Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-31
Mottester 4aiIg SPY,


LeLLer from Nhe state hOusO'
BosroN, Jan. 80, 1868.
The machinery at the state house is getting
admirably adjusted for its winters work, and
before it is all astir, demanding all ones care
and attention to keer up with its daily pro"
gress, shall we take a glimpse or two of this
Yankee metropolis, Boston.
Far beyond most cities this side the water,
Boston has, and has always had character of
its own. Letters almost innumerable might
be written and still not exhaust the many
sided views which it presents. What his
tory it has as the early metropolis of New
England; the nurse of Liberty before it was
Graded in Faneuil Hall; the center of our
western worlds learning, from the foundation
of Harvard. What successive galaXies of
great men have distinguished its annals i'm
political life, Winthrop and Bradstreet, Of
pilgrim times; Hancock and Samuel Adams,
OTIS, Knox and Warren, of the revolutionary
period: Webster, Everett and Sumner of our
days. In theology, the Mathers and Chan
ming and Beecher; in literature, Prescott and
Hildreth and Motley, Longfellow, Lowell and
Holiness in science, Bowditch and Agassiz,
Drs. Warren and jackson; ETC., etc. And
not least, how have her merchant princes en-
craven their names on her scroll of honor:
Harvard and Faneuil and Bowdoin, Quincy,
Phillips, Lawrence, Appleton, Perkins, Park
man, and the long list OF others, sons of whom
any city might be proud.
Or if we turn to the phpsiognomy of the.city
there is much to interest one in the changes
which score or two of years wrought. The
"Tri Mounts of the early settlers had pre-
viously been losing their crests, to add to the
promontory's narrow area; but within that
time whole hills from the surrounding towns
have been helping to extend the borders of
the city, till now, west end south of the state
house, new Boston is spreading its Sump-
tuous palaces over what was the back bay,
making it indeed the West End of luxury
and fashion,
Meanwhile along the narrow streets of the
harbor side the humble structures of provin-
cial business and the honored goodly homes
of Boston's early worthless are giving way to
massive blocks of granite and iron-sod
enough to defy the ages, and spacious enough
for the business of continent.
For our climate granite is the true building
material. The white marble fronts of Phila-
delphla are beautiful: the brown stone facades
give regal magnifcence to the fifth avenue,
and even to many business streets of New
Y Ork; but after all, solid old Boston does
better in rearing against her wintry sky the
storm detying granite. Norris beauty sacrificed
to secure stability and grim endurance. 1
have yet to see in any city a more imposing
business precinct than Franklin street. Bos-
ton, done in granite. | am not architect
enough to analyze or describe the STYLES of
building, but any one must feel tleir beauty
and magnifcence.
These changes in this city have caused
others equally striking. in the surrounding
towns These are now to great extent mt
an enlargement Of Boston-the residences of
its men of business. The wealth accumulat-
ed in the counting room is carried out to
beautify country villa. And nowhere per-
hapS on the globe is more real taste and ele-
gance combined with home comfort than in
the suburban residences around BOSton-not
equaling the palatial establishments on the
North and East rivers, or Staten Island, in
magniticence, and of course expensivenesS;
they excel them in all that goes to make up
substantial, comfortable home.
And herein is brought to view one of BoS-
toms characteristics-the cinging to the Eng
lish idea of solid comfort, rather than the sac
rifice of comfort and good sense to a snowy
and flashy exterior.
Amos Lawrence lived, gained, and dStrib-
uted his princely fortune, and died in man
sion on fremont street, whose modesty and
plainness was on a par with that of its occu-
pant, a home consecrated by the warmth of
all kindly and generous affections and hui
manities, in which there was no glitter of me-
retricious display. And this is but one in
stance of many. The true Boston gentleman
preferred unanbitious comfort to mere tinsel
He was marked by true refinement rather
than ostentation. Doubtless there are great
changes upon these points. Faster men than
their fathers give in to the eXtravagant ex-
penditures, which are the curse Of our Ameri-
can civilization. Luxury and even sensuaty
displace the simplicity of better days.
Still we have faith in Boston. If it has
parted with the Puritan strictness and almost
Spartan severity of past generations, it will
never sink to the unblushing debauchery of
some of its rivals in the sisterhood of Ameri-
can cities. VIDI.
n