The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-11-07
Letter From goston
Correspondence of the journal.

| tOIcH-llSnt procession which did its noisy
best to brighten up the sad aspect of our
thoroughfares. The unfortunate horses
are yet too sick to be ont in any numbers,
and those you do meet look under the
weather, or you fancy they do, and are
inclined to regard their drivers rs so many
wretches. Saturday afternoon however,
the streets were fuller, and q few private
carriages skipped along with banketed
nags, the theory that gentle exercise
was beneficial encouraging their owners
to the trial. We have been induced to
smile at the epidemic, its suddenness and
universally having dash of the droll.
but now people are indulging in that
| amiable contOrtlon the other side of their
mouths, and sensitive souls speak of it as
a dispensation of Providence Members
| of the society ?. c. A. take their provi-
dental view. and 90 so far as to declare
if man is not more considerable Of this
noblest of animals the world will become
horseless and disease will exteminate the
| species! Heaven has intertercd, and shown
us the Importance the horse is in any de-
partment of human life by this tortnight's
withdrawal from his honest and honorable
callings. But we have yet to feel some
| thing besides the temporary Inconvenience
| or Sentmentality of the thing in its effect
| on all branches Of business Prices have
gone up. Beet is dearer butter, of course,
| flies upward with its customary want of
reason, and all other necessary provisions
testify to this gradual but sure imitation
Poor men who have earned their daily
bread by the sweat Of their horse or horses
have not only been idle ior a week, hut
have the added expense OF nursing and
doctorlng-an increase that comes hard,
and still harder if death insues after all.
A teamster at one of the coal wharves
at the west end of the city told me with
tears in his eyes that he had Just lost a
five hundred dollar horse, and another
sick unto death, and it was impossible TO
fulfil orders unless he carried the wood or
coal on his own shoulders. OF course we
have begun to pay for this mode of trans
portation already in many other ways.
Before winter is over we shall hear plenty
OF grumbing at the dilation of all house
hold expenses. As to taking 4 hackney
coach, no one dreams of such a thing ut
present unless they are in the last stages
of q broken leg, or were the lucky pur-
chasers of Pacific Mail stock before its last
rise, for orderly Boston is getting rs
degenerate as New York in this matter of
hack charges, and drivers pay no hee4 to
lists of prices adjoining the interior OF their
carriages.
George MacDonald's lecture on Tom
Hood drew an immense crowd to Music
Hall Saturday afternoon. Besides the
| usual lecture goers, out of town people
| improved the shining hour of , p. M, and
| bundled in as they would to lunch at
! Parkcr's Of the Cafe A woman sat be
| side me, intent on culture via Thomas
| Hood, who brought an entile mornings
| shopping to the lecture. One is used to
| being sat upon in the close quarters of
that Justly renowned hall, but I mildly
protest at being forced to look over Il dry
| goods store or have my ninth rib dsocat-
ed by angular parcels done up in rafting
brown paper. All the ''literati" were
there as well, poets and orators. clergy,
| and laymen Just as good as the cloth in
| their modest opinion. Swell ministers
in velvet coats and bright neckties, the
strong minded and the weak-in short the
mass and ;nmus of Boston We're liberal
| ly mixed in the crowd Of youthful lowell
ness longing to see and hear the author
OF Wiltrid Cumbermede. His first
lecture on Burns" has not proved "popu-
lar' exactly, and you know that is suli-
cient towel, condemn man to small
houses. This about Tom Hood promised
| livelier matter, and consequently | was
not surprised at the very poor seat obtain
ed for my honest fifty cents However,
| after counting my ncighbor's bundles for
the fifth time, took a flying leap ont OF
| the distractions, and with a little diplo-
| macy alighted on the stage. where the
| acoustics are wretched, vet where many
| distinguished beings sat surrounded by u
couple Of hundred lesser lights Perched
| on the platform of the great organ, under
| the shadow of Beethoven, had an excel
lent view of the Scotchman's blue cloth
| shoulders, and back hair, and the brilliant
| audience in front of him. The position
was not favorable one to hear the lee
ture, still it was of the very best to OBJ
serve my fellow listeners. Should ever
take to the platform on my own account,
| | shall know Just how it feels to be stared
at by nearly three thousand pairs of ewes,
provided 50 many can be inveigled to at
tend my discourse. In spite OF this dis
advantage, | keenly enjoyed what was
not 4 lecture in the modern definition of
the word, but a colloquial analysis of
Hoods poems. Those expecting Il more
personal criticism Of the immortal punster
were disappointed. For Macdonald gave
simply an analytical review of the man
pathos and humor from Il poetical stand
point. He speaks without notes. in rich
mellow voice, with Il slight Scotch accent
that is pleasanter to hear than read; and
he talks with, never breaches at his audi
tors. His presence is highly magnetic
and that will be the secret of his success
us 4 lecturer, if he has any after curiosity
is grattied; yet there is a lack OF force in
his writing, to me, although he carries in
to his subject an undoubted earnestness
He says beautiful things, whimsical things
and they Just miss puncturing the intel
lect deep enough to remain and ranke as
thought must ever do to bear fruit Tom
Hood, he thinks, combines in his poetry
the deepest philosophy, pathos and wis
dom, and his humor is the highest be-
cause it touches the lowest depths of the
heart. He believes in the man who laughs
well, whose sense Of humor is keen. and
then with characteristic quaintness he
turned to his audience with the abrupt
question, us there no laughter, think
you, in the Divine mind ?" And certain
ly Macdonald believes there is, and to
him laughter is as sacred as tears. Wit,
he said, has to do with the intellect, while
genuine humor, such as Hoods, comes
from the heart. True wit is rare, and
misses sometimes; it is too subtle, and
though man enjoys its scintillation he
only smiles, but the righteousness and
laughter found in Hoods verses gave the
best enjoyment. 1.-The smile,' continued
Macdonald looking behind him at Bee
thoven and me, so tor once l saw his
l LoA al. u.