The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-01-03

Those members of the Literary Socie-
ty who were absent from the meeting
week before last, ought to be reminded,
time and again, of the rare treat they
missed. After an admirable talk from
the President, the entertainment for the
evening commenced. BY an excellent
arrangement some particular author is
selected, a week or so in advance, upon
HON an original essay is written and
read, and from whom three selections
are read by ladies and gentlemen. On
the occasion we have referred to, Mr..
John b. Bond read an essay on Byron,
that author having been selected by the
committee. The committee displayed,
as usual, it's good sense and Judgment in
appointing Mr. Bond to write and read
an essay on Byron, for he thoroughly
sympathizes with that great poet, and is
therefore able to appreciate him. A cold,
ascetic person, like -, cannot I'M
derstand Byron's magnificent passages,
wherein the glowing passions of the hui
man heart are portrayed as V1slbly as
the blue veins on the temple of Vir-
ginian in fit of Violent passion. A
tlOrid style OF prose composition is the
most dangerous to undertake, for only
the gifted few succeed in it. Mr.. Bond
is tlorid writer, and hls sentences have
a sonOrouS ring that Ia almost as pleas
ing to the ear az poetry. but he never
neglectS the idea for the sake OF the
sound. While he was quite eulogistic of
Byron, he was, in the main, just But
he should never have pronounced him
the greatest English poet, because
Shakespeare was an Englishman. Mr..
Bond portrayed Byron as great, UNI
happy genius, but lacking moral great
ness. Mr.. Gideon B. Alexander read
" Darkness " in a capital manner. Miss
M. p. read, without preparation, 1.-The
Prisoner of Chillon." This exquisite
poem, the most beautiful of all of By
ron's beautiful creations, has always
been favorite with us. We have used
it as Goethe used the most beautiful
work of art he could get-kept 1t always
near him-in order to accustom his
mind to beauty, and train it to beautiful
conceptions. But we confess that there
was 4 supreme height of beauty, exqui-
site touches of fancy, and lovely rain
DOW hueS i'll thu poem, which we had
never discovered until we heard it read
by Miss z. Words are but poor imita-
tors at best, and we shall not attempt to
describe her reading. Who can describe
a voice whose every tone sounds upon
the thirsty ear like it came through rich,
ripe, honied lips, straight from heart
pure as an angels, and trembling with
all the tender emotions of love? The
Secretary of the Society having gone
away down on the Tennessee River, the
President, with his customary good
sense, appointed Miss J. Is. to act in his
place, and she performed the duties of
the office in 4 business-like manner.
Last Friday night only few persons
were present, as they were afraid they
would slip up or the icy paYements.
Tennyson being the author selected for
tho evenings entertainment, Mr.. II.
read an essay on that author. The OK
tracts he read from the poet-laureate's
best poems were very good, but even
the extracts were not read near. so we'll
as was the "May Queen" by Mrs. NJ.
like Il happy hearted little girl. Mr..
q. j. Frierson very appropriately Sc
Iected the ''Death ofthe Old Year." and
read it well.