Identifier: lifelettersofcha00stod (find matches)
Title: The life and letters of Charles Butler
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Stoddard, Francis Hovey, 1847-
Subjects: Butler, Charles, 1802-1897
Publisher: New York, C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Text Appearing Before Image:

THE LIFE AND LETTERS

C. B. February fifteenth, 1892. Æt. XC.
"What lavish wealth of years ! fourscore and ten ;
Yet not, for selfish ends, a treasured hoard ;
God's gift of lengthened life, in love outpoured,
And used, in service meet, for fellow men ;
The patriarch's crown, well won, well worn, to-day
Wreathes an unwrinkled brow ; the undimmed eye
Still keeps the radiance of the years gone by,
And the heart's youth, unconscious of decay.
Nine decades safely closed, the tenth displays
Its opening scroll, and lo ! the illumined page,
Athwart the sombre record of old age,
With Love and Hope and Joy is all ablaze :
As though an angel stooped from heaven to write —
" At eventide there shall be morning light ! "

Never did he seem more genial in his hospital-
ity nor happier in having his friends and relatives
about him than on these occasions.
To a wonderful degree Mr. Butler retained in
old age the mental vigor of his youth. It was his
life-long habit to copy upon a scrap of paper
any line, or sentence, or verse, that struck him as
worthy of remembrance, and to place it on his
table where he could commit it to memory while
dressing. This custom he kept up until after he
had reached the age of ninety. A visitor who met
him for the first time in 1893, gives this descrip-
352
Text Appearing After Image:
Charles Butler 18 July 1895
Born – 18 July 1802

OF CHARLES BUTLER

tion: " In the soft light of the middle room
I got my first glimpse of Charles Butler. Six
feet, if an inch,—no less. Straight as an arrow,
and with no halt or impediment to his step. A
face that would strike the casual beholder as a
wonderful compound of the characteristics of
Washington and Gladstone, yet with not the full-
ness of either one—a face full of gentleness, dig-
nity, and fascinating mobility. Partially bald,
only ; hair gray and falling straight as an Indians,
and clipped evenly at the ends. The nose full,
Roman, and wonderfully indicative of characterand virility. The eyes, well separated, dark
brown, beaming with kindliness, and clear and
bright as in a man of forty years. Mouth clear-
cut, decisive in its lines. With a plain walking
stick, which apparently was not used for support,
Mr. Butler advanced into the reception room and
saluted his caller. It was like meeting a man of
middle age, overflowing with the natural graces
heightened by the highes culture and good-
feeling.

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