The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-22
agrnIn. s1ar and Catholic Messenger.
IN AusPIcIoUs BEGINNING.


IN AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING.
A few months ago a number of young gentle
men formed themselves into association of
mutual improvement and social pleasure; but
anxious to give tho Society name which might
stimulate them to self culture and noble aims,
they selected that of VIM. Cullen Bryant, the
distinguished poet whose eighty years of noble
manhood, and whose established literary fame
have endeared him to the hearts of all Amerl-
CANS, old or young.
Having prepared modest entertainment for
their friends on the night of the 18Th october,
the Club wrote to Mr.. Bryant apologizing for
the liberty they had taken of using his name,
aud sending him their car DIS of invitation.
With that simple kindness which is
characteristic of true greatness, Mr.. Bryant
replied to his young friends on the evening in
question; and as everything connected with
one who represents to Us, in virtue, intelligence
and true patriotism, the best days of our Re-
public, is peculiarly appropriate at this time,
we place before our readers the entire letter of
the venerable poet. Mr. Bryant's career, as he
80 touchingly expresses it, " must soon close !"
but his houored memory will live forever in
American history to animate with heroic
pulses the generations yet to be.
In connection with the letter we give also a
portion of the address read by the President of
the Club at the entertainment of the 18th, q
fitting tribute of respecton heir part, towards
their very distinguished patron:
RosLYN, LONG ISLAND, N. Y, Oct. Is, 1876
Dear Sir-You and your friends have only done
me too much honor in giving your association
a name SO little worthy as my own, when there
are SO many names of literary men illustrous
both for genius and virtue from which TO
choose.
! certainly must thank you most cordially
for thinking 80 kindly of me as to be willing TO
take upon yourselves that appellation; but,
in practice, l hope that you will not content
yourselves with copying after any but the
highest and most perfect examples of literary
excellence and public and private virtue which
the present or any previous age can show you.
The good wishes Of one whose career, consider
ing his age, must soon close, will attend you. 1
am, sir, faithfully yours,
Henry c. Elder, Esq, President B. L. 9.
Ladies and Gentlemen-It is my pleasing duty
TO Welcome you here to night, to this our first
literary and social entertainment, aud to ex.
press to you, in the name of all our members,
our deep appreciation of the honor conferred
upon us by your presence. But permit me to
state that the principal object of our Society is
not so much the qualification of personal feeling
as the desire to do our humble part towards
honoring q great name-that of VIM. Cullen
Bryant, the distinguished and venerable poet,
whose name ia at once our watchword and our
pride, and whose example is the incentive to
our exertions.
Born in 1876, at the close of the last century
of time, ne stands in his honored age at the
close of our century of freedom, and is there
fore, one of the land MARKS in American history
most deserving of our attention and respect.
At the early age of nineteen, Mr.. Bryant wrote
one of his most justly admired poems, Thsna-
topsis, which has acquired not only an
American but European renown, and which is
often quoted the lines of Milton m of
Shakespear.
At twenty nine, Mr. Bryant commenced his
career of journalism in the city of New York
and it is an agreeable coincidence that we Gel
citrate this year the fftieth anniversary of his
connection with the Evening Post the golden
wedding year of the poet aud the press, whose
union has enriched our American literature
with many of its noblest specimens of thought
and eloquence.
At the venerable age of eighty, Mr.. Bryant
still Yields hie able pen, and, CO equal with
Longfellow. be stands foremost among Ameri-
can poets, one of the purest of American
citizens, and one of the truest of Christian
patriots-a rare example of genius ennobled By
holy impulses of patriotism unstaned by
sectional prejudice, and of Christianity I'M
clouded by bigotry or hate.
1t is we'll, therefore, for American youth 70
keep before their minds such an example OF
youthful genius, manly perseverance, and Of
patriarchal renown.
Aud now, ladies and gentlemen, You per
ceive the appropriateness Of name-the
Sryant Club. Small honor, indeed, 1t is to the
distinguished poet TO have his name applied to
80 lnslgnihoant an organization as tnIs; but
IN our leeo1e begun ugs we may DO permitted
TO LOOK back to The bright example set US by A
youth OF mi n,Peieen' And it, in oor nture Ell
placed before us, it will, at least. nff ,rd nsno
subject of regret that We took for our exemplar
one of the best and brightest minds that ever
Shone across the sky of our American Republic.
MARTYRS IN CHINA.-The in telligence which