Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-23
Setter from Boston.


LECTURE THE ENGLISH ON AMERICAN ulsroBY
BosroN, May -, 1879.
| don't know whether the season has any
thing TO do with it, but certainly there is
new charm in John Buuoughs's latest book,
"Locusts aud Wild Honey" read in these
days when the earth is just springing to new
life ia her yearly resurrection. Never, since
Thortau, has any one written so lovingly of
nature and natural things. lie is Il genuine
worslipper, and his very worship has given
hn knowledge of her and her ways, which
are never mysterious to him lluughton ~
Osgood have just published this book in
pretty binding, and the most attractive Of
print The list of contents for the next mum
Der of the Atlantic is out, and it certainly is II
very promising one. Howell, Dudley War
ner and Aldrich have each paper, there are
several fine poems promised, Irene, the mis-
sionary" is continued, and there will be in
teresting papers on many subjects. If the
names of the writer's 60 for anything, the
number will be unusually brilliant
There's no longer any doubt as to the sea-
son. Dandelions are in blossom and the
white expanse of the circus tent is seen over
the land. On every available board and wall
are huge, flaming posters depicting forocious
beasts with savage eyes, and wide open
mouths, beautiful women and athletic men
poising on one toe ON the bare back of a fiery
sterd, or holding by the mouth a trapezc bar.
while another person hangs by his feet. We
are all going to the circus. of course we are.
|, for one, would not miss it. never feel
quite sure of the approach of summer until
I've been to circus. The evidence of my
own senses is not enough. l must have the
clowns jokes, the assurance of the tan and
sawdust. by the same token" the anniy,r-
saries are approaching. Barnum always
comes on anniversary week, and he has an
nounced his appearance for the 10Th What
there is i'll common between religious festi-
walls, philanthropic aud reformatory symposi-
ums and 'thc great moral show" | am at Il
loss to discover but there must be something
for the philanthropists and reformers and
Barnum always put i'll an appearance togeth-
en-.
l didn't believe that "Pinafore" by any
possible means could be made to seem fresh
and new again, so completely had We been
overwhelmed by it; but it WAS dcliciously
funny to hear it sung 10y company of young
sters at the Museum to-day | must confess
l was astonished at the sang .tfoid exhibited
by the mites, and delighted with their sing
ing. The large audience, which included
some of Boston's best people, were convulsed
over the atoms. Fritz Williams, the son of
Mr.. Fred Williams, the dramatist, and for so
1,,,. A..
was the ddmirdl, aud a very fine one, too
His stiff dignity and official air was the very
height of absurdty in such a little fellow. 1t
was quite evident hc had made Il careful
study of the part. Willie Lee, the wonder
full boy soprano, was tine Rac6stydr, and he
sung most superbly Miss Ida Mile made a
nice little J0sephiHe and as for little Corinne
Kimball, the Buttercup of the occasion, she
was too much for the gravity of any audience
believe she is five years old, and she is small
of her age; but, goodness what q voice
1t is all out of proportion to her size then
she's such a consummate little actress, and
the way she makes eyes at Captain CorcOrau
is the funniest thing ever saw. But fancy
the sensation when this epitome turns to the
Captain and says in the most coaxing, sympa-
thetic manner, ''Confide in me l am moth
er." 1t was very ecstacy of mirth which
sezed the house. Nothing ever was or could
be funnier The "Pinafore" is given after
moons only, SO the children are not wearied
by late hours. There was a report that little
Zoe Tuttle was to be the JOSephiHe, but l
have an idea that Mamma Tuttle held her
services too high, at any event after the very
first her name was dropped.
think that many ladies who are interested
in art embroideries, and live too far from
town to be able to avail themselves of the in
struction offered there, will be very glad to
learn that Miss Lucretia p. Hale has prepar-
ed, and S. W. Tilton has published, series
of books upon plain and art needlework and
lace making, which, by the way, is becoming
a very fashionable employment. These books
contain very explicit directions, and any one
at all skilful with the needle could learn
from them without the assistance of a teach
er A young friend of mine has utilized her
knowledge of embroidery in a very pretty
way. She has dress of striped camels hair
in the new gen ddJmes shade, trimmed with
satin revers and cuffs and on these are en-
broidered peacock's feathers in the natural
colors. A bag to hang on the arm has two
feathers carelessly crossed, embroidered up
ON it. The effect is most bric-A- bracish and
quaint. At present this same young lady is
engaged in embroidering sprays of golden
rod on her parasol. There's so many things
one can do for themselves towards making
their toilettes pretty, if they know how to
work. and have to any degree the power of
adaphbility.
l attended one of the prettiest little enter
tainments, one evening last week, that have
ever been to. 1t was given by party of four
persons calling themselves "The Rivals"
The entertainment was miscellaneous in char
acter and included dialect readings, imporson-
ations, and vocal and instrumental music.
The artists were Mrs. Eleann Meredith Smith,
Mr., William II. Sayward, Master William II.
Lee, and Mr.. Frank L. Glider. The even
ness of the performance was one of its charms;
while no two of the members of the company
do anything at all alike in character, they all
approximate each other in merit. l never
heard "A finer dialect reader than Mrs. Smith.
| think Mr.. e. p. Whipple the essayist, sum
med up her merits the most concisely when
he said, 1T is a rare pleasure to fud an ar
tist who, with such genuine sense of humor
is so exquisitely refined, and 90 perfect Ia
dy." Mr.. Sayward's impersonations are de-
lightful they are so natural and SO well sus-
tanned, and so free from caricature. Willie
Lee is a marvel, and Mr., Glider one of the
most popular pianists of the day. This style
of entertainment is sure to be the popular one
next season. The public is tired of the stere-
otyped concert and the never varying lecture
they want to be amused, and they demand di-
versity "The Rivals" has just been organ
lied by the New England Bureau, which, by
the way, is putting several fresh combina-
tions into the field.
Mr.. John Fiske, of Harvard, is going to
England to give his series of lectures on
I l.. 10