New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-20
FROM BOSTON.

is o good deal longer thAn usual sf1ee wrgte 10
YOU last, and If you have not noticed the usre's
the pity Bat the fact is have just returned from
q ten days sojourn in your Gotham-a Aty which
was once celebrated, believe, for having Ars,
Wise Men in il; but that was long while ago; and
perhaps the whole story Is apecryphal. At any
rate they bear very extraordinary proportion to
the population, especially when We consider how
much it has increased since. But let that pass
should have had great pleasure in seeking your
personal society while in New.Ycsk, had l not
been restrained by considerations Of prudence and
policy. In the first place, could ns< but remer,-
ber how Mr.. C. A. B, had published to the world
in Fraser's Magazine "that ye are all ignorant"
like the ~atchmen described by the Prophe.
0saiah lyi., 10Y though don't think he could
have Justly added that "ye are all dumb dogs
THAT cannot bark" II you hadn't been found
out IL wouldn't have Mastered. There is great
deal of excellent ignorance going about the world
in various DISCUSSES, but when it has once been
exposed, one that is particular about bis charac-
ter must take heed to his communications. And
supposiDg That you had escaped detection and had
evaded the scrutiny OF this impartial and nfalble
indoe. do you suppose that could, in justice to
mvself. have cultivated the acquaintance of men
whose journal was rejected from the breakfast
table Of an eminent citizen of this State whom
tbis city regards with q reverence second only to
that it entertans for Mr.. Webster, and who, it is
said. reprimanded his BOniface while in New
York for sending up THE TRIBUNE with the other
morning papersi Do you suppose l have no re-
gard for my standing in sOsietyi Had THE
TRIBUNE been q respectable print like The Her.
aid. or The Observer, or The Express, or The Jour-
nd of Coumeree, it would have been a different
affair. And then you know, two or three con.
yeutions are impending, and there is to be new
,cramble for the loaves and fishes next Autumn,
and il bebOoves every man to take care not 10
"hurt his usefulness at such moment. when
shower of perrdge is likely to set In one should
see to il that bis platter is right deup.
This, of course, need not hinder me, masked in
my strict ineegnito from helping rub up your
| "Giam Jthan Mill" for you. Wasn't that the
name of the paper John Howard Payne (some'
times called of men Brutus Psyne) proposed to
publish some tweDty-Odd years ago! am not
very well up in my Persian, and will not pledge
my veracity that have spelled It right. ANY OF
YOU that know better may correct the press: But
il meant "Tbe Goblet in which you may discern
the World" and rather think your Goblet an
swers the purpose as well as Mr.. Payne's would,
or ss that Of bis Persian Majesty did from which
the name was taken. The World, unluckily for
Mr.. Payne, lacked the discernment to wish to be
90 discerned, and so the Goblet was never pushed
L
when he was in Boston about the year '33, and
| many curious story he could tell of his London
| life. You know he was native OF this city, and
| appeared as a Young Roscius Gas, believe, they
used to call an Infant Phenomenon in those days.
| after the fashion of Master Betty in England
| when he was boy Of twelve years old. He had
great success in this country, but not so much on
fbe other side; % he settled down to play writing
and furnished many pieces, from tragedy to farce,
for the stage, several of which, as Brutus, CLAIR
and Charles H., still hold their own. His fnan.
| cial successes were not equal to his theatrical
| ones. and believe, he made one Of his last ap-
pearances and produced one of his latest perform
apces on the boards of the Court of Bankruptcy.
| He then came to America, and in Newly Ork he
had famous complimentary benefit given him at
| the Park Theater. The volunteer companies, all
or some, went, with old General Morton at their
| head. The house was crowded, at advanced
prices, and round sum was the happy issue.
Thence he came hither, and we undertook 70 give
| him benefit, too Never shall forget that night
not il live to be exhibited, like Joyce Heth as
specimen of inordinate longevity. The fremont
| 1heater was put at the disposal Of Mr.. Payne 9
| friends by the manager, Mr.. George Il. Barrett,
| think, in the handsomest manner. The Pr1ces
were doubled, and no pains were spared to egg the
public On to patriotic patronage. was no CO.
The "pensiye public would not see what partcu-
| lar claim Mr.. Payne had on il, and resoiutely 70.
fused to be entreated. The prophet was without
hOror in bis own country, clearly enough. Ills
friends had taken their boxes in the second tier 80
that the best places might tempt the competition
of those who did not enjoy the pleasure oil Dis ac.
| quaintanee. But the cross creatures w0uidn !
compete on any terms; 90 the theater presented
the odd spectacle of the second tier well TILED
while all the rest of the house was an aching void
| And then the speech, when the beneficiary was
called before the curtain! never felt more ike
| a fool than when poor Payne dress-c0ated, white
vested, white -kdded, and hat 10 hand, uplifted nis
eyes to the second tier and made us the well
Hourished speech prepared for the overnowng
house we had reckoned on. Had there Deen
trap door eomranient it would have given me un-
mitigated satisfaction to have disappeared down IL.
| Then, by way Of giving moneys WORTH Dill VI VI
fare had been furnished almost as long as that al
the st. Nicholas Hotel-all made up from Mr.
| PayDes receipts OF cOurse-so that before was
exhausted We all nearly died, SACRIFICES TO friend
ship, the drama, and our country.
The public, that is TO say, the theater going Pup
| lie, was wrong in not turning out better IL hau
been amusing itself for years at Paynes expense,
and should have been willing to make him some
moderate return. But that was not the view tne|
took Of it, and the result was as above reiatsd.
1t was said that he was not fond OF Boston aI'c5
| that, and that he used to qualify hls e1Pfe:seo
| opinions relating to it with particpial sdJ es
properly relating only to the state of the wicked
after death. But it was not the fault OF US VINO
went and the net receipts were some SIX or seven
| hundred dollars. And though seven hunefea 1oi,
lars is not good ss three thousand, whca We nau
hoped for, yet you will understand II 10 very muen
better than no dollars at all. And that was the
history of "THE PAYNE FESTIVAL Payne nad
various adventures afterward, one OF which came
near having tragieal dknosemeat. DE was seere-
tary to John Ross, the Indian chief, at the time
\ k..< aylv