New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-13

Who died yesterday.
less. Early yesterday morning, however. when
Miss Alice Brueder-who had been Mrs Stod-
dards companion and whom he had adopted
by the side of his wife's grave last summer
and his nurse Pedro were preparing his break
fast he remarked that he felt a slight burning
inside Those were his last words. When MISS
Brueder left him for a moment to get glass of
water he was breathing softly, with his eyes
closed. When she returned Mr.. Stoddard was
dead.
The funeral will take place at the Church OF
tba Messiah Park-ave and Thirty -fourth-st..
Tomorrow afternoon at o'clock, with the
pastor emeritus the Rev. DR.. Robert Collyer'
and the present pastor the Rev. Mlnot j. say
age, officiating. The burial is to take place the
following day at Sag Harbor where the body OF
Mrs Stoddard lies and where Lorimer' their
son was also buried. The tombstone has al
ready been prepared, Mr.. Stoddard at his Wlfes
death having ordered another one made ready
for himself only needing the engraving OF the
date of death No near relatives survive Mr.
Stoddard.
Richard Henry Stoddard was born on July 2,
1895 in bingham, Mass, the son or Rufus Stod-
dard a sea captain. When he was child MS
father was lost in the wreck of his ship at sea-
His mother married again in a few years, and he
was brought to this city at the age Of ten.
For few years he attended New-4ork pubic
school, but at the age of fifteen he became an
office boy for a law firm. He began at that age to
write poetry and try to have it published, but his
verses were rejected by the newspapers. After
short stay in the law Office he became an appren-
tice in the Office of one of the short lived news
papers of that day. When the newspaper failed
he was employed for little time in tailor shop,
and also tried to learn the trade Of a blacksmith
Then he was apprenticed learn the trade of iron
moulding. He worked at it until he was twenty
one years old.
While engaged at his trade he wrote many
poems They were published in 1Si9 in volume en-
titled Footprints. the entire edition of which he
afterward destroyed He contributed some verses
which were published by Lewis Gaylord Clarke In
1.-THE Knickerbocker," but were not paid for. In
1852 however he became a regular contributor to
that publication, and began literary work in
earnest A year earlier he had married Elizabeth
Barstow. who herself became writer of poems
and novels.
In 1853 through the influence of Nathaniel Haw-
thorne he obtained a place i'll the Custom House.
and he held it until 1870. For three years ne was
a clerk in the Dock Department, and later was
City Librarian. His friendship for Bayard Taylor
led at one time his connection with The Tribune
as writer of reviews; he was literary reviewer
for THE World" from 1860 to 1870 and after 1851
he held that position on THE Mail and Express
He also edited THE Aldine,' publication devoted
to Illustrations, which was discontinued
A volume of Mr.. Stoddards poems was brought
out in 1852 In the following year he published
Adventures in Fairy Land for young people
and in 1857 his book of Songs for summer.
Among his other works are: Town and Coun-
try" 1857; Life. Travels and Books OF Alex
ander Won Humboldt 1860; The Kings Bell"
1862 THE Story of Little Red Riding Hood" in
verse 1864 THE Children in the Wood" in verse.
1876. Abraham Lincoln A Horatian Ode 1855:
Putnam the Brave 1853; The Book Of the
East" containing his later poems, 1861 He edited.
among other works. THE Loves and Heroines or
the Poets" 1861; The Late English Poets. 1865;
enlarged editions of Rufus w Griswolds Poets
and Poetry OF America 1872 and Female Poets
of America" 1874 He edited several ANIMALS and
wrote numerous monographs.
Of his verse his friend Edmund Clarence Sted-
man has said that it's characteristics are 'af-
euance sincere feeling. strength, manner pee 1-
iarly his own, very delicate fancy. and. above
all an imagination at times exceeded by that or
no other American poet. Ii his last quality per-
vades his ambitious pieces and at times breaks out
suddenly in the minor verse through which he IS
hest known The exigencies of his profession have
too constantly drawn upon his resources; the bulk
of his miscellaneous verse is large, and to this is
| somewhat due its unevenness No poet is more
| unequal: few have plainly failed and
| then On the other hand. few have reached a
| higher tone and a selection could be made from
| his poems upon which to base lasting reputation.
! The Fisher and Charone.' The Dead Master and
| the Hymn the Sea- noble pieces of English
blank verse, the secret OF "iose measure Is given
only to the elect. One is impressed by the art the
| thought the ina gination which sustain these
! poems and the Shakespeare and Lincoln odes
| Stoddard's abundant songs and lyrics are always
| on the wing and known at first sight-a skylarI,
| brood whose notes are rich in feeling. The sweet
| and direct method of The Kings Bell placed him
| high in the ranks of writers of narrative verse
| Among poets equal TO him in years he is perhaps
the foremost of artistic or cosmopolitan group
| On the evening of March %, 1897 many promi-
| nent people of the city attended dinner at the
| Hotel Savoy. given in Mr.. Stoddard's honor by
the Authors Club and he read what he said might
be his last poem ending with these lines:
When this life play mine is ended.
And black curtain has descended,
Think kindly of me,
And for truly say.
'sIhis dead player. living. loved his part,
And made noble Is he could.
Not tori his personal good.
rsnt FOR the glory of his art