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bed。 But not to sleep； only to dream such dreams as fill the heart of
youth when the recognition of its endeavor has come from the achievement
it holds highest and best。
IV。
I found nothing to do in Ohio； some places that I heard of proved
impossible one way or another； in Columbus and Cleveland； and Cincinnati；
there was always the fatal partner； and after three weeks I was again in
the East。 I came to New York； resolved to fight my way in； somewhere；
and I did not rest a moment before I began the fight。
My notion was that which afterwards became Bartley Hubbard's。 〃Get a
basis；〃 said the softening cynic of the Saturday Press； when I advised
with him； among other acquaintances。 〃Get a salaried place； something
regular on some paper； and then you can easily make up the rest。〃 But it
was a month before I achieved this vantage； and then I got it in a
quarter where I had not looked for it。 I wrote editorials on European
and literary topics for different papers； but mostly for the Times； and
they paid me well and more than well； but I was nowhere offered a basis；
though once I got so far towards it as to secure a personal interview
with the editor…in…chief； who made me feel that I had seldom met so busy
a man。 He praised some work of mine that he had read in his paper； but I
was never recalled to his presence； and now I think he judged rightly
that I should not be a lastingly good journalist。 My point of view was
artistic； I wanted time to prepare my effects。
There was another and clearer prospect opened to me on a literary paper；
then newly come to the light； but long since gone out in the dark。 Here
again my work was taken； and liked so much that I was offered the basis
（at twenty dollars a week） that I desired； I was even assigned to a desk
where I should write in the office； and the next morning I came joyfully
down to Spruce Street to occupy it。 But I was met at the door by one of
the editors； who said lightly； as if it were a trifling affair； 〃Well；
we've concluded to waive the idea of an engagement；〃 and once more my
bright hopes of a basis dispersed themselves。 I said； with what calm
I could； that they must do what they thought best； and I went on
skirmishing baselessly about for this and the other papers which had been
buying my material。
I had begun printing in the 'Nation' those letters about my Italian
journeys left over from the Boston Advertiser； they had been liked in the
office； and one day the editor astonished and delighted me by asking how
I would fancy giving up outside work to come there and write only for the
'Nation'。 We averaged my gains from all sources at forty dollars a week；
and I had my basis as unexpectedly as if I had dropped upon it from the
skies。
This must have been some time in November； and the next three or four
months were as happy a time for me as I have ever known。 I kept on
printing my Italian material in the Nation； I wrote criticisms for it
（not very good criticisms； I think now）； and I amused myself very much
with the treatment of social phases and events in a department which grew
up under my hand。 My associations personally were of the most agreeable
kind。 I worked with joy； with ardor； and I liked so much to be there； in
that place and in that company； that I hated to have each day come to an
end。
I believed that my lines were cast in New York for good and all； and I
renewed my relations with the literary friends I had made before going
abroad。 I often stopped； on my way up town； at an apartment the
Stoddards had in Lafayette Place； or near it； I saw Stedman； and reasoned
high； to my heart's content； of literary things with them and him。
With the winter Bayard Taylor came on from his home in Kennett and took
an apartment in East Twelfth Street； and once a week Mrs。 Taylor and he
received all their friends there； with a simple and charming hospitality。
There was another house which we much resorted tothe house of James
Lorrimer Graham； afterwards Consul…General at Florence； where he died。
I had made his acquaintance at Venice three years before； and I came in
for my share of that love for literary men which all their perversities
could not extinguish in him。 It was a veritable passion； which I used to
think he could not have felt so deeply if he had been a literary man
himself。 There were delightful dinners at his house； where the wit of
the Stoddards shone； and Taylor beamed with joyous good…fellowship and
overflowed with invention； and Huntington； long Paris correspondent of
the Tribune； humorously tried to talk himself into the resolution of
spending the rest of his life in his own country。 There was one evening
when C。 P。 Cranch； always of a most pensive presence and aspect； sang the
most killingly comic songs； and there was another evening when； after we
all went into the library； something tragical happened。 Edwin Booth was
of our number； a gentle； rather silent person in company； or with at
least little social initiative； who； as his fate would； went up to the
cast of a huge hand that lay upon one of the shelves。 〃Whose hand is
this； Lorry？〃 he asked our host； as he took it up and turned it over in
both his own hands。 Graham feigned not to hear； and Booth asked again；
〃whose hand is this？〃 Then there was nothing for Graham but to say；
〃It's Lincoln's hand；〃 and the man for whom it meant such unspeakable
things put it softly down without a word。
V。
It was one of the disappointments of a time which was nearly all joy that
I did not then meet a man who meant hardly less than Lowell himself for
me。 George William Curtis was during my first winter in New York away on
one of the long lecturing rounds to which he gave so many of his winters；
and I did not see him till seven years afterwards； at Mr。 Norton's in
Cambridge。 He then characteristically spent most of the evening in
discussing an obscure point in Browning's poem of 'My Last Duchess'。
I have long forgotten what the point was； but not the charm of Curtis's
personality； his fine presence； his benign politeness； his almost
deferential tolerance of difference in opinion。 Afterwards I saw him
again and again in Boston and New York； but always with a sense of
something elusive in his graciousness； for which something in me must
have been to blame。 Cold； he was not； even to the youth that in those
days was apt to shiver in any but the higher temperatures； and yet I felt
that I made no advance in his kindness towards anything like the
friendship I knew in the Cambridge men。 Perhaps I was so thoroughly
attuned to their mood that I could not be put in unison with another； and
perhaps in Curtis there was really not the material of much intimacy。
He had the potentiality of publicity in the sort of welcome he gave
equally to all men； and if I asked more I was not reasonable。 Yet he was
never far from any man of good…will； and he was the intimate of
multitudes whose several existence he never dreamt of。 In this sort he
had become my friend when he made his first great speech on the Kansas
question in 1855； which will seen as remote to the young men of this day
as the Thermopylae question to which he likened it。 I was his admirer；
his lover； his worshipper before that for the things he had done in
literature； for the 'Howadji' books； and for the lovely fantasies of
'Prue and I'； and for the sound…hearted satire of the 'Potiphar Papers'；
and now suddenly I learnt that this brilliant and graceful talent； this
travelled and accomplished gentleman； this star of society who had
dazzled me with his splendor far off in my Western village obscurity； was
a man with the heart to feel the wrongs of men so little friended then as
to be denied all the rights of men。 I do not remember any passage of the
speech； or any word of it； but I remember the joy； the pride with which
the soul of youth recognizes in the greatness it has honored the goodness
it may love。 Mere politicians might be pro…slavery or anti…slavery
without touching me very much； but here was the citizen of a world far
greater than theirs； a light of the universal republic of letters； who
was willing and eager to sta