George Long Duyckinck
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Biography . . .
On Parker 2:534 is Oakey Hall's masterpiece of a condolence letter.
HOOSICK,
NEAR TROY March
31, 1863 Oakey Hall writes to Evert
Duyckinck:
In a little town to which business called me: in the midst
of a driving snowstorm: just toward dusk: and with everything cheerless about
me I learn of the death of George. It is
a great shock: for I did not even know he was ill: & I shall not, I fear,
reach town to attend the funeral, but shall try.
You know Evert I have knocked around the edges of society
of all sorts & have for a man of my years seen a great deal of the bad side
of life without being in it or of it. I
can therefore well admire & esteem such a meek and unaffectedly just man as
was George. To me he stands out
in very bold relief as such a man. He
was guileless, charitable to the failings of others, detesting wrong &
deceit. You see I dwell on the things
which to me seem great virtues.
Others will speak of his talents, & literary labors & of his
mind & its acumen. But to me a good
man & that my friend is praise above all praise . . . NYPL-D
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