MACKAY, THE BONANZA KING.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 28, 29 April 1892, Page 31

MACKAY, THE BONANZA KING.

Ottos be was very poor ; to-day he has millions. Once his proudest dwelling was a miner's cabin ; to-day his wife presides over a home where most do congregate scions and ecioo esses of the British nobility. A tallisb, slender, well-knit, active man, with a nimble, rapid gaWfinely cut, compact beid, lines strong in the regions assigned to energy and perception ; bair somewhat of tbe Saxon, flaxen, uncertain colour ; a gentle, measured voica, and a prompt hearty address — John W. Mackty would be poiated out to any company as a distinguished man. 1 am afraid he would be found where Montaigne advises his readers to look in assemblies for those worth knowing — in tbe corners of the room. He if averse to ostentation, aud, although one of tbe best known men of his time, dislikes notoriety. His way of life is rim pie to austerity. Wine is to him an aversion. I fancy if he went into literature it would b« ai an advocate of temperance. Strong in his political convictions ; an intense American ; with ■ belief equal to that of Whitman, if expressed with less exuberance, in tbe future of democracy ; finding nothing he ever saw in Europe worth seeing for tbe second time ; holding tbat the home of men and men's children is beyond the Bocky mountain ranges — such are some of his principles. He is exceedingly well-informed, abreast of the channels of current thought, master of his tiade, as the strong .nan should b« — or rather of two trades, mining and telegraphy. There is no branch of these professions, in which he is, perhaps, more interested than any man of tbe day, tbat be has not minutely studied. Outside of bis engrossing business cares his tastes turn toward art. His passion is painting, aod he would make the transit of a realm to spend an hour with a Velasque* or a Bubsss. It was hid judgment that condemned the Meissonier about which so much waa said in idle whispering circles. "I wanted a Meissonier/' he said, "not Meissooier painting a slovenly imitation of Cabanel," and the criticism was adopted by the art world. The French master, thinking, perhaps, in some momentary whim unworthy of his genius, that anything would do for Nevada, found that be was painting for a keen and severe critic, who knew what he wanted, and wished no illusion or counterfeits put upon him with the sanction of a name. Mackay, when he saw tbe painting and found that Meissonier was unreasonable, quietly paid tbe bill, the largest sum, perhaps, ever given for an original portrait to a modern painter, and put the canvas is some out-of-the-way cabinet. There was much mide of tbe incident by the friends of Me.iesonicr and mischievous people, but this is all there was of the history, says Alumey't Monthly. Mr Mackay was born in Dublin. Th*t was 62 years ago, and yet to-Jay h9 looks a decade younger, — National Press.