The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-25
Che 8atland daily Glohs
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1876.
Especial Correspondence OF the Troy Daily
Tlmes,l
THE HERMIT'S LETTER.
The Hermit Writes an Essay on Paine and
Byron-His Estimate Of the Two Men-some
Severe Structures on Both-The Veteran OF
Printing House Square.

| The Hermit Writes an Essay on faine anu
Byron-His Estimate Of the Two Men-some
Severe Structures on Both-The Veteran OF
Printing House Square.
New YORK, Jan. 81, 1876.
The recent dinner of the alumni OF Dart
mouth college at Dclmonicos was very
handsome affair. President Smith having
formerly been of Fifth avenue church,
was brought into interesting local associa-
tons, and his address on the occasion was
one of much interest Richard b. Kimball
was also one of the speakers. He Is the
originator of what may be called the ''bus
mess novel" and his "Undercurrents" and
similar works show how admirably he is
adapted TO this kind of literature. | would
say to these alumni that there are some
points which have been omitted. President
Smith may be aware that the chief patron
of the college was that very person honor
ed by John Newton in his Letters to
Nobeman.' (Which were addressed to the
Earl of Dartmouth but he is probably not
aware that portrait Of the earl graces the
walls of the Mercantile library of this city.
Newton's appointment to the church OF
Olney was due to this nobleman, who also
patronized learning in the colonies, by as
sisiting the college which bears his name.
The first board of trustees of this institu-
ton was formed in England, and the Earl
of Dartmouth was president of the board.
These facts were overlooked in the address
made on the occasion.
ANOTHER REFERENCE.
Speaking of the past, it may be noticed
; that January, II, 1876, was the date of
: Tom Paines first pamphlet, Common
I Sense. Paine was the pamphleteer of the
: revolution, and in this style Of writing he
never had an equal. 1t will be well If the
, approaching centennial leads to the gen.
,, eral perusal of these famous tracts. Paine s
l originality and boldness astonisbed even
p, The American leaders, He was the only
\ man of that day on this continent who
/ made the press power. What was need
ed then was to impel public opinion to the
point of national independence. Had the
8 declaration been delayed two months, it
o might have been delayed for years, for the
Q battle of Long Island took place six weeks
= after its publication, and thenceforth for a
S long time the American arms were in de-
% feat. 1t was Paine's misfortune to live too
long. Had he died at the close of the war
he would have enjoyed high degree OF
national honor. The same remarks will
apply to Arnold, who should have faller
gloriously at saltwater, but he escaped the
British bullet to perish by British gold. II
IS is sad to think that men can live too long
Il Paine's old age, like that of Solomon, wa,
q the worst feature in his life. In 1883 hi
y popularity was so great that John Reeds
bookstore was graced with Paine's portal
as n sign. There is very fine plaster cas-
4 of Paine in the historical society, which in
l. dinatec tho m upitudp nf his hrain
10 STRANGE TRANSFORMATION.
;" When John Reed displayed Pane's poi
trait the original was bearing the stapdar'
y, of free opinion in Europe as he had ii
er America the time came when thi
" popular idol debased himself In every way
He attacked christianity he Willie,
ut Washington, and he became drunkard o
I'd the worst character. Such are the change
in the history of even great men. Whei
Paine died there was hardly one to mourn
~ his loss or shed a tear over his grave, and
as is too often the case, his former service
a. to the nation were almost forgotten in tn
NJ obloquy which attended his exit.
re ANOTHER REMINIsENCR.
Tomorrow will be the eighty-eighth an
niversary of. Byrons birth day. Ha
AZ he lived, he would have been a YER
old man, and yet there are men of that az
<, who still have good use of their faculties
i'd Byron died SO early and so long ago, tha
we look upon him as one of the past epoct
st but he was born five years after Irving
iy and, were he now alive, he would be onl
three years older than Peter Cooper. Their
are some points to be considered IN reter
or ence to this gifted author which thin
have been overlooked One of these is hi
precocity. In this feature he stands III
nu equaled, except by Chatterton. Betwee
eighteen and thirty-four all his works wei
written. but at twenty-five he was the chic
poet of Europe We have no similar il
ne stance of first-class author culminatin
at this early period. Nothing written aftt
that added to his fame. Prococity is gel
ed orally caused by disease, and this was Ii
ny case with Byron. There is the intern
he proof of that sudden growth of faculti,
which accompanies moral nature sick
and deformed, and whatever in his worl
Die has better aspect is artificial. lie assuu
M ed character before the public whiC
IN awakens admiration, but the reality was
N a very different kind. The double life WI
performed that the world was widely d
9TH ceived, and one of the greatest dupes
he CASTELAR,, whose picture of the poet shoy
,bs how he is mastered by enthusiasm.
Sc, HINTS AT CHARACTER.
''' Byron's artificial sentiment is shown
his poetry, while his true character is I
, ui, vealed by his letters. He attempts TO a
ate peal to his wife in Fare thee well, and
,ry forever etc, and some readers may CO
lg;; slider it the heart broken utterances of
m injured husband, but his letters at this We
time speak of his wife in a contemptuo
tone, and he was, while writing IN Il
ORE melting mood, devoted to the licentiousnt
yer of Venice and Ravenna. Thus we ha
two Byrons, the artificial and the zeal. L
,v first is always seeking sympathy for
md misfortunes, is eloquent over disappoint
on. affection, is blasted by destiny and desert
nal by his wife until he is inspired by the
Ken awful sorrows to the highest flights of I
etry. The second is the sybraite of eth
London or ltaly-the most successful ra
hat ct his day, the lover with whom womai
the heart was bagatelle, and who previous
"Gift his marriage,to quote his own words, III
Mai been attached fifty times wedd
nse merely TO win fortune, and "went bac
y, ssa n on the woman when he found that s
would not accept the position of princiI
- wife in that system by which heanticipai
mormonism.
THE SECRET OF SUCCESS.
Byron has tor half century been I
most successful of poets. The reason
nds this is found in his mower Ovar the hum