +. .ron
Inc rey.n.ner that he drhh.d un.rr, ord
.nh.eouently cban,sd N tho MOI. h,.,r...,,r,
name Of Commercial adr,rtis,r Noah .,,or
mating in stage coaches bel tween his beloved
New Haven and Nav yort bad lodo,,os IN
C.dar .,r.., vb.ro 5orh,,.s. hooua, -,
800 NJ, o.... -,
English Language in his lifework OF n dic,Ion.
AIRY that keeps his memory ever green md 4.
the terror of British proofreaders. At IN,
same time Burr and Hamilton were literary
lions. together with the ne WY arrived Swis.
exile, Albert G~allatin. and the newly arrived
Irish exIles. Thomas Adds Emmett. William
Sampson, and DR.. NJ .cNiyen, who each wrote and
n,b,I.h.d h,oL. In ri. o,,r r,.,.-.-.,- -
49,. - 's'N : ~,,''hgs nave
shared the fate OF those OF Brockden Brown,
but the memories of Emmett and Niyen art
daily challenged bv the crowd n, ned..tr,an.
~"'' '""i"'sou eero"aot peoestr'an'
who hurry past their monuments at the Broad
way corners Of st. Paul's Churchyard.