Show I WILKINS MICA1VBER The man who sat for the portrait of Wilkins Micawber is living in this city and a very interesting old gentle gen-tle man be is His name is Thomas Powell and be was born in London way back in 1807 He early developed devel-oped strong literary I tastes and became a constant contributor to the magazines maga-zines and reviews At twenty nine he published his first book a volume of poems and this heads a long list of works which occupies about half a column in Allibones Dictionary of Autbora He soon became the companion com-panion of the chief literary lights of that day aad he was associated with Wordsworth Leigh Hunt and R H Home in the preparation of Chau cer Modernized which appeared in 1842 During the same year he published pub-lished The Wifes Revenge a tragedy The Shepherds Well I 11 a I drama and The Blind Wife a romantic drama which last went through five editions After much other literary work in London became be-came to this country in 1859 and added to the fast lengthening list of his published volumes Tne Living Authors of England and The Living Liv-ing Author of America These were followed by a romance called The Ambassadors Daughter and olher books Meanwhile Mr Powell was engaged in newspaper work Daring 1850 and 1851 he was editor W I of Figaro and the next tjeo vearh J was attfociattd with John Brougham in conducting the Lantern He was also or a while connected with tbs Daily News and afterward was editor of toe Hudson County Democrat When Frank Leslie started his pub lications be picked on Mr Powell 2j the man to balp him and be has been connected with the establishment establish-ment now for many years He ueecH to write a great deal under tbe name of Pierce Pungent and eoma readers of the Republican may remember re-member the proverbs attributed to that worthy I believe that a full score of books have appeared from his pen while the fugitive tales he baa written and his contributions of one sort and another to newspapers and magazines would make a good sized library if gathered and collected between coy era Two of his plays have been actea in Europa and one in this country and be also wrote years ago for a minstrel troupe a burlesque on LuS cretia Borgia and the Bohemian Girl which proved very successful It is quite safe to say that there i8 not another man in the country if in deed tbere be in England who enjoyed a wider acquaintance wiLhr the famous Englishmen of the last generation He was the boon companion com-panion of Dickens be knew Disraeli when nothing seemed more unlikely than that the young Jew would some day be premier he worked with Wordsworth Hunt and Home he > has many personal reminiscences of Carlyle Thackerayj George Henry Lewes and I dont know bow man other notable men He baa a wonderfully won-derfully retentive memory and bio recollections of the famous people hs has known are full of interest Mr Powell is now 75 but be is a well preserved old gentleman I hear that he goes around to the Leslie establishment es-tablishment almost every days enm still makes regular contributions to eomejof Ihs pablicatnEB In shortyMr Micawber is enjoying a comfortabl old ageN Y Car Springfield Re publIcan |