My Life as an Author

Martin Farquhar Tupper

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• Publié par: zoen
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 13
• Langue: English

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Project Gutenberg's My Life as an Author, by Martin Farquhar Tupper

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Title: My Life as an Author

Author: Martin Farquhar Tupper

Release Date: January 20, 2006 [EBook #17558]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

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Martin Tupper's Autobiography

MY LIFE

AS AN AUTHOR

BY

MARTIN FARQUHAR TUPPER D.C.L. F.R.S.

Viri, vivo, vivam.

LONDON:

SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON CROWN BUILDINGS, 188 FLEET STREET, E.C. 1886 [All rights reserved]

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. Preliminary—Sonnet—Public Life, not Private—Benjamin Franklin—Samples from Books—Self-judgment

CHAPTER II. Infancy and Schooldays—Parentage —Germany and Guernsey, America and Canada—Winsor's Patent Gaslights—King George III.'s Blessing —My Father's Dream—Second Sight —Heredity—First School at Brentford —Next at Brook Green—Third Charterhouse—Dr. Russell—Parson Schoolmasters—Coins and Hoops —Andrew Irvine—Cockshies—Harpies at the Feast—Dr. Stocker—Holt's —M'Neile—Harold Browne

CHAPTER III. Young Authorship in Verse and Prose —Melite—Rough Rhymes—Carthage —Umbrella Sapphics—Height of Honesty—Holkar Hall—Melrose Abbey —Heidelberg—Pterodactyles—The Buckstone—Scotch Journal—Vitrified Forts—Ireland—Kingston Caverns —Cornish Letter and Sketches —Penzance—The Logan—Land's End —St. Michael's Mount—Rapid Travel

CHAPTER IV.

1-6

7-25

26-51

College Days—Voice from the Cloister —Gladstone—Aristotle Class—Giants in those Days—Studentship—A Reading-Man—College Larks—D.C.L. —Dr. Bliss

CHAPTER V. Failure as to Orders—Stammering —Blewbury Vicarage—Lincoln's Inn —Lewin's Critique—Brodie's Cacography—Inkpen's Entomology —Duke of Wellington—Walters' —Letter as to India—Barrister and Benedict—A Hoax—Theodore Hook —Old Lady Cork

CHAPTER VI. Stammering—Man's Privilege of Speech—Chess Playing—Anecdotes —Angling—Fishing Sonnets

CHAPTER VII. Oxford Prize Poems—Verses in the Schools—Parodies—Rhyme and Rhythm—Scriptural Science—Classic Parallels

CHAPTER VIII. Sundry Providences—The Small Semisuicide—A Concussion—Horse Accidents—Perils by Land and Sea —Lydstep Cavern

CHAPTER IX. Yet more Escapes—White Cross Guild —Evils and Temptations—Potipheras —Heresies—Creeds

CHAPTER X. Fads and Fancies—Vegetarian —Teetotalism—The Anglo-Saxon —Opera Colonnade—Moderation —America Revisited—Poem on Temperance and Total Abstinence —Gough—Dr. Hodgkin—A Martyr —Clerical Letter on Pharisaism

CHAPTER XI. Sacra Poesis—Geraldine—Critiques

52-61

62-71

72-78

79-85

86-89

90-94

95- 104

—John and Tom Hughes—Donnington Priory—Little Providences

CHAPTER XII. Origin of "Proverbial Philosophy" —M'Neile and Stebbing—N. P. Willis —Harrison Ainsworth—Hatchard's —Moxon's—Cassell's—A Prophecy —My Father's Letter and Gift—Sixty Times—Politeuphuia—Parallels—Mr. Orton's Volume—American Laudations, and English—As toper contra—Copyright Question—Wedding Gifts—An Elizabethan Author—Seldom Seen, and Few Adventures

CHAPTER XIII. A Modern Pyramid—The Vision—A Fearful Flight—Imagination—The Crystal Cubes and Mud Bricks —Sonnets and Sonneteering—Mackay and Shakespeare's

CHAPTER XIV. An Author's Mind—Prefatory Ramble —Addled Eggs—The Mental Cathedral —Probabilities—Job's Trials

CHAPTER XV. The Crock of Gold—Dramatised in Boston and London—Origin of the Story—The Twins—Heart: drawn from Living Models—Critiques from Ollier and St. John

CHAPTER XVI. Æsop Smith—Mudie's—Rabelaisian Hints—The Early Gallop—Alfred, or Albert Order—Fables

CHAPTER XVII. Stephan Langton—King Alfred's Poems—The Silent Pool—Hard Reading for the History—The Book still in Print—Curious Metrical Translation of Anglo-Saxon Poetry—The Jubilee at Wantage and at Liverpool

CHAPTER XVIII.

105- 110

111- 133

134- 144

145- 152

153- 158

159- 162

163- 169

Shakespeare Commemoration—Lord Carlisle—Lord Houghton, Leigh Court —Stratford Church—The Baptismal Font—An American Autograph Hunter —Sonnet

CHAPTER XIX. Translations and Pamphlets—Homer, lib.A.—Tennyson's Vivien—Classical Versions—Hymn for All Nations —Protestant Ballads—Fifteen Pamphlets

CHAPTER XX. Paterfamilias's Diary—Courier Pierre —Devil's Bridge—Major Hely —Guernsey—The Haro that saved Castle Cornet—Night-Sail in the Race of Alderney—Durham's Statue of Prince Albert—Isle of Man—King Orry —Walter Montgomery—Bishop Powys

CHAPTER XXI. Never Give Up, at Dr. Kirkland's —Harvest Hymns—Gordon Ballads —The Good Earl—John Brown—My Brother—Memory—Evil not Endless

CHAPTER XXII. Protestant Ballads—"So help me, God!"—Nun's Appeal, &c.

CHAPTER XXIII. Plays—Alfred—Raleigh—Washington —Twelve Scenes—Family Records

CHAPTER XXIV. Antiquariana—Lockhart and my Coin Article in theQuarterly—Farley Finds —Mummy Wheat and Faraday

CHAPTER XXV. Honours—Times'Letter—A Peerage and Baronetcy—Prussian Medal and Chevalier Bunsen's Letter—Authorship a Rank by Itself—Many Inventions and Literary Discoveries, as Punch, Humpty Dumpty, 666, &c.

170- 172

173- 179

180- 189

190- 199

200- 203

204- 207

208- 212

213- 220

CHAPTER XXVI. Courtly: Prophetic Sonnet on our Empress—Many Royal Poems —Modern Court Suitv.Queen Anne's —A Greeting to Prince Albert Victor

CHAPTER XXVII. F.R.S.—Lord Melbourne's Carelessness—Spectrum Analysis —Spiritualism—Vivisection—Painted Windows—Parabolic Teaching

CHAPTER XXVIII. Personation—Bignor—The Greyhound —Alibis—A Rescue on Snowdon —Fraudulent Collections—Forged Authorials—Boston Unitarianism —Pictures Falsely Signed

CHAPTER XXIX. Hospitalities—Farnham Castle —Orchids and Pines—Bishop Sumner —Garibaldi at Gladstone's—Parham and Curzon—Ghosts—Purple Parchments—Uncut Elzevirs —Shenstone's Leasowes—"Little Testy"—Sonnet—Isle of Wight —Sojourns—City Feasts —Ostentatious Hospitality

CHAPTER XXX. Social and Rural—No Scandals —Hawthorne's Visit—Alexander Smith's—Jerdan's Haycock—Otto Goldschmidt and Macdougall—Dark Visitors—Liberian Gold Medal —Noviomagians—Lucky Angling —Albury Waltz—Rustic Stupidity —Redmen—The Drinking Fountain —Our House a Hive of Bees—Foxhunt in Drawing-room—The Donkey Burglar —Anthony Devis—Irvingism

CHAPTER XXXI. American Ballads: "Ho, Brother! I'm a Britisher"—The Quasi- Inspiration—"Thirty Noble Nations," and Thirty-three—Many Others —Ground-baiting the Transatlantic

221- 228

229- 233

234- 237

238- 244

245- 256

257- 259

CHAPTER XXXII. First American Visit—Too Temperate for 1851; not Temperate enough for 1876—Grand Dinner at Baltimore, and Great Speech—The Astor Dinner—"Amice Davis"—Mayor Kingsland and the Mile-long Procession—Willis, at Golden Square —The Fillmore Dinner at the White House—Jenny Lind's Concert —Gordon Bennet—Squier—Barnum

CHAPTER XXXIII. Second American Visit—Extreme Gold —Talmage—Bryant —Cooper—"Immortality" at the Tabernacle—Lotus Club—Lord Rosebery—Dr. Levis—Mr. Pettit's Portrait—The Listers at Hamilton —Toronto—Sir Charles Tupper—Elgin —Dufferin—Mackay and Sleighing —Dawson and Eozoa—Vaughan- Tuppers—The Grand John Hopkins' Banquet—Charleston Tuppers—My Palinode to the South—Visit to Williams Middleton—Parting Stanzas —Ruined Mansion—Valete

CHAPTER XXXIV. English and Scotch Readings, very rapid, from Isle of Wight to Peterhead —My Entrepreneur D.: his Experiences: I Failed with Him, but Succeeded Alone—Specimen of Readings—Local Critiques—Many Friends Unrecorded—Miscellaneous Poems—Mr. Gall's Primeval Man —Arbroath—Mill the Atheist—Mr. Boyd's Piety—Hamilton Mausoleum —Wild Cattle—Burns's Country —James Baird the Millionaire and the Hodman

CHAPTER XXXV. Electrics—Sir Culling Eardley at Erith —Atlantic Telegraph—The First Message—Meddlesome Revisers —Antique Telegraphy—Addison and Strada—Professor Morse—A

260- 270

271- 280

281- 288

289-

Telegram-Sonnet

CHAPTER XXXVI. The Rifle, a Patriotic Prophecy in 1845 —Early Pamphlet—Defence not Defiance—Albury Club—Blackheath Review—Lord Lovelace—Alarums —Drummond's Scare—A Lucky Shot

CHAPTER XXXVII. Autographs and Advertisements —Worth Eighteenpence each—A Hundred at Once—Photographs—Oil Paintings—Locks of Hair—Interviewers —Puffs and Anti-puffs

CHAPTER XXXVIII. Kindness to Animals—Louis Napoleon and Alfort—Vivisection—Pontrilas Court—The Omnibus Hack—Divers Ballads

CHAPTER XXXIX. Orkney and Shetland—Our Voyage —Wick Herring Fair—Balfour at Shapinshay—Kirkwall—Aytoun—Gulf Stream—Snuff-Boxes and Corals —Fair Isle Hosiery—Stennis —Scalloway—Lerwick Literature —Artificial Flora—Thurso Castle —Robert Dick—Cape Wrath —Stornoway—Callanish—Pipers —The brooch of Lorne, &c.

CHAPTER XL. Literary Friends—Mrs. Somerville, Miss Granville, Mrs. Jameson, Mrs. Beecher Stowe, Ouida, Miss Braddon, Mrs. Carter Hall, Mrs. Grote, Lady Wilde, Miss Mackay, Rogers, Carlyle, Haweis, Tennyson, Browning, Mortimer Collins, Dickens and Son, Owen, Austen, Pengelley, Bowerbank, S. Mackenzie, M. Arnold, S. Brooks, Albert Smith, Mark Lemon, Tenniel, Cooper, P. B. Cole, E. Yates, Frank Smedley, J. G. Wood, Cuthbert Collingwood, Mr. and Mrs. Zerffi, Birch, Miss Hooper, Miss Barlee, G. MacDonald, Ronald Gower,

295

296- 303

304- 311

312- 315

316- 321

Fred. Burnaby, Charles Marvin—A Diner-Out—A Mormon Guest —Apostles—Frank's Ranche—Twelve Anecdotes—Thackeray and Leech, Longfellow, C. Kingsley, Ainsworth, Lord Elgin

CHAPTER XLI. Some Older Friendships—Nightingale, and Farley Heath—Walter Hawkins —His Tomb—Anchor—Anagrams —Christmas Largesse—Sham Antiques—Joseph Durham—Alice's Statue—"Sir Joe" and the Noviomagians—Prince Albert at St. Peter's Port—Baroness Barnekow —Swedish Proverbial—King Oscar's Poems—Geo. Metivier—French Proverbial—John Sullivan—Canon Jenkins—Barnes, De Chatelain, De Pontigny—Correspondents, &c.

CHAPTER XLII. Political—A Dark Horse—No Party- Man—Gladstone—Ambidextrous Stanzas—Liberal and Tory—The One- Vote System—Fancy Franchises—The Voter's Motto—Fair Tradev.Free Trade—Radically Conservative —Strikes, &c.

CHAPTER XLIII. A Cure for Ireland—Racial Difficulties —The Unsunned Corner—Æsop Smith's Prescription—An Irish Balmoral in 1858—My Anti Celtic Ballads —Adventures

CHAPTER XLIV. Some Spiritist Experiences—Not a Spiritualist, but an Honest Recorder of Facts—Alexis—Howell—Vernon's Mesmerised Child—Mrs. Cora Tappan —Chauncey Townsend's Book—Spirit- Drawings—Planchette—Showers of Flowers, and Sugar-Plums, and Pearls —Mr. Home—Prayer before Séance—The Table in the Air—Live Coals in My Hand—The Vitalised

322- 350

351- 362

363- 372

373- 379

Accordion—The Colonel's Ghost —Iamblicus—Query Electrical Influence—Our Mysterious Key—Miss Hudson—Thought-Reading

CHAPTER XLV. Fickle Fortune—Losses and Failures —Testimonial—"L'espoir est ma force" —MyLevéein 1851—The Missed Codicil—Life and Death

CHAPTER XLVI. Henry De Beauvoir, killed in Africa —Archdeacon Kitton—Our Old Chancery Suit: A Lost Fortune —Belgravian Five Fields, another Missed Chance—Earl Grosvenor

CHAPTER XLVII. Flying: my Lecture at the Royal Aquarium with Fred. Burnaby as Chairman—Henry Middleton's Invention—De Lisle Hay's "Conquest of the Air"—Ezekiel's Angels—Ovid, and Tennyson—Claude Hamilton —Extracts

CHAPTER XLVIII. Luther—The Peroration as to his Life and Exploits—Anniversary Stanzas, in many Languages—Bullinger's Music —Wycliffe Ballad—Wondrous Parallel

CHAPTER XLIX. Final—Whatever is, is Right—Sick-bed Repentance—Intuitions—What We Shall Be—Protest Against Atheism —The Infinities—A Childlike Hymn —Eternal Hope—Mercy for Ever—The Assurance of Ovid

380- 399

400- 403

404- 407

408- 412

413- 416

417- 431

MY LIFE AS AN AUTHOR.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY.

I have often been asked to prepare an autobiography, but my objections to the task have ever been many and various. To one urgent appeal I sent this sonnet of refusal, which explains itself:—

"You bid me write the story of my life, And draw what secrets in my memory dwell From the dried fountains of her failing well, With commonplaces mixt of peace and strife, And such small facts, with good or evil rife, As happen to us all: I have no tale Of thrilling force or enterprise to tell,— Nothing the blood to fire, the cheek to pale: My life is in my books: the record there, A truthful photograph, is all I choose To give the world of self; nor will excuse Mine own or others' failures: glad to spare From blame of mine, or praise, both friends and foes, Leaving unwritten what God only knows."

In fact I always rejected the proposal (warned by recent volumes of pestilential reminiscences) and would none of it; not only from its apparent vainglory as to the inevitable extenuation of one's own faults and failures in life, and the equally certain amplification of self-registered vi rtues and successes,—but even still more from the mischief it might occasion from a petty record of commonplace troubles and trials, due to the "change s and chances of this mortal life," to the casual mention or omission of friends or foes, to the influence of circumstances and surroundings, and to other revelations—whether pleasant or the reverse—of matters merely personal, and therefore more of a private than a public character.

Indeed, so disquieted was I at the possible prospect of any one getting hold of a mass of manuscript in old days diligently compiled by myself from year to year in several small diaries, that I have long ago ruthlessly made a holocaust of the heap of such written self-memories, fearing their posthumous publication; and in this connection let me now add my express protes t against the printing hereafter of any of my innumerable private letters to friends, or other MSS., unless they are strictly and merely of a literary nature.

Biography, where honest and true, is no doubt one of the most fascinating and instructive phases of literature; but it requires a higher Intelligence than any (however intimate) friend of a man to do it fairly and fully; so many matters of character and circumstance must ever be to him unknown, and therefore will be by him unrecorded. And even as to autobiography, who, short of the Omniscient Himself, can take into just account the potency of outward surroundings, and still more of inborn hereditary influences, over both mind and body? the bias to good or evil, and thepossession or otherwise ofgi fts and talents, due very