The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-01-29
Letter from Boston.


board the Lewiston, and looked my last upon
the receding lights of the Forest city, - the
Venus Of American cities. 1t is now four
months since exchanged the quiet and peace
full monotony of life in Portland for the surg
ing, hurrying, restless hustle Of life at the
"hub-ofcrcation.'
My first impression of Boston was, that it
minable maze of odd corners, streets, courts,
alleys and avenues; and if this is greatness, it
can scarcely be improved upon. 1t has many
other marks Of metropolitan-sm that. Portland
cannot boast: its sinuous labyrinth of horse
railroads, its magnificent public institutions,
Public Library, the Deer Park, its operas
and theaters, nightly thronged with beauty,
fashion and pride, who throw boquets at the
feet of the great prima-donna, Medori, or
water embroidered muslin with lachrymal
flood of sensibility over the adversities of the
"Ticket-otLeave Man, yet draw their silken
robes with frown of inefiablc scorn
and disgust, from the half naked, half
starved rag -pickers upon the sidewalk. In
word, it is more strongly marked with ex-
tremes Of wealth and luxury, want and deg
radiation.
The marked and distinguishing feature of
Boston is undoubtedly .fastness. 1t is bound
to beat time ahead of everything; and of
course it is hurry, hurry, everywhere. One
must live in Boston to know how to appreci-
ate some of the luxuries OF the ''natural sea-
port" What is the Common-that boast of
all ostonians-compared with the matchless
scenic glories of Munjoy Hill and Casco Bay?
And then, your spacious and elegant Post
Office, with its urbane, gentlemanly and un-
firing officials, is something to be well proud
of. Here we have long, dark alley, with a
jostling crowd hurrying to and fro through
one small entrance, while the whole internal
appearance bears very unlavorable compare
son TO our grandfathers barn. and when the
tiresome journey to the ladies' entrance is at
length ended-such clerk TO wait upon la
dies We waited half an hour for him TO
examine two or three five-cent scrips offered
for stamps, to see if they were counterfeit,
and when our turn came to face this "fretted
porcupine' TO procure an advertised letter,
and he took down the long-expectcd missive
from our best friend, and we even recognized
the dear familiar writing, burning with impa-
thence to snatch it from his grasp, he leisurcly
turned it over and over and round and round,
and enquired "what number?' We.gave the
number of our address, but unfortunately the
letter was addressed to the care of friend
and we had forgotten the number. The let
Ter was coolly returned to the box, with
some UNANIMOUSLY insulting reflections upon
having SO many addresses. In vain all our
pleadngs that we knew the handwriting and
could tell the post-mark; this infexible, in
vcterate old Shylock chose to retain it until
such time as we could tell the number to
which it was addressed. OF course 1t is an
insult TO the female community to retain such
a person in such place. We afterwards
learned that he is noted for this snubbing pro-
pensity and seems to gloat over the intense dis
appointment which he has the power to inflict.
The contrast with that uniform courtesy and
kindness which distinguish the clerks Of the
Portland Post-oflice. is quite painful
S. Fowler, is now here to deliver course of
lectures, examine heads, and instruct people
how to live; and while he cannot fail to ben
eft the public in great degree, he is quite
as sure to feather his own nest. As an ora
tor, he is singularly unprepossessing, being
entirely devoid OF all the graccs of eloquence
and oratory. His personal appearance is
somewhat awkward and angular; yet his re-
marks are remarkably logical, forcible and
convincing. He may be called a radical re-
former, for he truly goes to the foundation of
humanity, and takes for his motto, Know
myself" He is somewhat transcendental, as
all such extremists are, and rides his hobby
with prance and flourish that will almost
make his hearers believe in him in spite of
themselves. His practical suggestions are ex-
cellent, and well worthy the attention and
experiment of all. We hope he may visit
Portland.
In his lecture upon sour Generals" which
was fully illustrated by portraits, he gave
some most convincing proofs Of the truth and
infallibility of his science; showing from the
formation Of their heads their marked charac-
teristics, and versifying them from well known
history. Many of those heads he had exam
ined personally. He considered Gen. Grant
our best military man, and spoke most highly
of Banks, Butler, Siegel, Doubleday and 9TH
ers, and finally brought forward the portrait
of Gen. Mcclellan. There was faint at
tempt at applause, and the speaker went on
to say that the father of George b. Mcclellan
and himself were 'old cronies,n as he ex-
pressed it; that he often came into his Office
to listen to his examinations; and when, once
on time the lad George was home from
West Point, the father brought his two sons
to have their characters phrenologically des-
canted upon. Says Mr.. Fowler: ~ remember
all the circumstances as if it were but yester-
day, and l remember the train Of reasoning
that then passed through my mind. Never"
with great emphasis, never, in all my life,
had | found such an inordinate development
of the organ of caution as in the head of
George b. Mcclellan. / also found the pro-
peling faculties, combativeness and destruct-
iveness. small, aud thought to myself, what
is the sense or reason of sending such a
natural coward to West Point? But then
reasoned that there would probably never be
any war to call for military genius, and West
Point might as well educate the towards as
any other institution" He said that his life