New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-11-06
Charles sum ner.
Sts aalb stats neat Of hts asatth. isbous
serxlces.

and services.
Many people have vague idea that Nr.
Summer is IA lover of books, but only those
who know him well are aware of his exces.
siNe tondness for books or realize the extent
of his learning. The fact is that his reading
IL well-niSh oinniyerous, and, science except,
hi, knowledge is encyclopaedia The habits
of study formed earlv--whcn, as a Young
scholar, he attended the lectures of every
distinguished professor in Paris, in every de-
paitmont q! knowledge, law, philosophy. art e,
teiiSs hdhts. and when, in lS39, at Rome, he
embraced in his studies the whole of the Ital-
ian literature, reading from six O'Clock in the
morning until five in the afternoon, daily,
and fnrsakinG his books only to study works
of art under the tutclagc OF the great genius
Crawford, and To converse with the master
of Italian language and history, Green, then
the American Consul at Rome the habits
then formed have continued ever since, and
now, with his convaescence, the old passion
ia renewed in all its iervOr. Passing into
his stuiy few days since ] saw hundi ed
Or more volumes piled in the hall and learned
that they were books which he had recently
read, and which were to be returned to the
Congressional Library and to books from the
library must be added the large number he
receives daily from his booksellers and from
authors. Among other books which ~the
Senator mentioned rs having lately read,
with great satisfaction, was n work upon the
principles of government, recently published,
and from certain references in this to the
contributions which the ancient Greek dram
Artists had made To the science of govern
ment he had been led, he said, to study anew
those authors, and had found the greatest
profit and pleasure in so doing, especially in
the study of Euripides, to whom he consider
ed the science Of government immensely ill.,
debted. In reading these authors the Sena-
tor used the Greek, the French, aud the En-
glish prose, and metrical TRANSACTIONS. Upon
my expressing the hope that, now he was re-
stored to health, he might give the nation
some OF the purely literary fruits of his extern
sive readings, he stated that he had recently
felt strong impulse to prepare lyeeum-lec-
ture on the Greek dramatists.
imagine it, o lyceum listener, languish-
ing on diet of Yates-chaff and Gough-chow-
der, a lecture by Charles Sumner on Eschy-
lus and Sophocles and Euripides! The
great American scholar and orator interpret
ing the genius of the first poets of the fore
most nation Of antiquity. But do not count
too confidently on this treat. If Mr. Sum-
ner appears on the lyceum platform next
season he is more likely TO obey his sense Of
duty than bis literary tastes, and to urge
upon the nation the great need of the hour,
the need oil spirit of reconciliation and a
lofty desire for national unity. But if he
does the honest thing by himself he will I'M
dertake nothing during the summer or au-
tumn outside Of his duties as Senator, in Or
der that he may stand in his place in the
Senate chamber next December IN all his
ancient vigor.
Referring to the Senator's marvellous dill
gence, recall statement Of a gentleman,
who had several occasions to see him, some
years ago, that the only way in which he
could obtain an interview was by calling
after midnight, or while the Senator was
breakfasting or dining. lie would postpone
sleep and his meals at the solicitation Of Wis
itors, but not his work. In his devotion TO
work Mr.. Sumner heeds the lesson of his own
lecture upon the Employment Of Time,"
delivered before the Boston Lyccum in 1876 :;
and undoubtedly posterity will rank him with
such famed workers as Bacon and Milton,
Luther and Descartes, Sir Matthew Hale
and Alexander Hamilton, who toiled fifteen
or sixteen hours daily: and ne long since
learned the lesson taught the soldier by Ma
polcon /. 81 worked all day." said SOL
der as an excuse for not doing his duty.
"But had YOU not the night alsO:' said
Napoleon. Our Senator's study-windows
are ever the last from which the light Of the
midnight lamp departs.
But, after all, Mr.. Summers reading, extern
sive as it is, is only play and recreation, COM
pared with other occupations that engage his
time and strength. The publication of his
complete works, now being prosecuted by
Messrs. Lee i shepard, OF Boston, imposes
upon him the onerous task of keeping the
printer supplied with copy, and, at the pres
ent moment, he is pushing this part OF his
work and preparing copy in advance, in or
der that he may be free during the remainder
Of the season 1t was supposed, when the
publication was first designed, that they
would he complete in some seven or eight
volumes, but already seven volumes have
been issued and barely half Of the more i'm
portant speeches and papers have Vet ap-
peared SO that the whole work, when I'm
ished, will probably embrace some fourteen
volumes. | devoted to the perusal OF the
first OF these volumes considerable portion
of the last Fourth of July, and deemed that
| was engaging In q most fitting celebration
Of the day in reading the first speech there
in, the famous Fourth of July Grafton upon
1.-The True Grandeur Of Nations delivered
in Boston thirty-sevcn years ago. Mrs. Jul
liza Ward Howe, in exploiting her new peace
project. can go further and find fewer facts
and weaker arguments than this Grafton con-
tnins in support of the principles and meth
DDS of peace against the theory of the utility
and necessity of war. | laid down the vol
ume profoundly impressed with the convic-
ton OF its permanent value, not only on ac-
count of its themes and the exhaustive way
| in which they are discussed, but likewise
for its historical character, many OF the
speeches being accompanied by statements
OF the circumstances under which they were
called forth, and Of the manner in which the
were received, together with extensive refer.
ence and notes. The young men of the fu.
ture will turn to these volumes for provoca.
ton, for facts, and for American history dur,
ing the past quarter Of century, just as the
Young men of to-day turn to Burke and Mac.
aulay for style and for history of England
during the last half of the eighteenth cen.
fury.
Last, but not least, Mr. Summers hand,
are busted still with the accumulated cores.
pondence OF the past ten months. 1t was as
late as July 4-as you saw By the New ORR
Tribune OF July that be acknowledged 9
letter from the President Of Hayti written in
September last. The Senator's reply to
Saget's sentiments Of gratitude and esteem
was fitting utterance tor Independence day
emphasizing, as it did, in the strongest terms
the obligations by which the republic is
bound to secure full civil as well as political
independence to its colored citizens.
To nv mind Mr.. Sumner to-day occupies q
most enviable position in politics. As GOOD
q Republican as ever, he has also, BY hi.