Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-03-03

scription. Many Londoners--not all-have
seen the British Museum Library, ] speak a
co'T ouret, and pray the kindly reader to bear
with me. | have seen all sorts of domes OF
Peters and Pauls, Sophia, Pantheon--what notp
and have been struck by none of them so
much as by that catholic dome in Bloomsbury,
under which our million volumes are housed.
What peace, what love, what truth, what beau
ty, what happiness for all, what generous kind
ness for you and me, are here spread out! 1t
seems to me one cannot sit down in that place
without heart full of grateful reverence.
own to have said my grace at the table, and to
have thanked Heaven for this my English birth
right, freely to partake Of these bountful books,
and to speak the truth find there. Under the
dome which held Macaulays brain, and from
which his solemn eyes looked out on the world
but light since, what vast, brilliant, and
wonderful store of learning was ranged what
strange lore would he not fetch for you at your
bidding! A volume of law or history. a book
of poetry familiar or forgotten Except by him
self who forgot nothing), novel ever so old,
and he had it at hand. lspoke to him once about
Clarssa. "Not read Clarssa ~ he cried out.
"lf you have once thoroughly entered on Cla-
risa, and are infected by il, you can't leave it.
When | was in India, l passed one hot season
at the hills, and there were the governor-gene-
ra and the secretary of government, and the
COmtIldUuer-ln-Cnel, anu lnelT wives. nau
! Clarissa with me- and, as SOON as thoy began
to read, the whole station was in a passion Of
excitement about Miss Harlowe and her mis-
| fortunes and her scoundrely Lovelace! The
| governors wife seized the book, and the secre-
! tary waited for it, and the chief justice could
not read it for tears" He acted the whole
scene: he paced up and down the Atheneum
library; l dare say he could have spoken pages
of the book-of that book and of what count
less piles of others
In this little paper let us keep to the text of
nil nisi Jcnum. One paper have read regard
ing Lord Macaulay says che had no heart"
Why, mans book may not always speak the
TRUTH but they speak his mind in spite of him
self; and it seems to me this mans heart is
beating through every page he penned. He is
! always in storm of revolt and Indignation a
gainst wrong, craft, tyranny. How he cheers
heroic resistance; how he backs and applauds
freedom struggling for its own; how he hates
scoundrels, even so victorious and successful
how he recognises genius, though selfish villains
possess it The critic who says Macaulay had
no heart might say that Johnson had none; and
two men more generous, and more loving, and
more hating, and more partial, and more noble,
! do not live in our history
The writer who said that Lord Macaulay had
no heart could not know him. Press writer's
should read a man well, and all over. and again
and hesitate, at least, before they speak OF those
Q aidoia. Those who knew Lord MacauIay knew
! how admirably tender, and generous and affec.
tionate he was 1t was not his business to bring
his family before the theatre foot-lights, and cal
for bouquets from the gallery as he wept owe,
y them.
. If any young man of letters reads this little
r sermon-and to him, indeed, it is Addressed
, would say to him, "Bear Scott's words in YOU
mind, and BE good, my dear" Here are two
{ literary men gone to their account, and, Tau
Dec, as far as we know, it is fair, and open, ant
t clean. Here is no need of apologies for short
c comings, or explanations of vices which woult
$ have been virtues but for unavoidable, etc
: Here two examples of men most different
II gifted; each pursuing his calling; each speak
i ing his truth as God bade him; each honest il
e his life; just and irreproachable in his dealings
4. dear to his friends honored by his country
% beloved at his iresde. 1t has been the fortu
1t nate lot of both to give unaccountable happ
l. ness and delight to the world, which thank
d them in return with an immense kindness, re
e spect, affection. 1t may not be our chance
r brother scribe, to be endowed with such meri
d or rewarded with such fame. But the reward
t. of these men are rewards paid to our service
a We may not win the baton or epauets bu
% God give us strength to guard the honor of tn
HaU