, 1864-11-14
TEE BRYANT FESTIVAL.


dhy.
A festival such as never before seen in this
country, came of on Saturday evening at the
rooms of the Century Club, in Fifteenth
street. The occasion wus the seventieth
birthday OF William Cullen Bryant, and the
to do him honor, partly as men1-
ber Of the Club, but chiefly as poet Of whom
his countrymen may be supposed to be proud.
What the crowning Of the poet was in the
more poeticaI days Of old, as In Rome, for In
stance, when Petrarch received the laurel,
amid the applause Of tho people, such, IN
spirit, was this festival, though, Of course, no
lanyel wns IN T. except Ine
bestoE by the hands Of number OF the poets
fellows, each of whom contributed, leaf Of
bny, In the shape Of u song or poem. Most Of
the American poets were invited to be pres
ent, but several we're unable to nttend--Mr~
Longfellow from illness, Mr. Lowell on ac~
slain in battle, and Messrs- Dana, Whittier,
and Halleck for equally good reasons:
New England, however, was well repre-
serted by Mr.. Emerson, DR.. Holmes, and Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe; Pennsylvania by Mcssrs-
Bayard Taylor, George q. Boxer, and Charles
Leland; the Vest BY IT. 7: B: Read, and
Nsw f0k y Tss5rs as9sr:n N E steasaB AGa B.
@sVHs+AAANA+t
r. B. Aldrich, and R. II. Stoddard. The
rooms, which were decorated un%er the super
intendcnce Of Mr.. Louis Lang, the artist,
were thronge&At an early hour By the mem.
he44af the Club and the faircr portion Of
N.Y. i've Hundred present, the cren,s-de3a.
exaE1 &7New York society, In wealth, beauty,
and tsa6alect. The exercises commenced with
an address from IT, Geo. Bancroft, the Presi-
dentsf tbeGlnb, in which he stated the OBJ
jcct of:the estiEah I'D paid Mr. Bryant q
number. Of welD1Eserved Compliments, The
its good ute rs lGr q certain kind Of dry
humor, which must have surprised all but Nr.
Bryant's personal friends, 1t was so much like
the best things in - Hawthorne"
Then came spirited ode by Mr. Taylor,
set to mnsic by Mr. Louis Lang, and sung BY
three ehoristers from Trinity Church, boys Of
fourteen or thcreabouts, dressed in costume,
and with delicious, bird like voices. This WIS
followed by characteristic speech nom Ar-
Emerson, and the reading Of poems by Mrs.
Howe, Nr. George Il: Boxer and ": holmes
Afterwards came the presentation, to Ar.
Bryant Of large portfolio OF sketches, draw-
ings, ETC., from the artist .members of the
Club, with IN address BY Mr. Huntington,
and response by thepoef. Then supper and
Its attendant good SPLITS -
s.sport that wriaklea eare deridea,
And laughter holding both his Sides"
After supper On address vas made by Dr..
Osgood, poem or two more reaa and finally,
at late hour, or rather early hour, this
unfaue festival was t1nished-a festival alike
honnxahle In the Century and =" the good
gray head'' upon which its honors were be-
slowed.
We subioin one Of the poems read on the
occasion
YATES PATRAE.
November Sd, 17a1-Noyember Sd, 1871
There came wonaan n N a.. tae Mga5 .uo;;
WIZ m " his mother's aSma. : who sie1t 7A-
There lay 8 newborn child.
Oh. oazca NJ him with 1nv1nc 1onka.
And while her hand upon als head
she lat1 ID pressing aaa u ptayeI,,
II SLOW, oeep WQTus ane saios
Are none ike what the 1ad shall be
Though these are wise, and those are strong, j.
And all are dear to me-.
Tie cit that INTO him beloDgs-
Tosee my face, to read MY thoughts,
10 learn my silent songs.
sSe,i Se gia11 ta1ns ss no more III tbat nm dumb:
Hereafter shsA Sing through him,
In ages yet 10 eo"e''.
She stopped and kissed asIl hts T. bab}y b} mouth,
Whence came breath OF melody.
As from fne closed leaves o. q rosa =
Ihe mufmnf Of oee.
Thus did she cousecrate the child,
His more than mother from that hour,
Albeit nj first he knew her not
Nor guessed his aleeping power.
But not the less she lowered near,
And touched his spirit unawarea;
Burned in the red oi morning akies,
And breathed Ia evening airs.
viii WithdreW a. I hin In fsom s IL i haunta Of
TO where her secret howess were built
| j.: =. - "0~"' '''.~ eNe ~, ,. -
ufher broad M robe, lit swept beiors:
Deep IN the heart Of ancient woods,
+ Or by the sounding ahose.
! ,oa,,o.,,s aar b. ch,n.s,, n aoa
o9E 9Rf susr WA % IN ioneIy n1ace1 '''
| -0& Il last her noble iacei