New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-19
BOSTON TOPICS.
,r,p.pv ,Nn Social GOSSIP.

pnArING AN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND
ARCmEs-rnE FEBRUARY ATLANTIC "-ELLC-
TON OF SOCIETY AND CLUB OFFICERS.
,v,ov AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRrBuNEl
BosToN Jan. 15-Boston is much gwen 10 cups
that have a mission are based on an idea. mus
the Art Club the Agricultural Club, the Conihei
eial Club the Women's Club. the Radical Club, the
Antiquarian Club.-thc character OF these Is more
or less clearly indicated by the name Ihen tnere
are the Apollo the Cecilia the Boylston Tue
Euterpc-these and ever many more are COM
posed of musical or dramatic people. The Brd' tne
Banks, the Middesex, and the MASSACHUSETTS,
these are ali semi-politica though their ohiy "V-
parent end and aim is to eat weekly oihhcr "'
Parker's or Youngs. But of purely social cluoS'
organizations for the promotion OF good Ieho"S"P
in any general and comprehensive sense. BOSTON n's
no great share. OF course there are scores anu
scores of small and delightful neighborhood ciuns
of social character bat am speaking of bodies OF
oentlemen large enough and strong enough 10 in-
fuence the currents Of city life to some extent
When the Union and the Somerset and the LEM
ME and the Papyrus arc named, Tue HsV 10
abous exhausted, and am not even sure tnaV ~
sbonld include more than two OF these. Hence
there is ample room and verge 1or ihe nc" -.
Rotolnh club-jndeed its makeup is such that IL
can hardly avoid being beneficial to the c''y' IL
organizes with about 260 members, and limits us
Numbers TO 800 While there are good many
names that one IS surprised to from the list OF
poombersbip nobody will deny that 1T begins us
career with a company of gentlemen OF very hlgh
standing With Francis Parkman as president
John Lowell and Martin Brimmer as vice-presi-
dents James NJ. Bugbee as secretary ana STRONG
Committee on Elections, the success OF the organ
ization is assured from the start. Among us mem
bers recognize the president, two vice-presideh's
and fonr directors of the Union Club; two wee
ao,ff a.
set Club; the president, the viceprosident ana
fopr members of the Executive COmmittee OF the
Papvrus Club: the president and FIVE of the EXecu-
five Committee of the Art Club. 1t costs 500 al
mission fec aud 500 yearly assessment TO oeiohg
TO the Somerset or the Temple, and $lOO admission
with $50 annually TO be a member OF the Ohion
Az the ST B,tolph exaets but $40 for entrance and
$50 as yearly tax, it is likely to draw somewhat
from the older clubs, and is certain TO leave an OPP
portunity to admit good many gentlemen OF
brains and a clubable disposition whose bank ac-
counts are not large
Perhaps | may venture to give you the Outline
facts of literary enterprise of considerable magni-
tude and interest which has lately been undertaken
here While Boston has produced and nurtured
many historical writers of high rank, VINO
have enriched the literature of the world with
works long to endure and be praised, size is yet
without what can be offered to the student or the
general reader as a complete history OF heISeH'
Drake. shurtleff. FrothiSgham and others have
written satisfactorily within the bounds they set Tor
themselves; but q city which celebrates the two
hundred and fftieth anniversary of its settlement
mn the I7th of September next ought to
have the story of its beginning and growth
and DEVELOPMENT put down with consecutive
and harmonious fulness. This. at least IS the view
of considerable number of able and conscientious
gentlemen who have carefully considered the sub
ject and agreed to unite in the preparation OF what
il is hoped may prove worthy of common acceptance
as History of Boston. My understanding Is that
the scheme originates with Mr.. c., F. Jewett, who,
with his associates, has recently published HIS
tory of Worcester County in two great quario vol
umes The new History of Boston is to be printed
IN four octave volumes of about 500 pages each,
and the work is already so far advanced that Mr.
Jewett homes TO issue the first volume early nextFa
and the remaining three before the end of another
year. The striking feature of the undertaking Is
that the protector has sought to place each we'll
marked section of the history in the hands OF some
one specially qualified 10 write on that particular
subject and that unity and harmony are 10 De given
10 the work by the labors OF corps OF edtors con-
sistng of Mr.. Justin Winsor the Kew Edwaiu Ey-
erett Hale, and DR.. Samuel Green. lr Wlnsors
ors reeent duty as Librarian Of Harvard Unver
elty have made him thoroughly familiar WITH mat
tiers pertaining to the Boston OF yeserGay AZ
man Of wide reading and study Bostonian in every
fibre of his being. and good deal OF an ANTIGUA
c rlaT phTscSn, one of the leading members of the
Historical Society. with vigorous and tralned ~,
tellect and genius for getting the plth out OF Ola
naners and records Without positive information
on that point Ipresume it falls 10 MI WinSor TO
write the concise historcar sKe ; ,,nJnubtsdv
open Among the twenty-five or thirty gentlemen
who contribute to ne s HON g" Ro 5e e
throp DR. George f. Ellis, who has capital stuuy
of Puritan Boston" n the f9rthe3mns february
lain SUPERINTENDENT of the Public Library
Boyle ORcily, the Editor Of Ihe Plot Pro-
fessors Gray and ShaeT OF a setv pra.,.
dent Quincy. of the Antiquarian Club, etc. Prob
ably the two Harvard professors are 10 wrte chap-
ferS on the Floral and Geological history OF the city
and its ne1ehborhoOd / hear that Mr.. Parkman
was invited to JOIN in the enterprise, but was
obliged to decline because OF his health ana OF oicr
Otter celebration of Quarter-millennial than
the production of this great history we saali OF OF
Samuel Adams and Governor Winthrop, cut
i in marble by Miss Whitney and Mr.. Green
nsh Na dE t1' sisdS at
be finished and delivered to the city by
the LIST of September, and the Mayor
IS undoubtedly correct in believing that the Coun-
ellis will deem it appropriate TO dedicate them on
natal day Where the Win,nIop WI, be p sHt
In the neiglborho0d of Dock Square. Both are paid
for from the fund left by Jonathan Phillips for the
adornmeDt OF the CITY. mere las peou souio ' an
of grand commemorative arch. to be set up on the
Back Bay, paid for by private subscription IN part
M least and dedicated with pomp and ceremony on
the coming anniversary. The matter Is now IN the
hands of architects aud engineers, DeleVe, lol
something more definite as to plans and cost than
has vet been furnished The Mayor also suggests
in his inaugural address, aud The Advertiser heartily
nnnroves f6e idea that il would be well 70 publish
In y memorial volume some of the hitherto un
printed records of our early town meetings aho
other municipal transactions. .
The February number of The atlantic VIII De ~
sued early next week. II gives one of Mr. Longiel
lows exquisite little poems entitled Helen o.