New-York tribune., 1874-08-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
roorr,s "REMINISCENCES.


rAsKET OF "REMINISCENCES. BY HENRY go = r|Cih' S
I2mo pp 49s Washington Chr"nic'e "
With the exception of the t'tie' theio Is "o'"i"
in this book TO suggest funereai pop' OUT
loose and disordery collection OF personal incl
80 ,rb;cb the experience of long life has i'm
messed upon the memory of the author. lie has
boen the witness of strange scenes in his day
has been brought INTO cOntsct with good deal OF
promscuous company, and has taken part in many
transactions which could scarcely have occurred eN
rept in the career of Southern politician. Ills
work makes no pTetenSiOn TO elegance or eXactheSs
of composition. but relates IN desultory garrulous
way variety Of events, most OF them less III
portant than curious with which he has been con-
Sersant in the course of his public e he sketches
of his celebrated contemporaries, which form the
most interesting portion of the volume are appa-
Iently free from prejudice, though not without an
occasional spicy frankneSS of criticism, and often
present a natural picture of salient personal traits
that is al once piQuant and amusing. The little
drama in whichMr. Webster figured so cOnsplcuously
nj one of Jenny Lnd's concerts at Washington has
often been described, but the grandiose style Of the
great senator has been hit OF more completely
to the life than in the following sketch.
on arriving at the door of the Opera-house Mr. web,
down The central aisle Of The building It Glanced that
Jenny Lind tEen on the PLATFORM ana was
Tional anthem "The star-spanced Banner" SO
soon as Mr. Webster's approach was perceiye1
the assemblaCe spontaneously broke forth win
tcmpcstuous applause. evidently recognizing 1t az re-
maTkabe coincidence that the renowned defender OF o
Constitution should have happen9 10 eXIG ~ atfnn's
very moment that the sacred emblem OF the nauOh
liberty aui union was on the eve OF peni n sctfIad
apOstfOphztd IN song 80 soon as lhe au,e,.C & 80
down into Quetude the inspiring tOuea o. % JvH1S t S
marvellous voice were heard Never ell leF Deloie Deloire OF
since have ncen made Overwhelmingly seIsOte a.
wac that occasion OF the cOninihsled power VI
pcared 10 be electrified. Mr.. Webster was so transported
with eight that he actually seemed almost 70 become
thp rtTpSg q
very distinctly in unison with the VARYING tones 9t the
sonesress All the enthusiasm OF his sou had eVdety
been kuGlcd fame ali ms patriotic pride had been
awakened his whole moral nature appeared 10 nave
which he was an enraptured listener. When the
song was over. Mr.. We0ster-as If impelled by
of toe great nation which he felt himself entl-
lied in degree TO represent on TINS occasion me
formal tribute OF Us reSptc-Iose IICli nls Sc sat - "'
stepping forward 10 central position between the au-
standing. made her OF the most honorins aud ma
ie>uc bows ever 6eleld Ine aGiaole ana m "a @cgo, f
tnl ANA b.ushiug embarrassment, but cOurtesied
Notwithstanding most profoundly IN response upon
which the assembled multitude gave vent 10
their delight In most vOeleIous appIt,use;; a
second bow administered with precisely similar
sSir sed.6 HIrtDgalS as Sue was called
inconuueutly took wing ana became luvis ne 10 our
p.prrs next morning duly noted this interesting incl
dent aud. much TO their credit he IL spoken, HaG hoJ
who had the happiness TO be present that night with
drew To- thcir homes both loving and honorng more
Sud grIIdi y-eudoWed statesman Of Massachusetts,
sfcr tins TOudlous polucO-histrOnic performance OF
his
one Of the most elaborate portratures in the vol
nme is that Of Mr. Seward, with whom the author
was well acquainted, though, as he declares, he
never enjoyed nor desired his intimacy Their rela-
iiOns never rose to the dignity of friendship though
as MI Foote afirms in his own inmitablc style, he
bad made MIN a special object of study from the
moment of being introduced TO him on a steamboat
lao Nor i'm NoTl IN he
period of his departure from the realms of mortal
ity.7 The fruit Of bis psychological labors Is COM
pressed into the following paragraph.
william H. Seward was undoubtedly one Of the best
fathers home the sunny plains OF Georgia. and he
there dlsch rgd the duties of vocation held IN peculiar
honor All truly civilized aud refined communities under
tie sun Ilavc never doubted mat ne himself derVedas
much OF Improvement from bis occupation q school
master days Of his early manhood a II was poSs
bl for hi pupils 80 do under that Industrious aud
winch ne has been gwen credit. Tie knowledge which
he had himself ured at college became more tloi
ed more diges'cd and orderly character, adapt
should not pronounce, though that he ever became a
thoroughly ripe scholar, beng IN TINS respect as ven
Eiwafd Everett, wendell Philips charles sumner Caleb
Gushing. Jona Quincy Adams; and some olAels, whom
speeches INT ne had wrttcn far more than he had
spoken truth which no one viii he disposed to
que,tiun after having learned that he wrote
much which never orally enuuclated, ana that
hc never spoke what he had already first written.
Hi style o imposition had many eAeeencies and but
few positive taUts lie wrote IN clear, polished and
vigorous style, seldom using more words tan were ne
cesstry express his meaning, aud rarely leaving his
meaning involved III D-SeCctcd words as not 10 be
easy OF GpprCheuSlIn even 10 an ordinary reader lie
p,s-cSsci iu high degree writer both the Suaciter
IL. motto AID tic f,Itcr IN r-ncver or very rarely,
TuIlt- !"3 '-e error ~ ~ - cs' ~ j, 6
0Lsts" " while 10 must he admitted mat Ae never rose
Ia tue nightly and elegance OF "A Cicero or Macaulay
ana never exhibited the gI4h'enf OF lroi99nddlty l9 dty
of "A Burke a Webster Ht was gOod dcaI
,ivrn ~ mess bu never hea "a him utter a
eiGsIIv urlriGni'wit.i-n IN nv lfe. III. memory was
I..f i
constant exercise. His capacity Tor reasoning upon any
either NJ or tuiucs. He did not TO TO he so
dcsirous ~ asccrIuug the exact truth about any mat
eIuciltje to make the tu"s' plausible showing posi-
bic f0r the site OF the question "iGh e nau H!lusel
be mad Ica.F intense emotions, and lac therefore
never fell into the lansuage OF passion. liz
bad Iaburcd hard TO lash It iuto activity. H.
bad mdcidt sab! so'g"i u III Aie memory WIN ta'
but without being able completely TO assimldte what
hc had tAus borrow ed with Lilo own native stores; SO
with t-uIatiNc illustrations ne wore lnc ar o IliStu
hud Icccr OF the fine utcrances OF others
euunCiatoJ OF EiAud lotds ana stdilhhb stiI' IN .ts
originating ln moment - peCuudr INSPIRATION IN tue
u!iud Of the orator himself Tue labor of hfetme
uignt have qualified him perhaps, almost 10 nave
written such that Ucqucdtued To the world by
QuIntiau; no auobut Oi INDUSTRY no concurrence ol
fortunate circumstances could ever nave ena9cu hIi
attain L!-Ht oil OIatOIci eAceitACe winch might
suggest 10 he minds Of tose Who listened TO nun lne
pIOprety OF comparing hlih 10 DehoStueuts C'C0Io
a Chatham O! Clay. His manner as aspeakor was Tar
matter III point Of ugutH ana lnpresslNeness
His person diuDutve; las face was almost beard
less ne has cold gray eye, which never gnstcned
with excitement, ami never mcowed with sympathetic
emotion; his movements, when on ms Iegs, were
awkward ana slambhug his voice husky aud
indstInct: be in cold ana oyerstralncd manner
what he had carefully prepared Tor tue Occasion or
he uttered several Paragraphs from memory, without
referring the elaborate notes which nc had pepae1,
he had ever and anon 10 his upon the paper
l.af.r. le