New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-03

| il essential to the making up of w.t. 4 par,,~..
lnr friend of mne--a man whose abundant amman
spirits are forever making their escape in all sorts
| Of badimoees and "iroriHgs," and who has bad
way of looking at even serious things in their
ridiculous point Of view, if they have one-this
friend told me that be once met DR.. Holmes in a
railway carriage, who was engaged In reading
Don Juan. Nv friend at once drew long
face and administered a lecture to the Doc
tor on the improperly OF his choice Of q
book, accompanied with moral reflections and
Improvements suitable to the case. DR.. Holmes
explained that be was reading up for lecture on
Byron in New-York the next week, and did it on
the rail to save time. The next week my friend
heard from New-York that the Doctor bad kitehed
him into this said lecture, so distinguishing him
that bis acquaintance knew who was meant an
Illustration of one of the ways in which Byron was
regarded and his writings deprecated in New-Eng-
land AS if this individual (whom you know as
well as you do mel had really been shocked al
seeing respectable mddIe-aged practitioner in
surgery and midwifery reading Don Juan
Twas sorry 10 see By the report of the dinner
that day that Or. Holmes has not reformed an af
ter-dinner vice, to which he has been but too much
addicted. Do not misunderstood me. | do not
mean getting tipsy. No, indeed; be lie as temper
ate and regular in that respect IS any rampant
Maine-Law man. The vice l refer tO-much
more terrible, indeed than the Ctaer-is that of
recitipg his own poems after dinner, Mems hearts
fail them for fear and the stOutest hold their
breath when they hear him beginning. | always
think Of what Byron says in speaking OF the va
riOus porers to which Fifty can be raised when he
sets out.
when people say, I've told you fifty times,
They mean TO scOld and very often do;
When poets say, I've written fifty rhymes,
They make you fear that they'll recite them too!'
If this vice should spread, and other poets, en-
couraged by his example, should insist upon taking
the public thus at disadvantage l think there
would be no two opinions as to the necessity, hui
mainly and cOnsttutionality of prohibtory lew
the most stringent and primitive character to pu
an end to excuses so fatal to the general peace
and welfare. The Neal Dow of such a reforma-
ton would be hailed, with voice, as one of the
Oh efest benefactors of mankind.
/ have left myself room to speak OF the very
different Grafton of Mr.. Seward at Plymouth on
that same day. But as you have read and printed
it, it is of the less consequence. 1t was fine
thing to have the foremost statesman of the nation
stand on Plymouth Rock and so fifty expound the
principles which should be founded upon it. His
mode Of delivery and bis personal appearance dis
appointed those who had come together, at first;
but the fine enthusiasm which glowed in his
face. az he kndled with his theme, lighted it
I'D with an absolute beauty while he kept the ears
of his great audience through discourse of more
than two hours and half. 1t had more ed6ca-
ton in it than all the sermons OF all the Slave
catching Doctors of Divinity Of 1850 ever did or
ever can preach. The dinner was a very remem-
berable one. II was not one OF the least OF the
signs of the times there seen, that Mr.. Wendell
Phillips should have been called upon to speak to
toast, and that he should have been received and
accompanied by the most enthusiastic applause.
BYLES.