The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-05-02
Mr. LlEccLR As A READER AID
IALEEg.

i le Two uOuAn Which l4e TAU lAAe'N
were the Bible and Shakespeare. With
these he was very familiar, reading and
studying them habitually and con-
He had great fondness for
poetry and eloquence, and his taste
and Judgment in each was exquisite.
Shakespeare was his favorite poet
Burns stood next. Holiness beaut-
full poem, ''The Last Leaf, was with
him a great favorite. The following
verse he regarded as equal to any thing
in the language:
''The messy marbles rest
On the lips that he has pressed
In their bloom,
And the names he loved to hear,
Have been carved for many a year,
On the tomb"
He made a speech at a Burns festi-
val in which he spoke at length of
BurnS'spoems illustrating whathe said
by many quotations, which was listen
ed to with the greatest pleasure, but
it was unfortunately never reported.
lie was extremely fond of ballads, and
simple, sad, plaintive music.
He was a most admirable reader.
He read and recited from the Bible and
Shakespeare with great simplicity, but
remarkable expression and effect. Of
ten when going to and from the army
on the steamers and in his carriage, he
took a copy of Shakespeare with him,
and not unfrequently read aloud to his
associates. After conversing upon
public affairs, he would take up his
Shakespeare, and, addressing his com
panions, remark, "What do you say
now to a scene from Macbeth or Ham
let?" and then he would read aloud
scene after scene, never seeming tt
tire of the enjoyment. On the las'
Sunday of his life, as he was coming
up the Potomac, from his visit to City
Point and Richmond, he read many
extracts from Shakespeare. Among
other things, he read, with an accent
and feeling which no onewho heard hin
will ever forget, extracts from Macbeth
and among others the following:
duncan is in his grave;
After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well.
Treason has done his worst; nor steel
nor poison
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing
Can touch him further"
After "treason" had" done hi
worst" the friends who heard him OF
that occasion remembered that he rea'
that passage over twice, and with al
absorbed and peculiar manner. DiC
he feel mysterious presentiment Q
his approaching fate2
His conversation was suggestive
original, instructive and playful; an
and by its genial humor, fascinatin
and attractive beyond comparison
Mirthfulness and sadness were strong
" combined in him. His mirth wa
exuberant--it sparlded in jest, stor
and anecdote and the next momcr
those peculiarly sad, pathetic, melal
choly eyes showed man "familii
with sorrow and acquainted with grief
| have listened for hours at his taElt
and elsewhere, when he has been su
rounded by statesmen, military leader
and other great men Of the nation, an
/ | butrepeat the universally concurrin
verdict Of all in stating that as COZ
versationalist he had no equal. Or
might meet in company with him Il
most distinguished men, Of warrior
pursuits and professions, but aft
= listening for two or three hours, on SCI
arating it was what Lincoln had sa
-, that would be remembered. His ide
and his illustrations were those tn
would not be forgotten. Men oft
q called upon him for the pleasure Of Ii
. tening to him. Ihaye heard the rep
, to an invitation to attend the theatr
! mo, | am going up to the Viii
=, House; | would rather hear Linco
talk for half an hour than attend t
best theatre in the country" lisa
/. ~ Arpold.