Worcester daily spy., 1871-08-15
Letter from Boston.
Yachts" Dryburgh Abbey y'-Thc First
Church - The Public Library Dolly
Vardens-A Good Novel and other New
Books.
IrRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE

Boston, August 1S, 1871.
The visit of the New York yacht club makes
the harbor very lively scene; every craft that
can steam or sail plies up and down, and on each
trip carries full load of passengers, who hear
the boom of salutng guns, and listen with eag-
erness to the tales told of the expense and care
lavished on the graceful yachts, of whose glories
only glimmer can be seen in passing. They
hear of white wood decks, shining and spotless;
of brass ratings and panels polished till they
are like the finest mirrors; of carving and gild-
ing; of luxurious state rooms, and a more lux
urious table; in fact, of all the elegance
of Cleopatra's, with comfort and speed
added. Yesterday the eastern yacht sqad-
squadron gave dinner at Point Shirley to the
New York yacht squadron, and we wonder if
any other bill of fare equals in pleasant names
that of fish and birds. Think of the colorsl
blue fish, white bait, black bass, red-breasted
plOver and snipe, gray ploVer, and then a host
of little birds; and only imagine dining on
''Eaglets from the west" and "0wlets from the
northP MIR. Taft of the Point Shirley house
must thoroughly understand the "art of putting
things"
The theatres have received their annual fresh.
ening and repairing, and the resident actors are
coming home from their summer rest or work.
The regular season of the Museum begins to-
morrow, and the announcements for the week
are TOtcn and Country, Caste Heir at Law, and
She Stops to Conquer. The small theatre on
Washington street, near Kneeland, which has
had variety of names, and variety of plays,
badly acted, has been painted, re-arranged, re.
christened ''The St. James" and is largely adver-
tsed by ]. G. Trowbridge Co. as a good place
fits kind.
There is to be no public celebration here of
Sir Walter SCOTS one hundredth birthday, but
the historical and literary societies of the city
will probably take some notice oft, and every
journal and magazine will do what it can to ex-
press its love and reverence for the good man
and the fascinating poet and novelist. A few days
| ago the Advertiser printed poem by c. Swain,
called "Dryburgh Abbey, a Vision" 1t is
poetcal catalogue Of all the principal characters
in the Waverly Novels, and is admirably done.
| 1t first appeared in the London Literary Gazette,
soon after the death of Sir Walter Scott, and
was republished in pamphlet by Munroe and
| Francis of Boston, and c. S. Francis of New
York, in 1888. Reprintng it now has awakened
fresh interest in SWANS poems, which at one
time were widely read, and of which there is an
American edition by Roberts Brothers; the date
| l do not know.
Every member of the congregation gathered
| this morning at the First church" must have
been convinced that in genuine old fashioned
Unitarianism there is no faint of heresy or rad
icalism. The only light excepting gas) admit
ted to the beautiful church falls through me-
mortal windows gorgeous with illustrations o.
sacred history; noise and air are alike excluded;
the lessons for the day are appointed; the SER
vice is read from a printed book, the congrega-
ton feebly joining in the responses; the music
is made by fine organ and a economically ex-
pensiye and scientific quartette. Across the
dark warm tints of the frescoed wall is a band
of Bible texts in gilt letters, and on deep blue
tablets the sermon on the mount is written in
gold. 1t seems impossible that this should be
the church of a sect which anybody ever pre-
sumed 10 call irreverent or unbeleving. The
sermon was by DR.. Hill of Waltham, and was
emphatic in its statement of the change pro-
dueed in a person by religious life. When
great criminal repents and leads good life,
everybody takes notice of thechange; but when
| cultivated, moral man, whom his neighbors have
called good, awakes to a religious life, and to a
| sense of his relationship to God, the change is
as real, though not so obvious. Nothing in that
doctrine to shock a churchman! The fact is
that it is becoming very difficult to find the old
lines of separation between the sects; they
shade so gradually into each other, and all have
kind of eclectcism in doctrines and forms that
promises well for theological peace if not unity
| in the future.
The public library, too, has gradually soft
ened the rudeness and rigor of its rules, and the
applicants for books are no longer required to
write sketch of their lives and give two refer
ences before their application can be received.
| The system of police visitation of every appli.
cant is also done away with; it is now presumed
| that person who asks for a book wishes to
read and not to steal it, and he is treated ac-
cordingly. The tendency of the library admins
tration is now toward freedom, and the widest
possible use of the books A branch has been
established at East Boston, and others will be
established at South Boston and Dorchester
Experience has shown that this is the best way;
the circulation of the books is greatly increased,
and the loss of the books is no larger The
| library is now OF immense value, and its real
treasures are constantly increasing. New win
dows are to be cut in the building and light let
into its dark places; books are to be made more
accessible, and the library seems to be out
growing the failings and timidity of its youth,
and entering upon generous and courteous
manhood, change which it is pleasant to re-
| cognize.
James r. 0sgood & Co. announce long list
Of books for the autumn and winter; most of
them are translatiOns; collections of papers
that have been published in the Atlantic, Our
Young Folks, or Every Saturday, or republica.
tons Of old popular stories. There are two
volumes by Mr.. Emerson, PaTndSsus and a
volume OF essays; new volume of poems by
H. H. otoddard; book of Pictorial HIustra-
ttons Of Ed'otH Booths Characters in Tragedy
= ana COMEDY, drawn in costume, by w. j.
, HennesSey, from life, and with a biographical
} and critical sketch by William Winter. and per
haps one or two Others which are fresb
/ In Reade's Terrible Temptation. Rolfe .bo
writer, is the author himself, so accurately de.
scribed that one who had read the story would
| recognize the man at once. He is by far tho
most interesting character in the book, and it is
p fair to suppose that his account of his aims, hi,
methods Of work, and his character is as true al