New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-21
LETTER FROM BOSTON.
BosToN, Mass, May -, 1871.

EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
Your usually friendly face will wear the
distant, reproachful expression which it has
worn lately. until have fulfilled, in some
sort, my rash promise to send you letter
from this city of notions. Allow me to say
at the start, in proof of my soundness OF
Yankee prejudice and conceit whichever
way you choose to regard it,, that Boston,
without any sort of doubt, is the hub the
pivot of the universe, and if an accident
should befall it, such as lately Threatened
your town, the world would have to be begun
over again. The quintessence of knowledge
virtue and responsibility (let us be respect
| able at whatever cost, is to be found
here in parcels to suit. 1t has the strongest
minded women, and the most of them, the
| crookedest streets, the best supplied book
stores, the biggest schools and the biggest
organ mo reference intended to newspapers)
of any place in the country or out of it.
There is something sharp and provoking in
its atmosphere. l grant you, sort of in
tellectual and moral east wind, but this so
far from being harmful, braces one and
helps to keep him in tone" 1t is some
what notional and crOtchety without, but
somehow its notions wear WELL and it is be
ginning to be understood that no family can
do without them. So, with a thousand
pleasant memories of tree, generous, hos
pitabe New Orleans, am bound. as one
ITO the manor born" to say, dear, old,
crotchety, sterling, sober-going Boston for
ever.'
The week has been enlivened by two
notable occurrences. The Handel-Haydn
festival and the reunion of the Army
of the Potomac. The latter your CORE
spondent attended, though he had no title
to the fellowship of the goodbye company
The papers here reported all that could be
reported, but the best will forever remain
unsaid-thc living spirit of the hour the
quick look of recognition and the light of
friendship in brave eyes, the warm grasp of
comrades hands, the hourly meeting of
brave men who shared tolls and dangers
that the nation might live-whC can de-
scribe these The Grafton by Governor
Fairchild, of Wisconsin, who gave an arm
needed was plain, sensible and thoroughly
good, with thrilling passage here and
there. 1t was something fine TO hear the
cheers that followed the mere mention of
noble name-Hooker, Mcdowell, Sheridan
and to see the simple, brave men, who never
quailed before the deadly guns, quail be
fore the grateful faces and eager voices that
demanded a word. The poem by Bret
Harte was read with exceeding grace and
feeling by that prince of publishers and
good fellows, Mr.. James l. Fields.
Altogether the day was golden day. one
of the days THAT die not with reflections
power" and we came home with a deeper
love and reverence tor the deep, pure things
which there were sought for, and which we
would daily live for.
For notices of new books you must look
elsewhere Besides "Ginx Baby" whose
keen satire is needed here as much as on
the other side of the Atlantic, and Froude's
suggestive address on "Calvinism." have
read nothing new. In these spring days
one finds that some of the older books best
suit his mOod-ChristOphe Norths essays.
for example, which lie open on my table
Already We are talking Of fitting to the
mountains or the seashore, while Won are
making ready for your annual visit to the
North. That the summer days may find all
good friends together is the wish OF all of
US, and especially of
JOSEDuJS