Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 1.djvu/470

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NOTES AND QUERIES. tie s. i. j. 10, me.

my compliments to all who ask after me, & especially to Mrs. Berrisford. I know not what is become of Dr. Shaw, nor how to direct to him.

I am, Dear Sir,

Your ever affectionate Friend & humble Servant,

EPH. CHAMBERS.

P.S. I know not whether I shall have oppor- tunity for writing to you again before I reach Paris. You may direct to me thus : Mons'r Martin, Marchand Flamand, au Caffe" de Battiste, vis a vis la Comedie Francoise, Fauxbourg iSt. Germain a Paris pour faire tenir a Mons'r Chambers gentilhomme Anglois.

ALECK ABRAHAMS.

PHILIP JAMES BAILEY.

(See ante, p. 324.)

IN The Academy for May 11, 1901, appeared i letter from me which resulted in reviving my personal recollection of Philip James Bailey, the author of ' Festus.' It was as follows :

To ' The Academy.'

SlB, The common belief that P. J. Bailey had ended his career far back in the nineteenth century was, I confess, shared by me Tintil three years ago, and it is only lately that I knew he has just completed his 8oth birthday. My enlightenment in regard to his long life dates back from a call I made on an aged printer or com- positor who now inhabits a certain almshouse at Gloucester, and was formerly employed at Nottingham (as he told me) to set up the type for the poet's ' Festus.' I listened to his resus- citation story (as it appeared to me at the time) incredulously : but the printer Shepherd was quite positive and his memory apparently unfailing that ' Festus ' Bailey still lived.

It may interest some people to hear that the poet was travelling in Italy thirty years a go, and happened to be living for a few days in the Villa Belvedere at Castellammare di * Stabia, near Naples, during the great eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1872. He occupied a bedroom next door to mine ; and being in a weak and nervous condition of health, his wife sought for my assistance to administer restoratives to him when the roar and fury of the volcano had caused him to show signs of faintness.

It was only after the event that I learned the name of my neighbour the poet, whose ' Festus ' I had read and admired as a youth more than 20 years before. Since the poem was published in 1839 vague memories of its many merits have sadly outlived it.

I quote ' L' Envoi ' of ' Festus ' as it rings almost prophetically of the author's lingering old -age: Bead this, world ! he who writes is dead to thee ;

But still lives in these leaves .... A few bright seeds ; he sowed them hoped them truth ;

The autumn of that seed is in these pages.

Also the opening words put into the mouth of the Deity have found realization :

Eternity has snowed its years upon them ;

And the white winter of their age is come. WILLIAM MERCER.

I append copies of two letters which I received from the poet. The earlier ap- peared in The Bath Chronicle of Sept. 18, 1902 :

' FESTUS ' BAILEY, LL.D. To the Editor of ' The Bath Chronicle.'

SIR, The death of ' Festus ' Bailey, at 86 years of age, brings to my memory the letter I wrote to The Academy on the llth May, 1901, wherein I recounted the manner of our chance meeting in 1872 at Villa Belvedere, Cas- tellammare, near Naples, 30 years before. His acknowledgment was very gracious, and per- haps might please your readers, as it certainly did me, so I place* it at your disposal. What he alludes to as "a nearly fatal mishap " possibly a future biographer may be able to relate. His visit to Italy apparently proved " a chapter of accidents," and was followed (as he writes) by " another narrow escape " at Whitby, in York- shire :

The Elms, Bopewalk, Park, Nottingham, 20th May, 1901.

Dear Mr. Mercer, Be kind enough to accept the thanks of 30 years, or thereabouts, in what may be called " deferred annuities." But al- though I had several times met your iiame in connexion with literary matters, I could not be certain in the absence of an address, and my name might be utterly unknown to your- self, along with the circumstances which by a nearly fatal accident, or rather mishap, brought us together at the same table at Castellammare. My wife always gave me to understand that, though in the midst of momentary confusion, it was you who had the promptitude to send without a moment's delay for the nearest medical man. On his arrival he immediately ordered the ap- plication of refrigeratives, and accordingly, as there was no ice to be had, but plenty of snow, my head was soon enveloped in manifolded bandages of that candid element, and so effectually that you would be scarcely surprised to see very considerable relics of that welcome restorative. Our journey, after my recovery, was continued to Sorrento : but the picturesque cliffs, the orangeries, and possibly the saddening associa- tions of the place, though all more or less interest- ing, could not remove my desire to return home. At Venice we met Sir E. J. Beed, in St. Mark's Place, along with several of his family, which was a pleasant reunion for Mrs. Bailey. Then fol- lowed Paris, London, Nottingham, and Whitby (another narrow escape), but I must not tire you. Beceive again my warmest thanks for kindnesses while I live, and for the kindly spirit which dic- tated your communication to The Academy. Believe me, always faithfully yours,

(Signed) PHILIP JAS. BAILEY.

Later on the venerable poet sent me the last edition of ' Festus,' " to make me re-acquainted