. Contemporary American biography . powerful, youthful frame, a fine, almost classic head, and a masterly,dark eye, burning with fire, intellect, scorn, sympathy—with every emotion that the passingconversation or circumstance may awaken within him. His features are clean-cut and regu-lar, cameo-like in the delicate determination and decision of contour; now melting with thegenial humor that lies close to the heart of the man, again hardening and straining to thevibrating intensity of a thoroughbred under stress of passion or emotion of less gentle charac-ter. Mr. Keene is a constant and curiou
. Contemporary American biography . powerful, youthful frame, a fine, almost classic head, and a masterly,dark eye, burning with fire, intellect, scorn, sympathy—with every emotion that the passingconversation or circumstance may awaken within him. His features are clean-cut and regu-lar, cameo-like in the delicate determination and decision of contour; now melting with thegenial humor that lies close to the heart of the man, again hardening and straining to thevibrating intensity of a thoroughbred under stress of passion or emotion of less gentle charac-ter. Mr. Keene is a constant and curious student, a collector of rare books, antiquated printsand engravings, articles of vertu of every description. In his characteristic study and library,one is constantly encountering the most piquant and delightful surprises, displayed with thatcareless art that determines the most favorable position for any object that has a real value forits appreciative possessor. Mr. Keenes home, Leabourne, at Castleton Corners, Staten Island,. ^WTTznTC^&k&r CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY. 357 is at once an explanation of the man and a commentary on his tastes and character. The houseis the old Rising Sun Tavern, a relic of Revolutionary times, which he has delighted to acquireand restore,—respectfully perverting its primitiveness to modern needs and tastes, granting ita new lease of life, of strength, of beauty, and of use. It is one of his ambitions to be a gentle-man farmer, and his interest in the old place and everything about it is the constant undercur-rent beneath the shifting, exciting, wearing life of his working-time. He goes to it for histrue holiday,—the rest that comes to the heart as well as to the brain and body. Mr. Keene isa man simple and domestic in all his tastes and habits of thought, with an almost abnormallove of home life and all home ties. His domestic experiences have been uniquely placid andserene; the unitedness and mutual affection of those about him have
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidcontemporary, bookyear1895
