The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-06-08
From the Boston Adusrt,ssr.

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appearance in Faneuil HILL, have been incidents Of
the highest interest to his old neighbors friends,
and constituents. The public feeling perhaps
deeper on account Of the accident which came
depriving the country of her greatest statesman
and most illustrous citizen. Mr.. Webster was
still weak from it's effects; but the singuarly ele-
giant and eloquent speech Of last Saturday showed
the most numerous audience ever assembled In
Faneul Hall that neither age nor illness has In the
least abated the original strength and brightness
of his sovereign intellect
The immense assembly resenbled in character
numbers, and enthusiasm the great meeting In
New York, before which he delivered the historical
discourse on the 23d of February-the commemo-
ration of the birthday Of Washington. Niblo's
Theatre crowded from the pit to the upper tier
of boxes with the most intellectual and brilliant
aSsemblage that had ever been drawn together In
that city on such occasion. The birthday OF the
Father of his Country, the recent attempts to UNI
dermine his authority, and to lmpeach the po-
litical wisdom of his Farewell Address at the in
stance of a foreigner, and the world wide fame
of the orator, caused an unexampled excitement
throughout the moot cultivated society III New
York, and an engerness never before felt TO par
take in the intellectual enjoyment of the occasion;
and the spectacle was dazzling and grand, making
that meeting of the New York Historical Society
itself historical and memorable.
The discourse delivered by Mr.. Webster dit
fered, in the topics handled and the manner OF de-
livery, from his usual subjects and style. 1t was
more discursive and adorned with the eInbellish.
ments Of literature-as the occasion allowed and
required-tban the forensic, deiberative, and pop
uar oratons, which have made his name famous
wherever the English language is spoken. Here
was the greatest man OF the age, whose lie and la
bors have constituted no inconsiderabe part OF the
history Of tho last half century, pausng to con
template historical literature, to point out its char
acteristic traits to illustrate it's principles and to
give the judgment Of wisdom and long experience
fho eel chi ed w
these general topics, the time and place IN which
he speaking naturally suggested the great
features OF the history Of American constitutional
Hberty-its early struggle and lts latest Dangers
closing with remarkable and most eloquent APP
peal to the patriotism of the country to come for
ward and sustain the Union against its secret as
well as its open foes.
The discourse was read from printed copy, ex-
cept the peroration, which was extemporaneous,
in calm and impressive manner. Without max :
ing any special effort, Mr.. Webser's voice hlled
the theatre, and was distinctly heard to the utmost
circle of the immense throng Ho was listened to
with the deepest attention, the stiffness being
interrupted from time to time only by outbursts OF
irrepressible applause. -,
In very amusing passage OF his last Faneuil
Hall speech, Mr. ebser disclaims the credit OF be-
ing IMAM of letters in the literary sense OF the
phrase 1t is indeed true that his life has not been
spent Gin the still air OF delightful studles; Out
like Demosthenes and Cicero though his strenuous
LAHORE have been performed in the struggles OF the
Forum and the Senate House, yet IN his leisure
moments snatched from these exhaustng toils-
boris subseciris--he has stored his mind with the
best literature and science OF the world, and no
man. whether scholar or not has written more that
will live in the best literature OF the age Iechni-
cally and professionally speaking, Mr. webster Ia
not a scholar a man OF sclence; but the schoiar
who conyerses with Mr. w ebster finds him master
of the higher results of scholarship, and Eeenly
alive to literary beauty; he finds him critic Oh
unerring taste upon the language and structure
both of poetry and prose; he finds him thoroughly
fur he'd. If 10
those conpre extensive views and far-reaching ideas
which belong the highest order OF minds In let
ters The man Of science who converses with mr.
Webster finds that the broadcast CONCENTRATIONS
are known to him; and that his thoroughly trained
mind and comprehends, with astonishing ra-
pidity, all that he can communicate, upon DIS own
special topics Of study. Mr. Wcbster's mind grasps
ali truth and. knowledge; and his memory, still
unmu aired, holds with tenacious grasp whatever
has been laid up there
Mr. Websicr's knowledge has been gained from
many sources lie has been taught by the hard les
son of early poverty; he has been taught by the
manly struggles of professional life; he has been
taught by the contests And triumphs oil long par
Lamentary career; be has been taught by the as
cussiop of high questions OF diplomacy with the
rnasters of the world, and involving the fortunes
and the ppness of the world. Books, experience,
and life have been his instructors; suffering and
bereavement have taken him under thelr naru ols
plne. Conversation with men, and communion
with nature-the study Of human wisdom, ana the
study of Gods wisdom from the written word
have streng CITIZEN ed his understanding and eataolsh-
cd bis heart. Born and brought up IN the healthy
.cenes of country fe he has not forgotten his ru-
raj tastes in the city throng in the pontcal sue'
in the diplomatic circle. Like the giant oil oid'
ever and anon he recruits his exhausted eheI gles
by resting on the bosom OF mother earth. Agri-
culture hunting fsbn =, and the studies oil nature
which they induce are the delights TO which he
retres in the intervals of public business; and these
pursuits keep alive the manly habits In when ms
early life passed. Even in the crowded cry, or
at the Capitol,
1.-THE breezy call Of incenso breathing morn"
finds him up and ready for the work of the day;
and by the time other men arc ns,ir, Mr.. Webster
has done more than the days work OF common
man.
Mr. Webster has practically cIcmplihed the
precept Of an ancient sage-grow old LEARNING In
age, his mind has all the strength OF his early
ma nhood, with greater richnoss and more equable
splendor Holding fast the same habit OF directly
dealing with the realities OF things he clothes Dis
conceptions with more Of ideal beauty HE genius
has all the fresh vgor OF its morning prime; his
capacity for lsbor-for mastering the complicated
details Of great question, arranging them IN
lucid order, and applying to them the force Oi n
logic resistlcss than that OF the schools
still unucakened and undiminishcd; put ms style,
both in speech and writing, has acquired greater
richness and more placid beauty. The practical
aspect OF human life opens moro clearly TO ms Sc
rcncr vision, the turmoil and dust oil the worldly
sccue Withdraw, and lessen in the vanishing die
tances Of tho past. His reading seems TO lie more
among the poets than formerly. There lea rhythm,
a melody, a golden poetioal colorng, in his later
writings, Of which his earlier productions gave
only toe promise and the prophecy. HE varied
and ever accommodating knowledge, none OF which
10 ever lost, has been harmonized into forms OF
solid strength, with classic beauty. IL Is the old
story OF Homer over again; the Had is the sun at
his meridian heights Odyssey is the same sun, IN
the imperial splendors Of his setting IL is the rieh
fruit OF autuuln, embosomed in the glowing many
colored foliage OF the ripencd year.
So furnished, Mr.. Webster delivered the Hstori-
cal Address Of last winter, which has but just ap
penred in a pamphlet form. In this he discusses
the principles of rhetorical composition IA an art,
in pointing out the dignity aud inpo'tdn Of ms.
tory This 10 tho leading thought Of the DISCOURSE
this 10 the central idea which binds the varied TO
pics illustrations and criticisms embraced IN ITS
comprehensive scheme, into that writing, justly
considered by Mr.. Webster as the fret requisite oil
art. History ia ingeniously compared to epic po-
etry and the drama; and the condolences and dill
fercncos Of these several arts are clearly discrim
mated. Illustrations are drawn from the HAD, the
Odyssey, the Hneid, the Paradise Loot. The
teachings Of history are represented, and the llnl
tatons Of this kind of instruction drawn with truth
and perspicuity. For instance, the following par
agraph on the love Of liberty contains suggeshons
f,f he Torn ton nj n