New-York tribune., 1876-06-21
TIE TESTlHOEIAL TO BRYlNE

Our time Is distinguished for its honoFs to
the dead rather than TO the living. In this re-
spect it is emphatcally monumental era; 1t
erects bnsls aud statues To scores of neglected
dead. and celebrates The centennial, or the bi-
and tri-centenna anniversary OF their birth Yet
the habit Of looking backward for lives de-
serving of honor ought simpl" to quicken the
recognition Of the high qualities which are
honored as they aro discovered in existing
lives. One tithe of the justice rendered to tho
political o7 intellectual hero OF \ past century,
freely granted by his own contemporaries,
would have given hope and comfort to his life,
and oLlteratcd half the recoil of his discour-
agemerts. Ilfe annuls no claim 10 honor,
even as death confers 10 additional claim.
But now, as in all ages, the world is re-
luctant to build the pedestal OF permanent
fame, except over grave. IL so often mis-
takes n brilliant temporary notOicty for an
enduring reu0wn SO often is compelled to
change or reverse its decisions, that no man
can expect to receive any true appreciation of
his services, such "a may foreshadow his place
! in the judgment Of postcrity, unless he is for
| tunate enough to grow old This Is more
especially tho case in literature than in any
other field of intellectual achievement. The
author must not only outgrow disparacement,
doubt, and Jealousy; h. must also Outlive the
prevailing literary fashions OF his day, If they
conflict with the loftier ideals of his art.
! Honors, doubtless came 10 the aged Homer:
! they certainly came TO the aged SOphocles and
! Emipides: they came to Voltaire and Goethe,
/ Wordsworth and Manzoni.
! In the United States we are lust beginning
! to learn, practically, that Literature is one of
/ the permanent glorics OF a nation. Our earlier
authors were obliged to be content With pop
ularity at home which was patty the echo of
that first acquired in Europe. Cooper came
back to find a carping and semi-hostile criti-
cisn, springing from slight ofienscs to the
public feeling, which ought to have been at
once condoned in view of his great services.
Washington Irving, We believe, had IA single
dinner given to him, and Mr. Webster made
him Minister 10 Spain. What would have
been more fitting than that, when he had COM
pletcd his Lite of Washington at the age of
76, the country should have united in some
fitting testimonial OF honor and estcemi But
he died the following year, and we have
| not vet given him monument. William
| Cullen BRYANT belonging to that first genera
ton of authors who made TIE american name
known in literature, has been more fortunate.
His seventeen birthday was made the occa-
sion OF a commemorative festival given by
the Century Club of this city, at which, for
the first time in this country, all the principal
authors and artists, at least, had an OppOr-
tunity of doing honor to one whom both classes
equally esteemed.
Ten more years passed, and the SHOWS of
eighty winters rested on the poets llomeric
beard. During that interval he had not been
idle he had further enriched our literature by
his admirable translatiOns OF the Had and the
Odyssey. Then, not the Club alone OF which
he is now President but those III all parts of
the country who acknowledged the Nations
debt 30 him, united in a moro enduring testi-
mOny> >of honor. The sum Of $4,000 was con-
tributed aud devoted TO the construction of
an emblcmaiic vase of massive silver. After no
more delay than has been required for the solid,
artistic completion Of the design, the vase is
mt last finishl I, and was presented last evening,
with citing ceremonies, at Cbickering Hall. IL
is of antique 'ornand beautifully proportoned.
Perhaps tie embematc and illustrative fea-
lures OF tie J rorations have been a little too
crowded bus the graceful spires of maize
around ths shalt. .he mixture of apple-blOs-
SONS and yasket work in the body, and the