The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-24
MORE ABOUT TIE PILGRIMS.
The distinguished Grafton Deliv-
cred at Last.
Address OF Ralph Waldo Emerson at
.steinWay Kali.

Tha ADDRESS In honor OF the Pilgrim saints, who
landed two centuries ana half ago upon Plymouth
Rock, and which would have been successfully de-
uyered al Association Hall the evening before last
by Mr.. r. W. Emerson had not an inopportune ex-
plosion OF gas frightened away all his audience and
compelled him TO defer IT, was at length read yester-
day evening at steinway Hall. There was very good
attendance, who plainly betrayed their New Eng
land origin by the critical feebleness with which
they appauded their chosen orator. As IS well
known the hearty approval with which New York
crowd greet their fvorles Is extremely vulgar, and
altogether too 10y toned ior high bred pork and
beans, pumpkin pie Boston audience.
THE HIGH PRIEST or TRASsoENpENrALIsM
was introduced by brief prayer from Wen known
sensational preacher and few fnlsomely eulogistc
remarks by Mr.. Choste VINO oilcated az chairman.
The lecturer was evidently gotten up FOR the oeca-
son--in a suit Of rusty, wel-Wo black and WIN
spectaces AMI boots botn OF huge dimensions. HIS
hair neatly brushed over tue bald patch on the
top or hts head, where, according 10 the phrenoip-
cists, the bump OF seil-esteem has It's scat an ne
looked, every square inch OF him. isht OF BOSTON
letters.
ne said ne greeted this assemblage who had met
10 honor the rc.nembrlnces OF the anniversary o. the
tanning. Inc Impressive virtue o. 'aS i oi
charter, which gave taein all the VIDE lands ifoin
the mouth OF tie Potomac away to the FAR north and
IRON The Atlantic 10 the Pacific, Tor their heritage
literal act But 1t had taken 30 years 10 bring tnis
about. The growth Of nations was not generally
country Is an exception. In these TWO ana
hall centuries had outlived many dynastles and
had drawn new lessons ont OF their failures. These
planters at Plymouth tre the crucial expert
ment OF getting a footing nearest To Europe and
had succeeded, though many others had lalled, by
the might of their virtue, the industry OF their
hands and the blessing OF God. True the country
where they settled had never grown very big. But
they had augnt men 10 build free, happy ana non.
est republic on even desert shore. Year alter
year, new coionsts arrived, they had built cities
and settled State alter state
THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS
81 Plymouth, it mad now been established were
Brownists or Separasts who believed that the
Churcn was n purely spiritual institution, aad not
Iurans wnO though dissatisfied that The i.erorna-
lion was nos carried mrther made their peace WI II
the State ana accepted It's AID. Robinson, Brewster
and Bradford were all sepaIattsts. Later on, the
inntans N 1o2s. also formed a., company any
tiGe expressly stated that they did not desire 10
leave The Church OF England, but simply 10 sever
themselves IRON Its corrdptlona The speaker then
reviewed the prlyatiois attendant upon the landing
OF the Pilgrims. The coonlsts began building their
composed the company half died during the first
year. Mr. Emerson then traced tue first few settle
ments made by the Pilgrims, ana, In speaking OF
Boston, alluded In u long ana learned aggression
Ia which the opinions OF many philosophers and
theoogians OF the ninth and eleventh centuries
were adroltly introduced, to the influence OF climate
and soil upon human ana national character.
Chemical atoms had their spiritual Importance.
Perhaps the people OF New England owed their
equal deXierity III incompatible works 10
THEfR CLIMATE or EXTREMES,
which gave them the spendor OF the equator, and
then ran down 10 cold approaching the tempera-
ture OF the celestial spaces. The capital fact DIS
tineuishng the colony Of New England from
al others was that they stipulated that the charter
granted to the company IN England should
be transferred to them and SO they were able TO
put them into practice. No doubt the early cooniss
exaggerated their dangers aud priyatons, and
really faced very much less than u hardy back
woodsman or a fronhersman at The present day.
Captain smith was nearly stung to death
S by sns Ta ana TO an nave eSpesg ed
some other Pilgrims nrmly beievcd they had
seen lions in the forests OF New England. But If
these dangers were lInagi AIRY the terror inspired
by them was real. That was, indeed, an age OF
many terrors- Men had terror OF witches and OF
evl spnts-terror even of Coo: New England was
situated IN a Climate unfriendy 10 grace and ele-
gance; but there might be found there that refine
inent which elucauon and wealth power
less to bcstow. This was the effect OF
deep religious sentiment which impaired o
delIcacy grandeur OF thought that nothing else
could yleln one secret OF the success OF the Phi
grims as coonists was tie subdivision OF the State
they built up into small parcels OF land. The lee
turer then showed that in the system OF town meet
ings introduced by the Pilgim5 the grand secret or
however, in lie antique books which treated OF the
proceedings Of these meetlngs-what some might
think cuIious-a certain spice of
ENVY AND PIQUE AND SPITE
which, perhaps, was the surest proof that justice
was done ana virtue and truth triumphant. IL Was
very touching to read OF the kind ana LOVING regard
with which the colonists regarded good Governor
winthrop. In particular he alluded TO the request
made 10y the Governor that none OF the citizens
should make him presents, and the kindly
anger 0. the people at the prohibition. the
rulers OF that age did not possess the greed
OF those OF The present day. The signal
preeminence OF Boston all the rest OF the world
even IN those early times, was then at length insisted
upon by the lecturer, especially "a eVlnceo IN the
fact that house within lis sacred precincts was
worth twice as much as one IN 4 more timorous
town. Ii true that history told cruel tales about
Massachusetta-of murders of Quakers and witches;
but It must be understood that the first
part in these oufrages and stood aloof from
them. The prosperity Of Massachusetts was slngu-
larry rapid-perhaps without example elsewhere IN
human annals. There vas permanent tone OF au-
dacity in lie cause Of right which
THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON
prominently possessed IN spite OF the many sins
OF which her people ike the people OF all great
cities were guilty. Boston was sometimes pushed
Into
THEATRICAL ATTITUDE or VIRTUE
TO which she was not entitled. But she might larlJ
claim certain high, Intellectual tone OF mind
sion. Literary AFFINITY, loo, had come over
serted her. He confessed nc did not find III Boston,
with all the hereditary education OF its people, 6
fair amount of originality OF thought or any capacity
IMAGINATION. They had produced no .Noyun
Organum," no "Prlncipia," no Paradise Lost
no "Weath OF Natlons,n no national anthem. But
It must be remembered that nature was irnga
mother, and never gave without measure. Maosa
cnusetts 50 far had not perhaps
NEEDED EPIC POFMS,
but simply workers. Mr.. Emerson then alluded to
English criticism OF America. In reply 10 IL he
pointed TO the large English emlaration 10 THIS
country, the enormous Investments Of British capl
taiists in American securities ana the vastness OF
tho trade between the TIVE cOnn,r And America
was now looking forward TO absorbing ana annex
Ing not only English colonies, out England herself
England had long been the cashier OF the world;
but now English capitalists must pass TO China and
Japan by the Pacnc Railroad.
ENGLANDs TRUE GLORY
was her steady justice toward subject nations. and
he especially alluded 10 India. Aud IN AL the dam
gers That were likely 10 threaten her America was
sure To syn paihize and so far possible aid her
And what protection could be more nobe-to bestow
or TO receiver The reason why England had better
writers and artists than we had probably that
the power Of her gen MUS had been drawn into
focus while ours had been scattered over unde
veloped Continent. MIR. Emerson concluded b,
doubtlully expressing hope that wherever thel
might be scattered the chidrenoi New Engiand anC
their most remote posterity would not disgrace III