The New York herald., 1877-12-18
HONOR TO A POET.
A Banquet in Boston to John
G. Whittier.
HIS SEVENTEEN BIRTHDAY
Emerson, Longfellow, Holmes and
Others Present.
SPEECHES AND POEMS.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

By TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
BosroS. Dec IL 1877.
There have been few ovations Of a literary nature
that have brought together more generous nnd dis
tinguishcd company than assembled in this city
this evening in honor .of the scvcntieh birthday OF
John G. Whittier Tho complimentary testimonial took
place In the Hotel Brunswick where splendid ban
quct Was furnished between and ten O'Clock, tho
company participating numbering about eighty OF the
most distinguished poets aud lerateurs OF tho period
The hosts were the proprctors Of the atlantic Monthly
and many Of tho leading writers OF that celebrated
magazine wcrc among tho guests. Mr.. Ii. o. Hough-
ton was at the bead OF the taoc, and his righ, In
regular order were Mr. Whittier. Ralph Waldo Emer-
son, Henry W. LongfcIlow and Thomas W. Higg,nsoa
ana Mark TWAIN, and ON tho lett, Oliver wen-
dell Holmes, tho poet; Mr. Howell. Edward
Whippie, Colonel Boyle o'Reilly, OF the Pilot and
Edward Abbott, OF the Congregaslonaitst Among tho
others present William +. Apthorp. W II.
Bishop, William II. Baker. T. q. Rich, j. X. osgood,
s. J. Barrows, Sylvester Baxtor. H. +. Scuddcr, W.
H. McElroy, John Weiss, r. II. Stoddard and j. T.
Trowbridgo.
sorL.
II was exactly ten O'Clock the company had
finished tho superb banquet, aud then Mr.. Houghton
called tho company to order.
II. o. uoVGHToS.
Mr. II. o. Honghton made long aud Interesting
specch, ~ which no said, speaking OF publishers,
authors and contributors :: But III securing the
results there is need Of tho combination Of the best
business talent with the otticst efforts OF authorship
The grcat merit OF the first Napoleon In the eyes
Of literary men OF previous generation was
that ne mad threatened to shoot a publisher
possibly because that threat unexecutcd more than
Aus serlilz or Waterloo, indicated his courage but
II IS not my purpose, docs II become me,
fend publishers class against literary men. II
disposed do 1t here IT would be inprudent as
you are 200 many for me. There Is probably no
| business strictly legitimate 10 speculative and
M hul nj IN.
fishing books. Tho picture Of the dis
traugnt author with his massive p,lo OF manu-
scripts under his arm, ana his 'eycs In foe frenzy
rolling" is not more mirlh.provoking or truly har-
rowing in its effect upon tho locker than that Of
rowcd capital, strikes hands with HIM and down
and counts III advance the immense profits Of tho
scashore residences and all tho paraphernaIa
which wealth Is apt 10 inflct upon It's
posscssor But alas the result Is pretty sure to DO
loss ot capital, unpaid printers bills and the manu.
script which came scchna hot from tho brain OF tho
poor author has been transmitted into cold lead and
then consigned TO dungeon 10 a~at the famc oil the
resurrection day unless previously brought 10 bo
melted up III the cicctrotypers furnace. Publishing
aud authorship must necessarily keep pace with
other. However antagonisic they travel under tho
somc yoke " is only lew years since, not
1 only IN the country towns, but in the
cities, that pills poetry. essences aud essays
and drugs and dramas disburscd over the same
counter py tho same hands. On the process Of
material evolution 1t was, perhaps, logical that
cocton OF poetry should be followed by magazine OF
pills. The publisher OF tho lrst collected edition OF
OF pills. lie msdc fortune, and leave you
TO inier whether II was from the pills or tEo poets.
business Of publishing books has it's uses and It's
cesscs which not tho result Of ventures
but, as IN every other profession or calling only
secured by thorough knowledge plticnt labor and q
cicar conception oil the end 10 be attained.
Mr.. Hougnton conciuded with . brief and feeling
tribute alike modesty and talents and heart that
great friend Of humanity, John Grccnlear Whittier.
Round alter round OF applause followed Mr.. Housh-
meantime rising in response calls OF tho company,
MR. wHIrrIER's RESPONSE.
Tho cheers having subsidized SIR. Whittier, In clear
but faint voice, went TO say that no could
liver n speech tonight, but STILL in spite OF the thrcc
years and ten which had passed over his head,
he was glad 70 meet aud be welcomed by SO many
friends, all Of whom he had heard much Of from
their writings IN the magazines.
MIR. Whittier then called hts friend Lon gfollow
10 read what he termed to DO "a fcw verses" which
he had sent some days since. when he believed hts
health would not allow MIN to be present Mr.. Long
guished guest, INDUCED IN brief and humorous
speech, compmen entary TO tho Quaker poet.
Next In turn Mr.. Howes the editor o tho Atlantic
took the place as toastnaster, and alter few
moments OF Introductory language no introduced
VINO responded simply by reading n poem,
which Qikc tho ono read BY l.oogteliowh
special occasion. Thus i. was that tho real hero Of
the evening. while silent certain extent contrib
voice Of mis- associate bars i,onsieow and Emerson
Among the first wnoin Editor howclIs called up
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holiness who, instead OF aking
speech, oncrod OF tho finest poetioai crusons Of
his e its chief characteristics being tributes Long,
fellow, Emerson and Whittier.
Charles Elliott Norton pnid graceful tribute to
James Russell Lowell ana now the American Envoy
at Spain.
Mark Twain, when called upon, related ono OF his
experiences tho Pacific coast In which MessrA
Holmes, Whittier and Longfciow wero The chief
Jccts of his numerous allus,ons
H. IL Sloddard, OF New York, then read brief son.
not after which there wore bref speeches by Colonel
H'gcinson, Charles 4. Norton Mr. story. tho nrs's.
nearly an hour after midnight.
LETTERS REGRET
large number OF letters were received from prom
nen persons VINO had been invited, expressing regret
at their inability to BIO present. William q. Bryant
OF New York, says-
at would sivo great pleasure TO join in any
mode OF dong honor 10 nat eminent poet and excel
lent man; but can only thank you Tor that oppor,u-
nity without accepting It, since my occupation will
keep me here"
lived happy timc, and we have lcoied the time
carciessly, as they always do who live tho golden
world. surely, however little We may be OF
II, those who como alter Us Will reckon ior-
tunrtc, Tor whom Emerson aud Hawthorne
living voices and not echoes, however
sweet, from cloudy past. We have Longfcliow
and Bryant, Lowell ana Holmes, Judd and Thoreau,
anu whatever the future may nave IN store our
SUCCESSORS, II can ncvcr bring flowers Of sweeter
smell nor fruit OF better taste than these They
wet with the dow OF the morning and shine with its
grace.
.'some child will one day pross our hand In age and
say remembering Browning
All. did you oncc see whittier plain.
And did you speak TO him again
How strange u seems, aud new.
J. G. Holland says:-'l wonder II these old poets
LongfcIow anu Mr.. Whittier--apprcciatc tho benefit
thcy confer upon their follow ctixcus bv simply con-
sent,aE 10 i've among them old mcns DO they
krow how they nsip 10 save the American nation
fhat tnta Acss io0 Mt