New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-12-07
vGE.. sy. 80. aoS

though; and npbier LIFE, withou, en- exact cala
logae Of the thoughts o. the SPEAKER.
Those who believed 10 truth could exist, IN.
less encsscd by The burrs Of opinion, went away
utterly bsfflet. Sometimes they thought he was
on their side, then presently would come some
thirg on The Other Ho really s,cmed IN believe
there were two sides to every subject, and even
TO intmate higher ground from which each
might be seen 10 have an intiuita number OF
SIDES = b,ssinss, an imperiinence nct TO he en-.
duIcd! The partisan heard but once and returned
no mere.
But some there were, simple souls, whose life
had bsen parhapa, without clear liglt, Jet srill
search after truth fer its own sake, who were
able to receive what followed on The suggestion
| Of sutjrc; il natural maaner, as a stream OF
thought These recognized, beneath the veil Of
words, the still small voice OF conscience, the
vcs.al fires of lone religious hours and the mild
teachings OF the summer woods.
The charm of tho elocntien, too, vas great.
Bia general manner was that of TIE reader, occa.
sionalIy rising into direct address or invocation
ia passages wkero tenderness or majesty de-
manded more energy. At such times both eye
and voice called on remote future TO give a
worthy reply. A future which shall manifest
moro largely the universal soul as it was then
manifest to this soul The tone of the voice was
grave body tone, full and sweet rather then
ronorous, yet flexible and haunted Ivy many
,nodulation-, as even instruments of wood and
brass seem 20 become after they have bcen long
Played Oh with skill and taste how much more
so the human voice! In the more expressive
passages i. uttered notes of sivery clearness,
winning, yet still more commanding. The words
uttered in those tones, foated awhile above US,
then took root in the memory like winged secd.
In the union of an even rustic plainness
with lyric Inspirations, religious dignity with
photographic camncss, keen segacity in details
with bo!dne=s Of view, we saw wha. brought to
mind the early posts and Legislators of Greece
men who taught their fellows to pow and
avoid moral evil, sing hymns to the gods and
watch tho mctam1rphoses Of nature. Here in
civic Boston was such man-one who could
sec man IN his original grandeur and his original
chld;shress, ro9.ed in simple netutc, raising to
the heavens the brow and eyes Of a poet.
Ard these lectures seemed not so much Ice
lures as grave dactic poems, thcogonic- perhaps,
adorned by odes when SONIC Power was in ques-
lion whom the poet had best learned to serve,
and with eclogucs wisely portraying in familiar
tongue the duties Of man TO man and " harmless
animals"
Such was the attitude in which tho speaker
appeared to that potion of the audience who
have remained permanently attached 10 him.
They value his words as the signets of reality
receive his influence as a help and incentive to a
nobler discp pine than the age, i'll its general as
poet, appears to require; and do not fear TO anti
cipate the verdict of posterity in claiming for
him the honors OF greatness, and, in some re.
spects, of Master.
In New-England he thus formed for himself a
class ofreados, who rejoice to study in his books
what they already know BY heart. For, though
The thought has become familiar, its beautiful
gars is always IRISH and oIightin hue.
| a similar cucs of like. minded the books must
and do fo.m for themselves, though with a move
ment less directly powerful, as more distant from
its source.
The Essays have also been obnoxious to many
charges To that Of obScurity, or want of per-
feet articulation. OF Euphuism,' excess
of fancy in proportion to imagination, and an
inclination, ut times, to subtlety ct the expense
| of strength, has beea styled. The human heart
complains of inadequacy, either in the nature or
experience of the writer, to represent its full ro-
cation and its deeper needs. Sometimes 1t speaks
of this want az under. development" or u want
of expausio on which may yet be Iemcdied; some.
tines doubts whether sin this mansion there be
either hall or portal to receive the lofticr Of the
Passions" Sometimes the soul is dcifed at the
expense of nature, then again nature at that Of
man, and we arc not quite sure that VIC can make
true harmony by balance of the statements
This writer has never written one good work, Il
such work be one where the whole commando
more attention than the parts. If such an one
be produced only where, after an accumulation o.
materials, fire enough be applied to fuse the whole
into one new substance. This second series is
superior in this respect to the former, YET IN nc
one essay is the main stress so obvious as to pro
duce on the mind the harmonious effect of no.
BILE river or tree in full leaf Single passages
and sentences engage our attention too much III
proportion. These essays, it has been justly SAID
tire like string Of nosaics or house built o.
medals. We mss what we expect in the work
Of the great poet, or the great philosopher the
liberal air OF all the zones: the glow, uniform ye
various in tint, which is given 10 body by Tree
circulation of the hearts blood from the hour G.
birth. Here is, undoubtedly, the man OF ideas
but we want the ideal man also; want the heart
and genius OF human life TO interpret t, ane
here our satisfaction is not so perfect we
doubt this friend raised himself too early &c
the perpendicular and did no, lie along the grouno
long enough to hear the secret Whispers OF oul
parent life. We could wish he might be thrown
.,:... ~, tho Ian of mother earth, to sec L