New-York tribune., 1878-12-31
HONORS TO THE DEAD POET.


GEORGE WILLIAM cURTis-A REcEPnoN TO
PRESIDENT HAYES.
In cOmmemoratiOn of the death OF VIII
liam Cullen Bryant. the New York Historical
Society held meeting last evening in tho
Academy of Music. Among the large and
brilliant audience were the President and
Mrs. Hayes. Vice: president Wheeler, Secretary
Evarts Attorney General Devens, General
Sherman. and many other prominent persons.
The memorial address was delivered by George
William Curtis. A resolution of thanks to the
orator. proposed by President Barnard and Sec
onded by the Rev. DR.. r. s. Storrs was adopted.
After the meeting reception was given to
President Hayes at the residence of Frederick
dc Pcystcr.
THE AUDIENCE AND THE EXERCISES.
The Bryant Commemoration Meeting, under tho
auspices of the New-York Historical Society. drew
together last night Of the largest and most brill
liant audiences ever assembled in the Academy OF
Music. No tickets We're sold all being distributed
by members of the society. yet the Academy was
so crowded that standing room could scarcely
he obtained To the music of Grafulla's Band,
the members, with invited guests, marched down
the central aisle and upon the stage headed by
General Frederick de Peyster, President of the His
torical Society, who was accompanied by George
William Curtis and President Hayes. Among those
present were, Vce-President Wheeler. Secretary
Evarts, Attorney-General Deyens. General w.
T. Sherman, Major-General w. s. Hancock.
General b. II. BristOw, Bishop Potter ex'
Governor Z. ID. Morgan, President Barnard.
of Columbia College; Peter Cooper. Thur
low Weed, the Rev. Drs John Hall. i. II. Chapin,
Howard Crosby, Richard s. Storrs and William
Ormiston. Ex-Governor John T. Hoffman. Cyrus w.
ma. f.l.,, Ia.y tha
DIR. William Adams, William Walter Phelps, Pro-
fessor vincenza Botta, General Watson Webb.
Marshall O. Roberts. Chief-Justce Noah Davis,
Judgo Larremore, Judge Benedict, Professor Theo-
dore w. Dwight, Benson j. LOSING, Professor
Moses Colt Tyler. of the University of Michigan;
Edwards Pierrepont, Mayor Ely, Mayor
elect Cooper. Lieutenant-Governor Dorsheimer,
General Sharpe, Postmaster James. Judge Choate,
Cbauneey N. Depew. Surrogate GAVIN, Allan Alan
Prince Clinton Merriman. Collector Merritt, AI-
gustus sehel, Richard +. Lonnt, Thomas e;
b. .'R HichcocS. % Erastas Brooks, Henry C. Murphy.
f,. b. sherman, Colonel Andrew Warner, Wiliiam
Remsen, d. :. Babcock, the Rev Dr. samuel Us
6erst College, DR.. Willard Parker, Colonel Fry and
others. Parke Godwin and wife. aud Miss Bryant
and T. dan ocspSss Ss ss ses
man and the Misses Eyarts also occupied private
box .,n
Peyster, after which the Rev. DIR. Adams offered
prayer George William Curtis was then intro
duced to the audieuce, and delivered his discourse
on the Life, Character and Writings OF William
Cullen BRYANT. He occupied two hours III the de-
livery of his address, and was frequently applauded
ADDRESS OF GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS.
This great and distinguished assembly Is in
itself On imposing tribute memory Of an Iustroua
man. But even more than this presence OF gen.
ius and distinction of character and intelligence Is the
absence OF Citizen that venerable figure which mad
come to represent this community oil the civic graces
and virtues and from whose temperate lips on every oc'
cason Of literary and patriotic commemoratiOn OF po
i,ical emergency or Of public appeal, have been
cusomed hear the fitting words Of counsel OF encour
agement and consolation. When Cooper died. the rest
less city paused TO hear Bryants words OF praise and
turned Bryant. and was before this society and IN
this place that he told the story Of tvlngs life Now
early triumyirate Of American Literature, not less
nowned than the great trnmyrate OF american POLITICS.
hind but Of hrs early literary contemporaries The
venerable poet Dana friend OF Bryants youth ut an agV
prolonged beyond fourscorc and ten.
An And pS lSvsis ass ssTsps ss spanS an& SSrlssl ssv
the editor who pub shed "Thanatopsis" sixtyOne years
ago. its author join the inDumerabe caravan
aud lie down to pleasant dreams Bat thousand eio-
OF tho college and the club OF orator and poet from thd
seaeoss 70 The nave SPOKEN i"r n VINO sPSns
the Judgment OF his cOunrymen would be more immedi'
OF his character and career had become universally
familiar. like mountain or the sea. aud IN sprakng OF
register verdict already pronounced. patriarch Of
our literature and ~ nent sense tue oldest r Q,
terature finely sensitive to the influence OF nature.
sspecaIy ted It might be though fsr Scholarly secu.
sion the delights OF the strict literary ife But no
fowl through the rosy depth Of the glowing heaven and
| on the lonely New wEngland hills
| oekrbbed and ancient az the sum-
| ip opbn ty tbn
solemn decoration of mans tomh-the serious musine
eOuniryboy felt also the magic Of buman sympstny tho
! and the poet became dlstincyely an American aud
na run pa qan
doubling. giving and taking blows; stern often, re- re.
bed hero beyond the art Of Vulcan
forge the iark waters OF the syx to CHARM tho
ns Il pas.sa S' the ad9r pane
tisan. without re,axins the Xtai interest OF
ality rose above the clamOr. Of selfish ambition.
and In his life he reconcicd both in fact and pOp
usr imagnation, the seeming ineonpatblllty OF 1T
taste ana accomplishing ant superiority with
Mont Blanc above the clustering forests and tic roaring
and its towering sides the Crowhs of various
minge It is by no official title by no mere literary
iamc by signal or single service or work. no marvel
ous Lear TRANSPORTATION, no stroke or Statecraft
calling TO political life new world TO redress the bal.
Of e old no Teep
have been in his long lifetime genius more aluent and
creative, greater ren0wL, abilities more mandng,
careers more dazzling and romantic. But no n.aD
American living dead. has more truly and amply IL
Illustrated the scope and the ndey o republican citizen
| ship
Something OF this is explained by the time and place
birth, and the Influences that moulded his child
the close of the last century, his father Peter
BRYANT ana the son OF physician, followed
| the family OF hs future wife from Bridgewater, IN
westward the Connecticut and up
| into the Hampshire hills to Cummngton. where tho
first pioneer built his cabin scarcely thirty years
ore and there, In 1874 Bryant was born. Western
| Massachusetts, il high bill country, with secluded
| green valleys farming and grazing region, but every
little stream mill, and along the watercourses
the air huns the music of "a varied industry The