OSBORN, Laughton, poet, born in New York city in 1809; died there, 12 December, 1878. He was graduated at Columbia in 1827, and shortly afterward published his first book, "Sixty Years of the Life of Jeremy Levis" (2 vols., New York, 1831), which has been styled " a rambling, Shandean autobiography; grotesque, humorous, sentimental, and satirical, though too crude and unfinished to hold a high rank for any of those qualities." This was followed by "The Dream of Alla-ad-Deen," in which he attempted to reconcile humanity to death and evil on the ground that mankind are of but little importance in the scale of creation. " The Confessions of a Poet" (Philadelphia, 1835), his next work, was severely criticised by part of the New York press, especially by "The Commercial Advertiser," edited by Colonel William L. Stone, on the score of morality. To these Osborn replied by publishing "The Vision of Rubeta, an Epic Story of the Island of Manhattan, with Illustrations Done on Stone" (Boston, 1838). It also contained a fierce onslaught on the poet Wordsworth. In 1841 appeared his best and most elaborate work, "Arthur Carryl, Cantos First and Second; Odes" Epistles to Milton. Pope, Juvenal, and the Devil" Epigrams" Parodies of Horace; England as She Is, and Other Minor Poems" (New York). All the foregoing were published anonymously by Osborn, who was an eccentric literary recluse. His scholarship was varied. He was familiar with the classics, wrote poetry in French and Italian with facility, was a painter of some merit, a skilled musician, and a gifted conversationalist. Of his later works, several were issued over his own name. They include "Handbook of 0il-Painting, by an American Artist" (New York, 1856)" " Calvary--Virginia" Tragedies," "Alice, or the Painter's Story," and "The Silver Head and The Double Deceit" Comedies" (1867)" "Bianca Capello, a Tragedy," " The Montanini--The School for CriticsCome