The Portland daily press., 1871-02-20


new chapter of the "Idle Thoughts" In
the Boston Transcript, ridicules the pride OF
the "Hub:'
After miscellaneous talk the other eve
ming, at our club, and when most of US had
got well into our second cigars, the Banker
referring to some OF the new granite ware
houses of the city, called them one of the
things of which Boston may be proud.
Upon this the Esquire remarked that there
was no need for any new fuel TO locate pride,
for Boston was already the proudest city in
the world.
The Doctor was not inclined to assent to
this, observing that, though he had often
heard the city reproved on this score, he
thought it was undeseryed, and ldid not be-
ieve there was mora local pride in Boston
than in New York, or st. Louis, or CHICAGO.
"Ah, but Boston PRIDE" retorted the Es-
quire. "has one element nowhere else found.
The cities you name do indeed boast OF their
great growth and boundless prospects, but
never seem satisfied with what they are now;
Whiie boston people, on the other hand, think
tneir city abeut perfect as it is, and this con-
viction sticks out of them Extensively where
ever they 60; for they praise or condeun
everything as 1t approaches or recedes from a
Boston standard"
"That is very true," said the Captain, "for
have heard Boston pride iidculed in San
Francisco, Manila, Melbourne and other ends
of the EARTH"
"We came by it very naturally" said the
Banker.
"Well, WELL" said the President, "just local
pride is the handspring of public spirit i but
what has Boston yet done that 1t should be
content with what it Isl"
Done? Bless me! Do you want should
repeat the familiar catalogue of its achiey-
ments" ask the Esquire, "Has it not Faneu-
il ball and Bunker Hill? Did it net once
make teapot of its harbor? Was 1t not the
birthplace of Franklin, and the home of John
Hancock and Sam Adams? ? Was it not first 10
the war struggle of the Revolution and in the
war 10 suppress the rebellion? Has it not the
most beautiful common and the most charm
ing suburbs in the world? Has it not tue
largest public library, and does it not breath
the literary air of old Harvard? Is 1t not the
brain that gives out all the new ideas that are
afoat in the country, and is not a small Pc
riphery round the Hub the most delectabe
spot on earth? Dear me! All these things
have given Bostonions pride enough, when di-
luted so as to be tolerable, to supply half
dozen Western cities, and leave enough then
to make the place unpopular everywhere else."
"That reminds me-" said the banker, "of
the lines of one of the New York poets, who
has sly allusion, suppose, to some Of our
theology. He says:
One born in Boston neads no second birth.
The Captain remarked that those New
York people like to hit us off; "and last sum-
mer," hes continued, 81 saw in their city q
map representing glote, in the centre of
which stood Boston, aud all the world was
subsidiary to it. Vesuvius and Hecla were
its gas works, the North Pole its ice house,
the great lakes its water supply, Madeira Its
vinegar factory lit being too virtuous to use
wine), Mexican prairie its geological gar
den; Timbuctoo had an Office of the Atlan-
tic Monthly, while New York was too small
place to appear on the map at ALL"
Sand even onr clergy" said the Reverend,
laying down his pipe, "even our clergy minis
ter to this local fpride. One of them once
objected to reading the Episcopal Liturgy on
the ground that he did not think it was true
to call ourselves miserable sinners And not
long since another of our clergy, preaching in
a neighboring town, ane using hymn book
where were those two lines:
Great God, how infinite art Thou,
What worthless worms are we!'
requested the choir to sing the last line as il
it read:
How frail and weak eve!
An editor of a newspaper, commenting ou
this alteration of the hymn book, wondered
the reverend gentlemen did not tell tho choir
to sing:
sHow oraaf nd oood