Year: 1878

the reports of the failing health Of Bayard Taylor


have received a sad confirmation by the tidings


which it is our duty this morning to an


nounce. In the suddenness of the event and in the


magnitude of the loss which has clothed columns


in mourning, words of elaborate import can be


found appropriate to the OCCASION and we can only


take the hands of readers in mute sorrow, with


no attempt to give uttrranc to the emotions which


their stricken hearts, less than our own.


must feel are too deep for expression The


death of Mr.. Taylor took place, as we first


learned by brief dispatch from the Sec


retary of State, yesterday afternoon,


after fresh access of the disorder, concerning


which the most recent previous accounts were of a


cheering nature, suggesting bright hopes which are


now lost III thickest gloom. His life for many


years had been so conspicuously before the public


that the SIMPLE recital of its events furnish our


readers with no facts With which they are not


already more or less familiar


Bayard Taylor was born in Kennett Square, the


of pleasant rural village IN Chester County,


Pennsylvania. on the 11th of January, 1925, and


had consequently nearly completed his fifty


fourth year at the time of his death. He


was descended from Quaker family OF the


highest worth and farest repute in the


vicinity where he was brought up. and thus


breathed from the first a DIOra atmosphere as pure


and heathful as the mountain air in which his in
fancy was cradled He never lost his sympathy


with the Society of Friends Many of his most


vivid creations in poetry and prose fiction were the


fruit of his early recollectons of their quaint
primitive life. A trace of their repOse and
self-containment left a certain impress
on his manners often presenting a singular
contrast to the glittering circles which he after
ward fcequented. The example of Quaker sim
bnla II hichh ha
Inherited was deeply wrought into the vital ele-
ments of his being. and TO great degree, was at
the foundation of the robust virtues which formed
q more precious distinction of his character than
the versatility of his genius the wealth Of his
attanments. His entrance upon active life was as
an apprentice in printing office, where he began to


learn the trade at the age of seventeen, recevInga
new impulse to his imperfect studies, and in some
sense supplying the defects Of his early education.
He soon after conceived the plan of making a tour
of Europe on foot, gaining by devoted industry and
rigid economy, the of gratifying the ardently
cherished wish of seeing in person tho
famous places, and monuments, and ar
tls.ic gores of the Old World in which
from his boyhood, he had taken enthusiastic and
perhaps romantic interest. In the prosecution of
this purpose he was effectualy aided by the ready
sympathy and wise counses of n. 2. Willis, Parke
Goodwin, Horace Greeley and other friends whose
acquaintance he had made, and who cordially en-
tered into what seemed to many the wild
day-dream of the yOung and visionary
printer No obstacles were permitted to dis
courage the zeal of the resolute asprant. and in
1871 he commenced his adventurous journey, with
knapsack on his shoulder aud the pilgrim staff in
his hand After about two years travel and study,
visiting almost every celebrated locality, and
residing for while at different seats
of learning, he returned to this country,
and published the fruits of his foreign
tour in d" Views Afoot," volume which has always
been favorite with the public and. by its fresh
ness Of feeling and naive simplicity of expression,
still retains a strong hold the popular mind. The
portrait of Mr. Taylor prefxed to this work is a
model of manly beauty of a singularly delicate
type, with scarcely trace of the athletic
vigor which marked his constitution in the
of his fe After brief course of miscel-
laneous activity, Mr.. TavOr became attached to tho
staff of IHE TRIBUNE, in 1913, becoming a constant
and most valuable contributor to its columns in
various departments of the journal until the follow
ing year, when he made journey to California, was
present at laying the foundations of empire in that
State and returned home by way OF Mexico having
rich store of materials for future
works of poetry and descriptive travel which till
important place in the catalogue Of his literary pro-
ductions. His next journey was in 1851, when he
protracted tour in the East. ascend
ing the Nile and exploring portion Of Central AZ
rica traversng large part of Asia Minor Syria, and
Europe and starting afresh from England, crossed
the continent of Asia to the City of Calcutta,
proceeded to China, where he joined the expedi-
ton of Commodore Perry to Japan. The expert
ence of these travels. and of several other
journeys, is vividly related IN the numer-
Gus volumes which compose the bulk Of
his prose writings, and which for many years
have retained place in the interest Of