{"id":"01KG8AM2S3EKEA9D41ZN91FASJ","cid":"bafkreibfducpbqsg7tuprzjaaiu6ohnrvjj7kh4sl5ymlumtgfmkrctfxa","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":405,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.200Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 7","source_file":"01KG89J1JYRSHWXR7JM0HYS9D4","start_line":364,"text":"house that was afterwards his home. This house belonged to his brother\r\nAllan, and was exchanged for the estate at Pittsfield. In December,\r\n1866, he was appointed by Mr. H. A. Smyth, a former travelling companion\r\nin Europe, a district officer in the New York Custom House. He held the\r\nposition until 1886, preferring it to in-door clerical work, and then\r\nresigned, the duties becoming too arduous for his failing strength.\r\n\r\nIn addition to his philosophical studies, Mr. Melville was much\r\ninterested in all matters relating to the fine arts, and devoted most of\r\nhis leisure hours to the two subjects. A notable collection of etchings\r\nand engravings from the old masters was gradually made by him, those\r\nfrom Claude’s paintings being a specialty. After he retired from the\r\nCustom House, his tall, stalwart figure could be seen almost daily\r\ntramping through the Fort George district or Central Park, his roving\r\ninclination leading him to obtain as much out-door life as possible.\r\nHis evenings were spent at home with his books, his pictures, and his\r\nfamily, and usually with them alone; for, in spite of the melodramatic\r\ndeclarations of various English gentlemen, Melville’s seclusion in his\r\nlatter years, and in fact throughout his life, was a matter of personal\r\nchoice. More and more, as he grew older, he avoided every action on his\r\npart, and on the part of his family, that might tend to keep his name\r\nand writings before the public. A few friends felt at liberty to visit\r\nthe recluse, and were kindly welcomed, but he himself sought no one. His\r\nfavorite companions were his grandchildren, with whom he delighted to\r\npass his time, and his devoted wife, who was a constant assistant and\r\nadviser in his literary work, chiefly done at this period for his\r\nown amusement. To her he addressed his last little poem, the touching\r\n‘Return of the Sire de Nesle.’ Various efforts were made by the New York\r\nliterary colony to draw him from his retirement, but without success.\r\nIt has been suggested that he might have accepted a magazine editorship,\r\nbut this is doubtful, as he could not bear business details or routine\r\nwork of any sort. His brother Allan was a New York lawyer, and until his\r\ndeath, in 1872, managed Melville’s affairs with ability, particularly\r\nthe literary accounts.\r\n\r\nDuring these later years he took great pleasure in a friendly\r\ncorrespondence with Mr. W. Clark Russell. Mr. Russell had taken many\r\noccasions to mention Melville’s sea-tales, his interest in them, and his\r\nindebtedness to them. The latter felt impelled to write Mr. Russell in\r\nregard to one of his newly published novels, and received in answer the\r\nfollowing letter:\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 7"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJPEC98TTS3YB9XGWRJ1C","peer_type":"frontmatter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JYRSHWXR7JM0HYS9D4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AM2S3S5S9G4H2P2PW1DRJ","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.379Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:32.595Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}