Part 13 (1/2)

x.x.xIV

[Sidenote: The Swarm of Gadflies]

At that time Tilton was ”swimming on a sea of glory.” His popularity was at its height, with an apparently a.s.sured prospect of lasting fame to follow. His work so far had necessarily been of an ephemeral sort--dealing with pa.s.sing subjects in a pa.s.sing way--but he had all the while been planning work of a more permanent character, and diligently preparing himself for its doing. One day, in more confidential mood than usual, he spoke to me of this and briefly outlined a part at least of what he had planned to do. But there was a note of the past tense in what he said, as if the hope and purpose he had cherished were pa.s.sing away. It was the first intimation I had of the fact that those troubles were upon him which later made an end of his career and sent him into a saddened exile which endured till the end of his ruined life.

At that time I knew nothing and he told me nothing of the nature of his great trouble, and I regarded his despondency as nothing more than weariness over the petty annoyances inflicted upon him by some who were jealous of his success and popularity.

With some of these things I was familiar. His growing liberality of thought in religious matters, and the absence of asceticism from his life, had brought a swarm of gadflies round his head, whose stings annoyed him, even if they inflicted no serious hurt. He was constantly quizzed and criticised, orally, by personal letter, and in print, as to his beliefs, his conduct, his tastes, his habits, and even his employment of terms, quite as if he had been a woman or a clergyman responsible to his critics and subject to their censure. He maintained an appearance of good temper under all this carping--most of which was clearly inspired by ”envy, malice, and all uncharitableness”--but, as I had reason to know, it stung him sorely. He said to me one day:

”It isn't the criticism that annoys me so much as the fact that I am supposed to be answerable in such small ways to the bellowings of Tray, Blanche, and Sweetheart. I seem not to be regarded as a free man, as other men are.”

I reminded him that something of that kind was the penalty that genius and popularity were usually required to pay for their privileges. I ill.u.s.trated my thought by adding:

”If Byron had not waked up one morning and found himself famous, he would never have been hounded out of his native land by what Macaulay calls British morality in one of its periodic spasms of virtue, and if Poe had never written 'The Raven,' 'The Bells,' and 'Annabel Lee,'

n.o.body would ever have bothered to inquire about his drinking habits.”

I strongly urged him to ignore the criticism which was only encouraged by his replies to it. But in that he was not amenable to counsel, partly because his over-sensitive nature was more severely stung by such criticism than that of a better balanced man would have been, but still more, I think, because his pa.s.sion for epigrammatic reply could not resist the temptation of opportunity which these things presented. Often his replies were effective for the moment, by reason of their wit or their sparkling audacity, but incidentally they enlarged the circle of persons offended.

Thus on one occasion, when he was challenged in print by an adversary, to say that he did not drink wine, he replied in print:

”Mr. Tilton does drink wine upon sacramental and other proper occasions.”

His readers smiled at the smartness of the utterance, but many of the more sensitive among them were deeply aggrieved by what they regarded as its well-nigh blasphemous character.

[Sidenote: The Fulton Controversy]

I was myself present at one of his most perplexing conferences concerning these matters, not as a partic.i.p.ant in the discussion, but as a friendly witness.

The quarrel--for it had developed into the proportions of a quarrel--was with the Rev. Dr. Fulton, who at that time occupied a large place in public attention--as a preacher of great eloquence, his friends said, as a reckless sensationalist and self-advertiser, his enemies contended.

He had accused Tilton of drinking wine, and had publicly criticised him for it, with great severity. Tilton had replied in an equally public way, with the statement that on a certain occasion which he named, he and Dr. Fulton had walked up street together after a public meeting; that at Dr. Fulton's suggestion they had gone into a saloon where between them they had drunk a considerable number of gla.s.ses of beer (he gave the number, but I forget what it was), adding: ”Of which I did not drink the major part.”

Dr. Fulton was furiously angry, of course, and demanded an interview.

Tilton calmly invited him to call at his editorial room in the _Union_ office. He came at the appointed time, bringing with him the Rev. Dr.

Armitage and two other persons of prominence. I do not now remember who they were. Tilton at once sent me a message asking me to come to his room. When I entered he introduced me to his visitors and then said:

”Mr. Eggleston, Dr. Fulton has called to discuss with me certain matters of personal import. The discussion may result in some issues of veracity--discussions with Dr. Fulton often do. It is in view of that possibility, I suppose,” smiling and bowing to Dr. Fulton, who sat stiff in his chair making no response by word or act, ”that Dr. Fulton has brought with him Dr. Armitage and these other gentlemen, as witnesses to whatever may be said between us. I have the profoundest respect, and even reverence for those gentlemen, but it seems to me proper that I should have at least one witness of my own selection present also.

I have therefore sent for you.”

Instantly Dr. Fulton was on his feet protesting. In a loud voice and with excited gesticulations, he declared that he would not be drawn into a trap--that he would abandon the purpose of his visit rather than discuss the matters at issue with one of Tilton's reporters present to misrepresent and ridicule him in print.

Tilton, who never lost his self-possession, waited calmly till the protest was fully made. Then he said:

”I have no reporter present. Mr. Eggleston was promoted a week ago to the editorial writing staff of the paper. He will report nothing. You, Dr. Fulton, have brought with you three friends who are of your own selection, to hear the discussion between us. I claim the right to have one friend of my own present also. It is solely in that capacity that I have asked Mr. Eggleston to be present.”