"_Frankford_, _May 24_, _1892_."
I can add to this, that the chimney-piece was originally made for wood-
fires, and that long after a grate was set in and the inscription added.
{13} Also given as Delaund or Dellaund in one copy. De Quincey was
proud of his descent from De la Laund. I may here say that John Leyland,
who is a painstaking and conscientious antiquarian and accomplished
genealogist, has been much impressed with the extraordinary similarity of
disposition, tastes, and pursuits which has characterised the Lelands for
centuries. Any stranger knowing us would think that he and I were nearly
related. It is told of the manor of Leyland that during the early Middle
Ages it was attempted to build a church there in a certain place, but
every morning the stones were found to be removed. Finally, it was
completed, but the next dawn beheld the whole edifice removed to the
other spot, while a spirit-voice was heard to call (one account says that
the words were found on a mystic scroll):
"Here shall itt bee,
And here shall itt stande;
And this shall bee called:
Ye Churche of Leyland."
{16} A similar incident is recorded in _Kenelm Chillingly_. I had long
before the publication of the work conversed with Lord Lytton on the
subject--which is also touched on in my _Sketch-Book of Meister Karl_, of
which the illustrious author had a copy.
{56} Since writing the foregoing, and by a most appropriately odd
coincidence or mere chance, I have received with delight a copy of this
work from Jesse Jaggard, a well-known dealer in literary curiosities in
Liverpool, who makes a specialty of _hunting up_ rarities to order, which
is of itself a quaint business. The book is entitled "Curiosities for
the Ingenious, Selected from the Most Authentic Treasures of Nature,
Science and Art, Biography, History, and General Literature. London:
Thomas Boys, Ludgate Hill, 1821." Boys was the publisher of the
celebrated series of "The Percy Anecdotes." I should here, in justice to
Mr. Jaggard, mention that I am indebted to him for obtaining for me
several rare and singular works, and that his catalogues are remarkably
well edited.
{98} May I be pardoned for here mentioning that Mr. Symonds, not long
before his death, wrote a letter to one of our mutual friends, in which
he spoke "most enthusiastically" of my work on "Etruscan Roman Traditions
in Popular Tradition." "For that alone would I have writ the book."
{101} "Susan Cushman was extremely pretty, but was not particularly
gifted; in personal appearance she was altogether unlike Charlotte; . . .
the latter was a large, tall woman" ("Gossip of the Century," vol. ii.).
John Du Solle took me for the first time to see Charlotte Cushman, and
then asked me what I thought she looked like. And I replied, "A bull in
black silk."
{156} He was the real head, and the most sensible, of that vast array of
wild antiquaries, among whom are Faber, Godfrey Higgins, Inman, Bryant,
and several score more whom I in my youth adored and devoured with a
delight surpassing words.
{225} (Here I forgot myself--this occurred in New York.)
{237} Herzen once sent me a complete collection of all his books.
{242} Abraham Lincoln once remarked of the people who wanted
emancipation, but who did not like to be called Abolitionists, that they
reminded him of the Irishman who had signed a temperance pledge and did
not like to break it, yet who sadly wanted a "drink." So going to an
apothecary he asked for a glass of soda-water, adding, "an', docther
dear, if yees could put a little whisky into it _unbeknownst_ to me, I'd
be much obliged to yees." I believe that I may say that as Mr. Lincoln
read all which I published (as I was well assured), I was the apothecary
here referred to, who administered the whisky of Abolition disguised in
the soda-water of Emancipation.
{252} Chapman Biddle himself was a very remarkable man as a lawyer, and
a person of marked refinement and culture. He became my friend in after
years, as did his son Walter. Both are now departed. I wrote and
publicly read an "In Memoriam" address and poem on his death, in
delivering which I had great pains to refrain from weeping, which was
startling to me, not being habitually expressive of emotion.
{266a} In reference to "heaving out" by main force, cannon from some
deep slough, perhaps of stiff clay, which holds like glue, or, what I
think far more wearisome, urging them along for miles over the heaviest
roads or broken ways, when the poor exhausted mules have almost given
out. Though, as he says, he was only nineteen and seemed very fragile,
the indomitable pluck and perseverance of Gilder in all such trials were
such as to call special commendation from my brother Henry, who was not
habitually wasteful of praise.
{266b} "Well do I remember" also what accursed work it was, the ground
consisting chiefly of broken stone, and how a number of Paddies, who were
accustomed to such labour, assembled above and around us to enjoy the
unusual sight of "jontlemen" digging like "canawlers," and how I, while
at my spade, excited their hilarity and delight by casting at them scraps
of "ould Eerish," or Irish. The fight of the section here alluded to
was, I believe, rather of the nature of an improvised rencontre, albeit
two or three rebels were killed in the artillery duel. Corporal
Penington was, I believe, as usual, the inspiring Mephistopheles of the
affair.
{267} This reply, which is much better in every respect than that of
"The old guard dies but never yields," was made in the face of far more
overwhelming numbers, and has few parallels for sheer audacity, all
things considered, in the history of modern warfare. It passed into a
very widely-spread popular _mot_ in America. It is more than an _on
dit_, for I was nearly within ear-shot when it was uttered, and it was
promptly repeated to me. Yet, if my memory serves me right, there is
something like this, "Come and take it!" recorded in the early Tuscan
wars in Villari's introduction to the "Life of Machiavelli," translated
by his accomplished wife. I have, as I write this note, just had the
pleasure of meeting with the Minister and Madame Villari at a dinner at
Senator Comparetti's in Florence, which is perhaps the reason why I
recall the precedent. And I may also recall as a noteworthy incident,
that at this dinner Professor Milani, the great Etruscologist and head of
the Archaeological Museum, congratulated me very much on having been the
first and only person who ever discovered an old Etruscan word still
living in the traditions of the people--_i.e._, _Intial_, the Spirit of
the Haunting Shadow. This is a little discursive--_mais je prends mon
bien ou je le trouve_, and it is all autobiographic! "It is all turkey,"
as the wolf said when he ate the claws.
The proposal of General Smith to resist with us alone the tremendous
maddened rush of half of Lee's veterans has its re-echo in my ballad,
where Breitmann attempts with his Bummers to stem the great army of the
South. The result would have probably been the same--that is, we should
have been "gobbled up." But he would have undoubtedly tried it without
misgiving. I have elsewhere narrated my only interview with him.
{268} The thunder of the artillery at Gettysburg was indeed something to
be long and well remembered. It was so awful that on the field wild
rabbits, appalled by the sound, ran to the gunners and soldiers and tried
to take refuge in their bosoms. Those who have only heard cannon fired
singly, or a single discharge of cannon, can have no conception of what
such sounds when long sustained are like.
{274} Apropos of Olcott he did good and noble work in the war, in the
field, and also out of it as a Government detective, and I am very far
from being ashamed to say that I aided him more than once in the latter
capacity. There was a lady in Philadelphia who availed herself of a
distinguished position in society so as to go and come from Richmond and
act as spy and carry letters between rebel agents. I knew this and told
Olcott of it, who put a stop to her treason. I also learned that a
rascally contractor had defrauded Government with adulterated chemicals.
Olcott had him heavily fined.
{309} The reader may find some interesting references to Robert Hunt in
the Introduction by me to the _Life of James Beckwourth_, the famous
chief of the Crow Indians. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1893.
{333} "CUSTER was the life and soul of the greatest hand-to-hand victory
ever gained over the Indians of the Plains--except Patsy Connor's Bear
River Fight."--_The Masked Venus_, by RICHARD HENRY SAVAGE.
{334} Miss Owen is well known to all folk-lorists as the first living
authority on _Voodoo_.
{346} I am revising this MS. in the beautiful palazzo built for Ristori,
22 Lung Arno Nuovo, Florence. It is now the Pensione Pellini. On the
ground floor are statues representing Ristori in different parts.
{349} Scallawag, from the Gaelic _scallag_, a vagabond.--_D.
MacRitchie_.
{372} For _depuisse-quand_, _vide_ Paul de Kock.
{373} On due reflection, I believe that I have here had a slip of
memory. I was not till after a year, when returning from Italy, that
these incidents occurred. But as it is all strictly true in every
detail, I let it remain, as of little consequence.