The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-25

Hon. Edward Everett's Grafton IN BOSTON.
From the Boston Courier.
The Music Hall crowded to hear the Grafton OF Hon
Edward Everett the admtance fees 10 which were for
the benefit Of the Boston Providen Association and its OBJ
jects. Robert G. Winthrop occupied the chair.
MR.. EyEgErTs ADDRESS.
Mr. Everett for about an hour and three quarters kept
the audience GREATNESS and delighted attention He
began by abiding TO the present financial distress OF the
country painted by vivid and energetic touches the
changes which had reduced men of wealth and compe-
tence to poverty and from this enforced the duty OF cha
rity and beneyoence pressing upon Us all with more
than common weight He raised general smile by say
that the large audience had area secured the object
for which the discourse prepared and that every
hearef the close OF IT, whether he thought he had got
his dollars worth not would be consoed by thinking
that the poor had got his dollar He then passed. on u
brief consideration Of the well known doctrine OF Nautilus,
as to the impocy OF attempting to make public provision
OF his work a science cold aud hard that public
tment required him to monty II in tho subsequent edi-
tions Mr. Everett earnestly maintained that these DOC
trines well inhuman. and laid down the
proposition that want and suffering had right to be re-
leved, and that even As matter OF contract and cacua-
ton, the sailor for instance, who brought TO premature
old by toll and exposure at the rate Of eighteen dollars
month entitled TO demand half pay at least when
disabled But If II the duty ohe prosperous classes
relieve the necessities of their less favored brethren
II the less their duty to be discriminating and
udicious in their charities certainly was not proper to
beggarsby the giving Of money and was
always udcous TO make careful inquiries before beow
ing money upon unknown applicants He illustrated this
man who applied to him for assistance on the ground
which true-tha he belonged to highly respectable
family in another part of the country and who by means
Of telegraph, was found out to be wholly unworthy
who had extracted from the ndolent sympathy OF
the friends of his family in Europe and America, sum
not less than twenty thousands dollars He then
amusing instances OF the tricks and mpostions OF
practical beggars, aud told story OF lady who had
been induced to visit seeming house OF mourning BY
the entreaies Of child, found what appeared to
be dead body in a coffin, administered liberal relief,
and going back for her pnrse, which she had LETT,
found the dead man restored to life and counting the
money in the forgotten purse He drew some pictures OF
the tricks and devices Of Italian beggars, and told with
much humor low Mr. Cooper the novelist at sorrento by
beginning with simple mendcant, gradually swelled tue
ranks Of his benefcares, till at the last Gay OF his stay
he escorted by battalion OF ninety sxas ragged
a regiment has been since the days Of Fal
staff He narrated instances which the sympathy Of the
kind hearted appealed to by the help Of borrowed
children giving amusing account Of woman who had
borrowed child for empory purpose being Obliged to
keep account Of the disappearance Of the real or
pretended mother who had lent it. Begging and aims
giving in many parts Of Europe settled institutions,
in which the amounts to be paid We're regulated ~
usage and tradition. He illustrated this by one Of the
most splendid and brilliant passages in tho whole dis
course describing the site OF famous shrine near Lyons
painting the magnificent panorama that could be seen from
it. including the Swiss mountains and Mount Blanc and
contrasting the miserable gift of half farthng, which
each pilgrim held TO pay to every sturdy beggar that
logged his steps, with the magnificent profusion with
which the gifts of nature were poured out all around
The principle of active beneyolence was the cor
stone Of practical Christianity In Greece and Rome
there hospitals poorhouses retreats for the
insane tho great OF Greece and Rome ever
commemorated for their philanthropy and benevoence
These Christian virtues and the religious houses OF the
middle first organized them into efficient action. He
paid brief bnt tribute TO Florence Nightingale
but said that the Sisters OF Charity institution founded
by St. Vincent de Paul had been found similar errands
OF mercy tho battle fields Of Europe for than
century and gave interesting account Of the self
devotion OF Of them in the war between Turenne
and Condo two hundred years ago. lie alluded TO the
charitable foundations in England which distributed
bread and beer wayarers and rected with wonderful
effect the lines from t;olismhs tDesered Village, de-
scribng the charities u the village pastor He enforced
the duty of charity by the contrast suggested by the day
between the New England OF the Pilgrims and the New
England OF 70 daytheir struggles privatons and dan
gers and prosperity and peny He proceeded to tell
an anecdote of a who had been aided by charity in
his youth and when grown old and rich refused to conr
butte relief II poverty. He seemed to be speaking
Of particular and the audience were intensely
attentive when he asked them if they wished him to
name the man-we fear OF them had muttered
guesses and surmses--but by very sklful and happy
turn Of rhetoric he declared that every who having
the means. not generous and charitable, was that
because in the progress from helpless IN
fancy 10 efficient manhood womanhood had been the
recipient of innumerable charities and kndnesses from
parents kindred and friends. He made reverend allu
sion the coming anniversary Of saviour birth an
closed with vivid and thrilling enforcing OF scriptural
PROMISE that she that gyeh TO the endeh TO the
Lord" The whole discourse was beautiful, impressive
and graceful There was variety in the range Of
topics than Is common in Mr. Everes performances He
sometimes playful and familiar, showing more than
IL with him in that delicate of humor which
his friends know to be Of his best gifts and al other
times he earnest pathetic and eloquent There were
many splendid pictures and many magnificent bursts oi
defamation. II delivered in his happlcs style, aud
his command his audience was uninterrupted from
beginning TO end