During forty years of medical practice, I have | tion, and real knowledge which awakens the rarely fell in with one richer in table-talk, or better supplied with topics in life and letters. In his death, he manifested the strength of his religious faith, and resigned his spirit with a benignant composure. But I am forbidden to enlarge on the many excellences and services of the public-spirited John Pintard. contemplation of the statesman and politician, than the New-York Gazette contained during a twelvemonth; and yet it flourished. The traits of Lang's character were unwavering devotion to his pursuits; no one could excel him in the kindness of his demeanor; unconscious of the penury of his intellectual powers, he at times, unwittingly became the pliant agent of designing individuals, and from the blunders into which he was led, his baptismal name, John, seemed easily converted into that of Solomon, by which specification much of his correspondence was maintained. He bore the pleasantry with grateful composure. Were we to dwell upon the excellence of a gazette according to its merits, I should have much to say of the Morning Chronicle, a paper established in this city in the year 1802. The leading editor was Dr. Peter Irving, a gentleman of refined address, scholastic attainments, and elegant erudition. It exhibited great power in its editorial capacity, and With a characteristic anecdote I must diswas the vehicle of much literary matter from miss the name of Lang. The discussions of a the abundance and ability of its correspond-point in chronology, which occurred on the ence. If I do not greatly err, in this paper Washington Irving first appeared as an author, by his series of dramatic criticisms, over the signature of Jonathan Oldstyle. The only poetic writer of whose effusions I now retain any recollection was Miss Smith, the sister of the late Thomas R. Smith. Her pieces were known by the signature of Clara; and in bringing together the effusions of the early female poets, Dr. Griswold, in his praiseworthy zeal in behalf of American literature, might well have increased in value his interesting collection by specimens of the productions of Miss Smith. commencement of the present century, awakened some attention with mathematicians and astronomers abroad, and among many with us. The learned and pious Dr. Kunze, after much investigation, addressed a communication on the vexed question to Mr. Lang. He had adverted to the Gregorian style in his letter, and had mentioned Pope Gregory. The faithful Gazette printed the article Tom Gregory: the venerable Doctor hastened to his friend, and remonstrated on the injury he had done him, and requested the erratum to specify, instead of Tom Gregory, Pope Gregory XIII. Again an alteration was made, and the Gazette requested its readers, for Tom Gregory The omission, in these reminiscences, of some notice of John Lang, would be so quick-to read Pope Tom Gregory XIII. Only ly discovered, that I am necessarily compelled to dwell for a moment on the character and services of one who, for a long succession of years, filled a notable place in our newspaper annals. Lang was of Scotch descent, but the place of his birth, I believe, was New-York. For some forty or more years, Lang's Gazette was recognized as the leading mercantile advertiser, and the patronage which it received from the business world was such as doubtless secured ample returns to its proprietor. The distinction of the paper was unquestionably its attention to the shipping interests of this commercial emporium. As a journal of either political or miscellaneous matter it was sadly deficient. Lang adhered to his "arrivals" as the prominent object of consideration, and the mightiest changes of revolutions, in actions or opinions, found but a stinted record in his widely-diffused journal. Rarely, indeed, did our acknowledged politicians or essayists seek its columns for the promulgation of their ideas, and its editorial displays were generally tormentingly feeble, Nevertheless, it was in this gazette, then under the control of Lang and McLean, that General Hamilton first gave to the public his numbers of The Federalist. There is often to be found in one daily issue of the Post, the Courier and Enquirer, the Journal of Commerce, the Herald, the Tribune, or the Times of these days, more thought, nice disquisi- Major Noah has so recently departed from one more attempt at correction was made, when the compositor had its typography so changed that it read Tom Gregory, the Pope. The learned divine, with a heavy heart, in a final interview with the erudite editor, begged him to make no further improvements, as he dreaded the loss of all the reputation his years of devotion to the subject had secured to him. This Dr. Kunze was long a prominent minister of the German Lutheran Church of this city. He was the preceptor in Philadelphia of Henry Stuber, author of the continuation of the life of our Socrates, Dr. Franklin: a work executed with much ability. He was a physician, and a most delectable character. Many years ago, I was so fortunate as to procure some inaterials for a biography of him, and Dr. Sparks has courteously given them a place in his invaluable edition of Dr. Franklin's works. Justice to the departed Lang demands that I should add that he was a gentleman of the old school, of great moral excellence, and as a husband and a father most exemplary; deeply devoted to the interests of this city, and evincing a philanthropic spirit on every be coming occasion. He died at an advanced age; but his career was shortened by the great fire, in this city, in 1835. That vast destruction in his beloved New-York was an oppressive weight upon his heart. National Gazette of Robert Walsh, and the National Intelligencer of Gales & Seaton. Its distinguished editor, satisfied that for so long a period he had performed his part in the promotion of sound principles, with singleness of purpose, in behalf of the city, the state and the nation, may have sought that relief from mental care which is often secured by change of occupation. When I cast a thought over the hours I have spent in reading the American, I feel as Whitfield has expressed himself on a different occasion, "I am glad, but I am sorry;" glad that I have had so long the pleasure of being informed by its perusal; sorry that the opportunity no longer exists. among us, and the expectation that his active life will soon find a biographer is so general, that it seems unnecessary on the present occasion to speak at any length concerning him. I knew him well some thirty-five years. In religion a Jew, he was tolerant of all creeds, with equal amenity; his natural parts were of a remarkable order; few excelled him in industry, none in temperance and sobriety. He wrote for many journals, and established several. By his Travels in Africa he became known as an author. His work on the Abolition of Imprisonment for Debt was widely read. He was lively in converse, and a most social companion. His literary compositions, though not always pure in style, often show- In closing this short list of editors, I feel ed a nice sense of the ludicrous and a love justified in deviating for a moment in my of humor. He abounded in anecdote. Mr. chronology by a word or two on the characMatthews, from his personal knowledge, has ter and death of one whom I have ever connot overdrawn the character of Noah. He sidered the ablest writer we have had in our possessed the organ of benevolence on a public journals. He has been already incilarge scale. It is to be regretted that by his dentally mentioned. I allude to James Cheetpolitical vacillations his talents finally lost all ham. He succeeded as editor of Greenleaf's influence in public councils and affairs. paper, calling it the American Citizen. CheetWe are susceptible of the pleasures and the ham was an English radical; had left Manpains of memory. A retrospect will confirm chester for this country, and was by trade a this declaration on many occasions. It is so hatter. His personal appearance was imin our contemplations of a newspaper; and pressive; tall, athletic, with a martial bearin no instance have I been more sensible ofing in his walk, a forehead of great breadth this than when considering the origin, the and dimensions, and penetrating gray eyes, career, and the termination of the New-York he seemed authoritative wherever he might American. Its prominent projector was John- be. He arrived in this country at a period son Verplanck, a native of this city, of a con- of perplexing excitement in the times of Adspienous family, whose mental qualities were ams's administration and Jefferson's entrance of a robust order, and whose classical attain-into the presidency. He found many to ments entitled him to distinction. With the countenance his radicalism, as Teunis Wortcountenance and assistance of enlightened as- man, James Dennison, Charles Christian and sociates, he soon acquired for the American others-men whom we might call liberals, a reputation for eminent talents, great inde- both in religion and in politics. Accidental pendence in opinion, and the most perfect circumstances made me well acquainted with freedom in scrutinizing public acts, and in lit- him, so early as the summer of 1803. He erary and artistic criticism. Mr. Verplanck was then universally known as the champion was one of the writers of the Buck Tail Bards, of Jefferson, of Governor George Clinton, and a satirical poem, of Hudibrastic flavor. He of De Witt Clinton. He was a most unflinchdied in 1829. The American fell then into ing partisan writer, and with earnestness asother hands, and for a long succession of years serted the advantages arising from the poswas editorially sustained by one who had session of Louisiana, countenanced Blind Paloften previously enriched its columns with his mer, the lecturer on Deism, and congratulucubrations. I allude to Charles King, now lated the public on the return to America of President of Columbia College. It was soon Thomas Paine. He ever remained an active demonstrated to the satisfaction of its patrons, advocate of old George Clinton, but his friendthat, although under a new government, and ship was suddenly turned into hatred of Paine, its supplies derived from another source, its and his life of that once prominent but wretchnut rition was not less wholesome and pro- ed individual demonstrates the rancor of his ductive. For many years it claimed the ad- temper. The murderous death of Hamilton, miration of the conservators of constitutional I think, had a strong influence on him. No right and of critical taste. It was conducted sooner had he breathed his last than Cheetwith a manly boldness. Its tone gave digni-hain extolled him as the greatest of patriots. ty to political disquisition, though its manner Many speak of Cheetham as at times holding was sometimes dreaded by objects of its ani- the pen of Junius-a judgment sustained by madversion: if its censures were occasionally severe, its approbation was the more highly appreciated it was a record of historical value; nor can I comprehend why, in this age of universal reading in journalism, its career was closed. Its many volumes must hereafter be ranked with the once famous some of his political assaults and essays. He possessed a magnificent library, was a great reader, and studied Burke and Shakspeare more than any other authors. I know nothing against his moral character. His death, however, was most remarkable: he had removed with his family to a country residence, engaged as a publisher and seller. He was a The royal oak, it was the tree some three miles from the city, in the sum-stand for business, and was quite extensively mer of 1809. A few days afterwards he exposed himself to malaria, by walking without a hat, through the fields, under a burning September sun. He was struck with a complication of ills-fever, congestion of the brain, and great cerebral distress. The malignancy of his case soon foretold to his physician, Dr. Hosack, the uncertainty of his recovery. Being at that time a student of medicine, I was requested to watch him; on the second day of his sickness, his fever raging higher, he betrayed a disturbed intellect. On the night of the third day raving mania set in. Incoherently he called his family around him, and addressed his sons as to their peculiar avocations for life, giving advice to one ever to be temperate in all things, and to another urging the importance of knowledge. After midnight he became much worse, and was ungovernable. With herculean strength he now raised himself from his pillow; with eyes of meteoric fierceness, he grasped his bed covering, and in a most vehement but rapid articulation, exclaimed to his sons, Boys! study Bolingbroke for style, and changed to the more simple coupletLocke for sentiment." He spoke no more. In a moment life had departed. His funeral was a solemn mourning of his political friends. Paine has been referred too. I have often seen him at the different places of his resi- now modified without loss of its poetic firedence in this city, now in Partition-street, now in Broome-street, &c. His localities were not always the most agreeable. In led captivity captive, and had an unlimited Partition-street, near the market, a portion of his tenement was occupied for the display of wild beasts. Paine generally sat, taking an airing, at the lower front windows, the gazed at of all passers by. Jarvis, the painter, was often his visitor, and was fortunate enough to secure that inimitable plaster cast of his head and features, which, at his request, I deposited with the New-York Historical Society. While at that work, Jarvis exclaimed, "I shall secure him to a nicety, if I am so fortunate as to get plaster enough for his carbuncled nose.' Jarvis thought this bust of Paine his most successful undertaking as a sculptor. Oak's not as good and the lines Whales in the sea By Washington, circulation, for the better diffusion of knowledge and patriotism throughout the land. As our city grew apace, and both instructors and their functions enlarged, he engaged in the Latin classics. Having a little Latin about me, it became my duty to set up at the printing office of Lewis Nicholls, Duyckinck's reprint of De Bello Gallico. The edition was edited by a Mr. Rudd. He was the first editor I ever saw; I looked on him with schoolboy admiration when I took him the proofs. What alterations or improvements he made in the text of Oudendorp, I never ascertained. This, however, must have been among the beginnings of that American practice, still I shall trespass some moments by giving a prevailing among us, of having in reprints few reminiscences concerning booksellers and of even the most important works from abroad, publishers. There are many, of this profes- for better circulation, the name of some one as sional order, whose character and influ-editor, inserted on the title-page. Mr. Duyckence might justly demand a detailed account. Spence himself would find among them anecdotes worthy consideration in the world of letters. I must, however, write within circumscribed limits. The first in my immediate recollection is Everet Duyckinck. He was a middle-aged man, when I, a boy, was occasionally at his store, an ample and old-fashioned building, at the corner of Pearl-street and Old | Slip. He was grave in his demeanor, and somewhat taciturn; of great simplicity in dress; accommodating and courteous. He must have been rich in literary recollections. He for a long while occupied his excellent inck was gifted with great business talents, and estimated as a man of punctuality and of rigid integrity in fiscal matters. He was the first who had the entire Bible, in duodecimo, preserved-set up in forms-the better to supply, at all times, his patrons. This was before stereotype plates were adopted. He gave to the Harpers the first job of printing they executed—whether Tom Thumb or Wesley's Primitive Physic, I do not know. The acorn has become the pride of the forest-the Cliff-street tree, whose roots and branches now ramify all the land. Duyckinek faithfully carried out the proverbs of Frank lin, and the sayings of Noah Webster's Prompter. He was by birth and action a genuine Knickerbocker. the curious in knowledge will not overlook him as the first who popularly made known to the English reader the names of Kotzebue There was, about forty years ago, an indi- and Schiller. Several of the novels and plays vidual somewhat remarkable in several re- of these German authors were done into Engspects, whose bookstore was in Maiden Lane lish by him; and, with William Dunlap, both -William Barlas. He was by birth a Scotch- as a translator and as a theatrical manager, man, and was brought up to the ministry; The Stranger and other plays were presented but from causes which I never learned, he to the cultivators of the drama in New-York relinquished that vocation in his native land, long before their appearance in London, or the and assumed that of a bookseller in this city. publication of Thompson's German Theatre. He was reputed to be a ripe scholar. He It is a circumstance worthy of notice, that dealt almost exclusively in the classics, and the Rev. Mr. Will, then of this city, added to for numerous years imported the editions in the stock of our literary treasures, by other usum Delphini, for the students in our schools translations into the English, such as the Conand colleges. Hardly a graduate among us, stant Lovers, &c., of Kotzebue, before, I beof the olden time, can have forgotten him- lieve, any recognized English version appeared Irving, Verplanck, John Anthon, and Pauld- abroad. But I must leave this subject for the ing, can doubtless tell much of him. When, fuller investigation of the learned Dr. Schmidt on a large scale, was commenced in Philadel- professor of German, in Columbia College. phia, reprints of the Latin and Greek wri- ! David Longworth's name is a good deal ters, poor Mr. Barlas's functions were nearly blended with the progress of American liteannihilated. I mention him here from his re-rature during years gone by. He was by lation to the advancement of learning in my birth a New Jerseyman; and the publication juvenile days. His opinion on the various editions was deemed conclusive; and he controlled the judgment as well as the pocket of the purchaser. He was long in epistolary correspondence with "the friend of Cowper," as some call him-old John Newton of London; and I have often wondered that no enterprise has yet brought forward, in a new edition of the writings of Newton, their correspondence. It is not for me to dwell on the contrast, so striking, between the present period and that to which I have just adverted, when even professors of Colleges were controlled in their opinions of books by the dicta of a bookseller. Such was the fact some forty or fifty years ago. What would be the reply of our Professor Anthon, of Columbia College, to a bookseller who assumed such authority of him whose love and devotion to the philosophy of the classics has led him already in so many works to spread before the cogitative scholars, of both worlds, the deepest researches of antiquarian disquisition and philological lore, evincing that America is not tardy in a just appreciation of the excellencies of those treasures which enriched a Bentley, a Horseley, a Porson, and a Parr. Those of our literary connoisseurs who cast a retrospective glance over days long past, may awaken into memory that delicately constructed and pensive-looking man, of Pearlstreet, recognized by the name of Charles Smith. I believe he was a New-Yorker. Palmonary suffering was his physical infirmity-his relief, tobacco, the fumes of which ever surrounded him like a halo. He abounded in the gloom and glory of the American Revolution, and published, with portraits, nnmerous diagrams of the campaigns of the war in the Military Repository, a work of great fidelity, in which it is thought he was aided by Baron Steuben and General Gates. As a bibliopolist, little need be said of him. But of his City Directory, for some thirty or more years, gave him sufficient notoriety; while his Shaksperean Gallery introduced him to many of the cultivators of the fine arts, at a period when Trumbull and Jarvis were our prominent painters. Longworth had been brought up as a printer, at a daily press, but he seems early to have got a taste for copper-plate engraving, accurate printing, and elegant binding. With determined energy he issued an edition of Telemachus, which, for beauty of typography and paper, was looked upon, by the lovers of choice books, as a rich specimen of our art. His Belles-Lettres Repository no less evinced his taste in the elegantiæ literarum. He was, nevertheless, a man of many strange notions. It is well known that about the commencement of the eighteenth century, in our English books, printed in the mother country, the substantive words were almost always begun with a capital; the like practice obtained in many newspapers; but Longworth, not content with the partial change which time had brought about, of sinking these prominent and advantageous upper case type, waged a war of extermination against almost every capital in the case, and this curious deformity is found in many of his publications, as british america, and london docks. Even in poetry, of the first word, he tolerated only small letters at the beginning of the lines. His practice, however, found no imitators, though 'tis said that it first began in Paris. His bookstore, at a central situation by the Park, with works of taste classically displayed, afforded an admirable lounge for the litterateurs of that day. Here, when Hodgkinson, and Hallam, and Cooper, and Cooke were at the zenith of their histrionic career in the Park Theatre, adjacent, might be seen a group of poets and prose writers, who, in their generation, added to the original off spring of the American press-Brockden | other school books, by the prolific Lindley Brown, Dunlap, Verplanck, Paulding Fessen- Murray. As in the case of Franklin, his den, Richard Alsop, Peter Irving, and the earliest effort of magnitude was the printing now universally famed Washington Irving. I must note a circumstance of some import on the state of letters among us about those times. Longworth had secured from abroad a copy of the first edition, in quarto, of Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel, and determined to reprint it; yet, not satisfied with his own judgment, he convened a meeting of his literary friends to settle the matter. The committee, after solemn deliberation, suggested his venturing to reproduce only the introductions to the cantos, as an experiment, in order to ascertain the public taste. Would I speak in terms too strong if I affirmed that since that committee sat, millions of copies of the numerous volumes of Sir Walter Scott have been bought by the reading world in America. My circle of literary acquaintance was a good deal enlarged by the coteries I now and then found at Longworth's, as he was not backward in seizing opportunities of issuing new works, when from their nature they might excite the appetite of the curious. No publication of his so effectually secured this end, as the Salmagundi, in 1807, sent forth in bi-weekly numbers by young Irving and his friend Paulding. When we are apprised that some few of our middle-aged citizens, who sustained the stroke of that literary scimetar so long ago, still survive among us, I think we may argue from strong data for the salubrity of our climate. At Longworth's, I first saw the youngest dramatic genius of the time, Howard Payne, then about fourteen years old, and who, a short while after, appeared as young Norval on the boards of the theatre. He was editor of the Thespian Mirror. Sewell's History of the Quakers. The neatness and accuracy of his printing were famil iarly remarked among readers; and these excellencies he displayed in his quarto Bible, the first of that form which was printed in this country in 1790. Collins was a native of Delaware. He projected a weekly paper, the New Jersey Gazette, which he published at Burlington during the Revolution, and, some time after, upon strenuous Whig principles. He had authority, like Franklin, for the emission of paper money for the State Government. He removed to this city in 1796, and a few years after this time I knew him. As his career was, many portions of it, like Franklin's, I had the greater admiration of him. He died in 1817. That he enjoyed the acquaintance of Franklin, of Rittenhouse and Rush, of Livingston of New Jersey, and others of the truest patriots in the great struggles of the country, may be inferred from his profession, his public station, his integrity, and his general character. In the soci ety of Friends he was prominent, and, like Tho mas Eddy and Robert Bowne, he was occupied with hospitals, and ever zealous in good works. He did vast service to the city as a printer, and as such he is here introduced. The oldest inhabitants of our city may well recollect the bookstore of the Swords, Thomas and James. Some sixty years ago they began operations in Pearl-street. They com menced when New-York was little more than a village in population, and when literary projects were almost unknown. They deserve ample notice as most efficient pioneers, in their day, as printers and booksellers, and through a long career they held a high rank; Originally of Ireland, Hugh Gaine, upon they were assiduous and economical almost his emigration to this country during our to a fault: their integrity was never doubted; colonial dependence, set up in this city in their word was as good as their bond. They 1753 his Royal Gazette, the New-York Mer-printed good works in more acceptations of cury. His fame as well as his patriotism is the phrase than one. They did a great serembalmed in the irony of Freneau. It is only vice to our scientific enterprise, in issuing the as a bookseller that I knew him, in Hano-Medical Repository, the earliest journal of ver Square. He was then at a very advanced that kind, in the country. A literary periodage. His savings rendered him in due time independent in pecuniary matters. We may safely infer that he was not surpassed in industry, and that he was ever awake to the main chance, when we are assured that at the | commencement of his journal, he collected Josiah Ogden Hoffman, and James Kent (afhis own news, set up his types, worked off his papers, folded his sheets, and personally distributed them to his subscribers. Franklin had done pretty nearly the same things before. Gaine, who in his after-life was an object of a good deal of curiosity to the citizens of the republic, enjoyed the consideration due to an honest man, and many kindly feelings. Many as were his merits, and great as was his enterprise, Isaac Collins was most widely known, the latter part of his long career, by his editions of the works on grammar, and ical, of many years duration, was also printed by them, called the New-York Magazine. It was remarkable for the contributions of a society, self-named the Drone. Brockden Brown, William Dunlap, Anthony Bleecker, terwards the great Chancellor), were among the writers. William Johnson, the wellknown Reporter, who died recently, was the last survivor of this club. Their store for a number of years was a rendezvous for professional men of different callings-divines, physicians, lawyers, with a sprinkling of the professed authors of those times, as Clifton, Low, Davis, &c. Its theological feature was its strongest; and the interest of episcopacy were here descanted on with the unction of godliness, by such men as Seabury of Con |