Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1900-02-02
NOTED BACHELORS.
Men Of Mark In Politics, Art and Lit
erature Who Never Married.

Samuel j. Tilden was the richest
American who ever entered public life
and remained single to the end OF his
days His persistent celibacy was re-
markable, for, unlike most others. Mr..
T1lden was born with money. and thus
from his youth was considered eligible
py the mammss OF many young wom-
en-.
No republican OF half Mr.. Tilden's
prominence has gone through life with
out marrying, but, including David
Bennett Hill, who seems to be a con-
nrmed bachelor. democracy's rolls
snow a noteworthy triumvirate OF the
distinguished celibates, James Buchan-
an, the only bachelor president, being
the third member thereof Buchanan
Is understood to have refrained from
taking wife because the girl upon
whom he set his youthful affections
was obdurate. He Is said to have re-
GREETED the single state to the day OF
MS death. Mr.. Hill. on the other hand,
Is reported to be a bachelor from
choice
Literature has furnished long
string or names to the list OF eminent
bachelors. Possibly the best-known un-
married man of letters to-day is Henry
James, the novelist. He maintains
stoutly that the artist, no matter what
the medium Of his expression, should
remain single, on the ground that the
petty cares and earnings OF domestic
HE tend TO wear on delicately adjust
eel nerves and exhausts the mental H.
ore of genius, whether its possessor be
painter of pictures. a worker in
words, modeller or statues, q compos-
er or music, singer. or one who
amuses the people from the stage.
John Greenleaf Whittier was a bach
elor. though not from the same cause
as the brilliant fiction writer mentioned.
Whittier was great admirer of the
married state, we are told, and In his
boyhood had a blue-eyed, red-cheeked
New England girl for his sweetheart.
Together they went to school as chill
dren, and when they grew to youths
estate he told her the story most girls
like to hear. She heard IT gladly, too,
but he was poor and a poet and love
must walt for recognition. She prom
ised, but waiting is wearisome before
recognition came to the young gentle
verse-maker she forgot him as a lover
and was married to some one else.
Edward Fitzgerald, the translator of
Omar Kahyyan's quatrains was O
bachelor, and there was a romance In
his life, much like the one which sad
dened Whittiers, but there was little
else which they had in common. The
celibacy OF Charles Lamb was full
OF pathos. for he remained single all
his life that he might care for his sis
ter. Venerable John Burroughs. natu-
ralist as well as writer, and one OF the
most charming OF men. has never mar
ried. Mr.. Burroughs was not even n
woman hater. neither has any one ever
surmised that a romance caused his
baohelorhood.
The only literary bachelor who ia ac-
kn owledged to be a hater OF women Is
the English poet. Algernon Charles
Swfnburne. His sentiment appears to
be based upon the fear that a woman
OF little culture would be dull beyond
description as a life partner. and the
conviction that the clever woman is
the least attractive OF her sex
Only one noted Protestant divine has
been bachelor. He was Philip Brooks,
who finished life as Bishop OF the Epis-
copal Church, and seemingly possessed
every quality desirable in a model hus-
band. The cause of his remaining sin
gle appears never to have been under
stood, even by those who were closest
to him. He did not avoid the fair, nor
has any one been able TO recall a ro-
nance in his life In his student days
and his career as a clergyman he had
many friendships with women. while
his passionate fondness for children
was remarked often. His letters to
some OF his Juvenile friends, published
in one OF the magazines, were models
in their way.
The bachelorhood OF Sir Isaac New
ton was a puzzle to some OF his con-
temporaries. but others knew he re-
manned single solely on account OF his
mother. He thought the world OF her,
and her affection for him was I'M
bounded but her maternal love was
marred by jealousy, and whenever her
son thought on marriage or evinced a
passing interest even in a pretty face
she wept and wrung her hands. and
managed somehow to check true loves
course. He finally told her he would
give up all notion OF marriage as long
as he lived. After her death he found
himself too deeply absorbed In his sci
entific work and too mature to think of
matrimony.-St. Louis Globe Democrat