The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-10-23
THE CUMBERLAND BAR.
EuIogies Upon the late John Neal.

EuIogies Upon the late John Neal.
In the Supreme Court Saturday, the commit
| tee appointed by Cumberland Bar to prepare
resolutions upon the death of the Hon. John
Neal, made their report. j. T. McCob5 the
chairman, spoke as follows:
MAJ it please the Court Il am directed by
the Cumberland Bar Association to present
resolutions adopted by them on the occasion of
the death of Mr.. ieal, and to request that they
be placed upon the records OF the court.
These occasions are not wholly sad, since we
seem to live the lives of our friends over again
when we review them. There are those here
who were more intimate with Mr.. Neal than
can CLAIM TO have been; but he had kindly
and instructive word for all who fell in his
way. His knowledge of the world, of books,
art and affairs his lively fancy, quick wit and
in social circles as his manly form was in the
street as he passed. lis love for his native
city aud the institutions under which he was
matured, was with him passion His publish
ed illustrations of the first are in every house
hold. In defending the last, at home and
abroad, he has on many an occasion, with pen
and word, done valiant battle and good ser
vice.
Mr.. Meals life was a life of thought-vigor-
GUS, searching, electric. His mind was like his
person. 6T6CI, utINOuS, dfGII, Iull Oh VITALITY,
rapid 10 its movements, never weary. His i'm
agination ardent, vivacious and soaring was
tempered, if not always controlled, by q close
and acurate logic. His memory was most te-
nacious, and it flowed SO like shower that it
see med sometimesithat ltjhad more than it could
hold. He was scholar by instinct, perhaps
by Inheritance. He was self-educated, if one
can be self-educated whose mother was a pro-
fessonal teacher; but he appreciated and nota-
bly, acknowledged the helps every education
needs-helps that would possibly have made
him less original, though they had given him a
better method. His prolific pen has left its
mark on two generations. Three of his novels
were written in one year, end enc in less than
two months He sometimes seems to have fol-
lowed the advice he once gave young artist
mot to be guilty of laborous OVERRIDING" But
his battle of Niagara" was rewritten thirty
times. 1t has been sharply criticised for a
certain obscurity and profuseness of imagery,
but it is crowded with jewels, and its issue
placed him at once among the poets of his
time. He was told by one of the best judges
tence in one of bis essays in Blackwood was an
article in itself. He was fond of working in
heat, and liked to do a months work at sit
ting; but the dash of some of his earlier efforts
was subdued, not dulled, in his later produc-
tions Like his own Harper of Goldau''
Something has pressed his pulses down"
His last NOVELETTE, child of his old age-wAs
written, he says, that he might leave some
teing behind him of which his friends would
not be ashamed. 1t evidences the camer spirit
of time when some of his fire, but not of his
natural force, was abated. 1t refects-if I
manhood with which he had long been asso-
ciated in his own family and home. His "Ac-
count of Somewhat Busy Life''-one of his
most recent publicatioDs-is a photograph,
without the after touch If he had devoted his
long and laborious life exclusively to the study
nd r1ro anfn hA
early to have intended, be would doubtless
have obtained the highest excellence in it. We
should have had an excellent lawyer, but the
world of letters would have lost many volumes
of attractive, original and brilliant compost
ton.
Mr.. Meals intellectual gifts and graces were
not his only distinguishing traits. He was
religious. La the half century or
more of his thoughtful and busy life, from the
time he separated himself from the Society of
iod when he became what be calls "a professor
of the orthodox faith" his theology presented
many phases, as the light Of truth fell upon or
receded from it; but he was conscientious
searcher after truth always, and never ceased
to do his best in holding his ardent tempera-
the human alloy that belongs to US all. he was
an honest believer and faithful doer, and an ac-
Christian gentleman.
The resolutions were read by Mr. McCobb,
and were as follows:
ResolUed, That the Cumberland Bar Association
has received with deep the intelligence of the
decease of late brother John Neal at the time of
his death the oldest member of our Association. His
devotion to general learning had drawn him very
much from the study and practice of the law, but we
claim. in common with other citizens to share in his
fame, and to mourn with them our common loss.
@ That we are proud to place upon our
too often shut out by the engrossing
demands of profession, but frequently its chief
support and glory. In the demise of Mr..
Neal, recognize the loss of laborous scholar,
prolific and brilliant writer. public spirited citizen,
a generous patron, courteous gentleman, and good
RESOLVED, That these resolutions be presented to
the Supreme Judicial Court at its next-being the
first-sesson since the death of Mr.. Neal, and that
the Court be respectfully requested to enter them
upon Its records
Besolued, That copy of these resolutions be sent
to the family of Mr. Neal, with assurances of sympa
thy in their bereavement.
Judge Howard referred to the deceased in
the following fitting terms:
May it Please Your Honor. John Neal has
gone from among us to the Better Land
A man of large culture and wide fame in the
world of literature and the elegant arts,-he
has been voluminous and ready writer, main
ly of poetry and works of fiction. Very ardent
in temperament, elastic and forcible, and ever
ready with electric sparkling at every touch
and call, he was long ago elevated among the
men of mark and genius of his day.
To use language of his kind, he was joyously
sporting on Helicon with the muses., when
most OF the scholars of to-day were frolicking in
child-like hope around its base.
Later in life, Mr. Neal sought the calmer re-
treats near Sinai, and by Galilee, Jordan and
Sloan, under the cross, which he bore high
and meekly over all his large attachments.
With great natural power aud strength, and
burning zeal and will, be became, at last as
child in faith.
But he was by profession lawyer of some
note, yet more familiar with the science and
literature of the law than with its details or
practice.
He was philanthropic and very genial as
gentleman and brother whose memory we
cherish for his many virtues, and we bespeak
for him place on the enduring records of this
Court.
By request, move and ask your Honor that
the resolutions of the Bar of this county may
now be offered and received.
Remarks were also made by Hon. Nathan
Webb, James O'Donnell, Esq, and others,
after which Judge Virgin replied, ordering
the resolutions to be placed on the records, and
adjourned the court until Monday morning.