Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-29
From the Boston Courier Of N arch Is.

The thirteenth annual series OF Lectures before the
Mercantile Library Association closed last evening
with discourse the old age OF Samuel Rodgers
by the Hon Rufus Choate. Tie fremont Temple
was crowded Ladies' who had experienced no
such fatigue before stood two houIs, and were
glad to do it for the sake of hearing the
charming of orators. The platform vas occupied
by the men of the community most distinguished
for Iearning-CDief Justice Shaw, w. H Prescott,
Robert c. winthrop. Governor Gardner, Mayor
Rice, Judges Bigelow and Merrick, Rev. Drs. To-
throp Kirk and Neal Professor huntington, DR.
Holmes, and Z p. Whipple. Ii was splendid
collection of ladies aud gentlemen-an audience
worthy Of the orator.
Mr. Choate opened his lecture by remarking that
he feared his sudience-who had but lately listen
ed in another hall 10 great orator on majestic
theme would find his topics all too humble and
quiet for the mood from which they had perhaps
not vet subsided. To come down from those sum
ults of thought and feeling aud wide and gorgeous
views, from the tragedy OF our higher human lite,
from that walk through those long sounding ga-
leries of greatness, conducting them at length To
Washington enthrOned above all upon a seat OF
gold, was a transition indeed Luckily, however,
said dr. Choate, according to all authorities, des
cent is easy-sOmetimes it is pleasant. He could
well imagine that the traveller gazing from the
monarch OF mountains siore sunrise untihis spirit,
dilating, extended towards Heaven, might experi-
snce pleasure in stopping to pick up fragrant
blossom lDncolaJelY al MS ieet. hdppy " we
shall find the flower by simply STOPPING for it
Mr. Ohoate often alluded to the strong impress,
ion which had been made upon all intelligent minds
By that old man. the poet Rogers, aud diverged
for a moment 70 speak Of the different kinds Of no.
BILE and beautiful old age there were-the old age
OF the statesman, the philosopher, the religious
teacher and the man Of genius. To the last varl
ely of old age, that Of the Of genius, the last
twenty years of the life OF Samuel Rodgers belong
cd. Polished up TO the utmost capabilities of cul-
ture quoted by every body in ei,her hemisphe who
assumed to the fame OF letters, high and uublem-
ished fame poet; generous, hOspitablr, with NJ
'cark Of care" with fresh sorrow, oil
row freshly remembered; all about him the
gems OF art, cooreG a morning cloud chaste
a SHELL the lamp Of beauty trimmed aud burning
full and gentle stream of wise thoughts. delicious
emotions, and images blooming in amarauthne
bloom, refreshed by the rich reading and noble
and dear friendships of fourscore years: he might
well be pronounced sssuredly happy. Mr.. ChOate
here read a letter from tn poet, sent in 1873 TO
Mr.. Everett, in which be expressed the deep inter
est he had taken in the welfare OF America hom
the time OF the Revolution, and said that even at
shat early period all his sympathies were with the
colonies in their suuggle with the mother country.
But il was not Of the poet Rogers he particular
ly designed to speak He OF that bril-
liant circle Of British poetca genius which en-
brace Byron, Scott, aud Wordsworth, and in
Shelley, Rogers and Moore, or that bright cir
Gle Rogers was one; be that his glory! If to these
were added the name Of their great first critic,
Jefries, the namO OF Sir James Macintosh, OF
Charles Lamb, and also Of Madame 1e Stael, (for
they would WOO her, If they might, from her own
beautiful France TO stand among them,) what
group was there! How various, how resplendent,
yet how kindred and how indentical! These are
now all dead Let oGr theme be, said Mr.. Choate,
our obligations to them readers when We were
young. There were many there whose first acquain-
tsnes with literature commenced when the works
Of Bulwer and Dickens had begun to take the
place OF those Of Scott; much the worse for
them. But bow did those men, whose life
now approaching threescors years love these wri
tiers when they were young? And he there
20 say that they we're worthy Of their love. In ell
things that genius in poetry is created 70 do, to
suffer, 10 teach, for a hundred and thirty years,
England had produced not only nothing equal, bat
nothing in the least degree TO compare with the
productions OF these great masters Of song
OF this generation OF writers Rogers one,
snd,not the greatest. The twenty year between 1890
aud 1910 by far the Interesting oihis life.
He in that time the last DAYS Of SAMUEL Johnson
and with him saw the old schoo of pc try expire,
then he saw that dreary interval of dead low water
OF darkness more ID m stygsn, when William Hay
ley was regarded the first poet in England; then h.
saw the dsy-sprng in William Cowppr, the pilgrim
Buyan, who 'learned by real suffering what he
fought by mortal song" then he saw whole ma
toBaty paying homage by their tears and their
laughter TO the pathos and the humor that live
immortal 10 the songs Of Robert Burns; just then
dead at thirty his wearied heart after LIES
htul fever, sleeping WE'LL then be- that strange
stimulan', and wonder world OF Germany beginning
20 emerge TO the gen raj view; and them just Ihen
outshone thi onug a ce OF British poets on the
empty, leadei sky oil English literature. new
age was born.
The causes Of this contemporaneous coming OF
so many brilliant lights in the armament of litera-
,ure il was not for him TO attempt to reveal; but
the that gave birth TO such great social and pc
litical convusions might naturally also develop and
give 10 light the poetieal genius. Each Of
these grets names to which he had referred thou n
belonging to the same era, seemed 10 have spe-
csl and specific spell of his own, aud We should
resent the offering OF one author when we were
reading another an affront, and yet turn TO the
first in an hour with unmingled delight.
Of all these bright names, who should say
We love BEST Each would have his preferences
and each would change from time TO time; but do
deceive myself, said Mr. Choate, il | suppose
that the collective voice OF all that speak the
English tongue taken we should vote the
laurel ny two third vote TO Walter Scott Loud
applause Mr.. Choate then criticised IN severe
terms the remark Of CARLYLE, when speaking Of the
healing there; the darky>strugslng heart no guild
ance the heroic, that's in all men, no divine waken-
ing voice j" In the highest sense perhaps this wa
true; but the deficiency shared by all the great
writers OF all ages-by Homer and Dante by Nil
ton aud Shakespeare For this We must look
far other aud higher source. But he took il for
granted that NJ. CARLYLE did not this language
in any such sense, but in the human sense. in
which he would recognise Hemer aud Dante and
Milton aud Shakespeare as having done these thing;
and in that sense, let the millions whose hours OF
anguish and unrest he has charmed over the dark
ness Of whose dependency he has cast so bright
and so delightful an Illumination whose sentiments
Of courage and honor and humanity he has done so
much 70 help, let them gather together aud answer
for themselves and for him Prolonged cheers
IL vas in 1918 Just when this brilliant constra
ton had passed ts meridian in England and bad
turned visbly 20 It's setting that Sydney Smith all
at once and ineontineoty calculated, Who reads
an American book" Alas for all canoncal pro-
phecissl That wAsnot forty ago; and yet have
not raised more and nober affairs % the Muse
OF History turning 10 W II Prescott, Esq Who
sat near him upon the platform. amid great cheer
ingl than have been reared in England daring that
tine, though by lar her absst historians have been
embraced in that periods To what living man OF
genius can you 80 to-day TO fad that breadth aud
depth aud spirituality Aad seol-ielt Of the
beauty OF nature and Of thought that flows IN prose
and versa, from the lips wet with more than CastA-
Ian dews Of our elder DAnai Where viii yoa 10 fnd
that moral aud instructive and phosophie imagns'
lion OF Bryant at whose touch all tbings, the ages
pass the future Of America the majestic ocean, the
far-relching prairie, 'the melancholy days, 'he
sadiest OF the year. grave, q water fowl, wind
from the sea at evening lhng the curling locks Of
sleeping child, and passing on ia its circle OF
eternal change-sI thiHgr are 70 speak Gthoughtiul
touching, and Instructive poetry Aud 10 what