New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-22

Webster
declares that Webster's attitude in accepting largo
and countless gifts from has friends ana admirers
was that Of a feudal baron:
lie protected his supporters interests as the baron
did his pea>antrv, and then levied trlnuts lr2W
them. The baron took what he wanted WIN Ihe
armed hand. Webster took what he wanted ny ms
services, his Oycrshadowlns pc'oo1aitE anu MS
great intellect and at a hitting moment a."noWI-
edged the aid by magnificent compliment 10 vie
donors individually or collectively. ne y Ihc'Plo
in the two cases was about the same. il was Ialhel
predatory aud very wrong aud unh'cphIlE' oul IL
was not 4 Question of improper ll'u'hrri II was
SIMPLY a stain upon the character OF Il great man.
His mind was not profoundly original, nor did he
have that unknown subtle quality hteF met WIN
among statesmen or lawyers, hut To be iouud I'D
poets and artists. which men nave agreed 10 can
genius We watch the fettS OF some superb dll-
lee. AMI all that b" does Is npo,s9I, ~ u, III
beyOni orr reach: hut we understand now every
thing IL done and what muscles are needed we
observe the performances oi an eastern Jusg'tr' We
see the results, We appreciate me s"liI, Dut thes
secret Of the trick escapes u.s. rus is 'tu' a>o III
m .ntal operations; It Is the difference between the
mind If Shakespeare AMI that OF mt difference.
not u degree, but of kind. Webster belongs 10 the
athletes We can do nuthlng but lmic arhltve-
mcntS 50 far beyond our grasp, ana gaze WIN
wonder upon a Development 50 powerful, 50 tIaIh'u
80 splendid. But we eau understand U aI! h"th INC
mind and It's OPERATIONS. II j. intellect raised 10 any
power Won please, bni u IS still IN lntelltcl lorH
an process with which we are familiar mere Is
none of the haung seight Of hand, The ncNphcdDie
intuitiOnS of genus.
lie had perfect readiness in reply aud swftnes' in
attack or defence, great command OF facts, ana an
obedicub and TcteutiVG memory. JIG was hiN''
maker of epjgTams or y master OF keen rctorI' ana
never induced m parliamentary fencing. lie ~
NOT come upon the field like the modern duest.
trusting only TO skill in the use Of thIn. hrNne
pniltrd STRIP Of steel out. like the knight nl oldt
time he rode into the tournament IN full p1nopY oi
cnltriIng armor and with wcllpois"d lance, bear
inp down his opponents by force, wClght HHu an
dress. and never shrinking from lhc iuII Shlth VI
arms. In one respect Mr.. Wchst'rs career as a
dcbatcr and orator is peculiar. He never, sINr III
one memorable instance when ln9rrs'lI. OF I'enh-
sylvana, and DlcIlnson of New oIk' aS,alIru MS
lnfcg Tty. gave way 10 dcnnnciaton 81 MS opP'-
urutS The temptation must have been great 10
man of Webster powers to indulge ~ peisolal
attacks but Ee always r'Iumcd, anu ustu .ne
dangerous weapon Of mvrct.Vc only against argu-
rupnt~ and principles. With his opponents he en-
ployed cold. diguicd, rather arsu tentative ana
very effective sarcasm, which sugsnS AlyIle' us III
the case of Mr.. laync Yet this sarcasm has not Inc
bitterness which CoWmrndS It's Yct.m ~ the
listeners pity but has rather beneath ITS gravity
throb of laughter and 4 sense OF the IlulCuiGus
which keep the heaiers ~ sympathy with inc
orator This grave sarcasm, with subtle mingllng
of rldlculc and amusement, appears very strongly
in CiceroS OratlonS against MO, ana CLOSELY re-
semblr~ the same tTat III Webster II would uc
difficult TO say why he Wa so ~arug lu the WAY 81
humor pure and simnc; certainly from no natural
defect for II aboundS IN his private letters from
the first rxubeTant cplsfes Of youth down to the
last uttrrauccs the days OF age AMI diSappOiuL.
ment while with those nearest 10 hun the spirit Cl
however, Webster vas very grave and dignihed
and this grave dignity waNcd ever more lofty and
solemn rs he advanced in years and fame
He was assurcdy most Ike the great models of
antiquity, ana tins fact takes him at once out oil
ra, Qc of The fervors of Continental oTatory. Fox
AMI Webster most nearly resemble each other, for
both possessed that which IN the former was again
and again described as a "manIy cloduence.'
Burke was more prOInuni, more mctaphysltal
richer more various than Webster. but no one ever
said of Webster what Goldsmith did of Burke:
"Who, too deep for his hearers, still went on rer-
Ing,
Ana thought of convincing while they thought OF
dining
Webster. again, was less splendid than Sheridan.
but many of the glitterIng sentences of the
" Begnms look very dim now, and the tnse of the
" greatest speech of the age has tarnShcd sadly,
while Websier's classical simplicity is n pnre fresh
and glowing when the words were uttered.
Mr. +. 2. Whipple in an article on Mr.. Richard
Grant White. reminds his readers that in our esti-
mate of the position of an American man of letters
we are apt to overlook what may have boon his
daily literary occupation and what should be his
title to rank:
Take IN illustration. Bryant His original poems
occupy moderate octave volume. and his translation
of Homer two octayos more; but OF his forty years
labor on The Aeu- York LreHiHg POST in Which the
pth and force of his mind were lavshed on what
we call eDhemeral topics, We remember nothing.
though probably his best intellectual activity was
in writing, day alter day, lcadcrs" on subjects
vs. cn they referred To matters of pressing Iubic
Goubticss dId much to give night di
rectiOn to pubic opinion III important JunctnreS.
lake George Ripley. There may be a volume or
two under his NAME which give him a position
among American authors; but the immense work ne
did as the literary critic OF 1HE NEW YORK
TRIBUNE, IN which all the resources OF his powerful
mind, wide scholarship and genial nature were
devoted 10 seemingly periShing articles on ne"
bODkS. is comparatively forgotten, though he was
moi OF lously n lar greater man than most of the
writer's OF the volumes he cOLdesCended To review.
Take George William Curtts For many years ne
ttap AZ
PLAYING exquisite literary workmanship, Tor Hdr- !
peJs Mdgdzme under the leading title of The Edl-
tors Easy Chair. Every cultivated rcaIer Of that
excellent and widely circulated periodical turns IN
stnctvely to Curtss department rs soon a a num-
Der issued. selection from these charming |
essays would I'll more volumes than Addi'nns con
trbuiOns tor he NpectGfOr, and would now be much
more attractive than Addisons because they relate
10 SUBJECTS winch inter- the England and America
OF to-day. Yet AT Curtis is still represented rs an
American author by few volumes. which, however |
good IN their kind convey no adequate lic3 OF the
force Of his character of the rpencss OF his culture
Of the variety OF subjects on winch he ventures 10
give intelligent opinions, and OF the sweet p'r>ua- |
-ivenrss of ms method in discussing cuntTOyered |
tonlcS He among the first To adopt unpopular |
by the beautiful uTlanty of nature with which ne |
has enforced their claims on public attention; and |
he has managed to lnsnuate into minds most Ieluc-
tant to receive new ideas-espeGiaIty whrh stornei
in upon them according to the violent method |
adopted by most earnest relOrHcrS-a whole colo |
IF novel opinions This he has done by the airy |
Ease and elegance of express on with which he |
warns fashionable people that they VIII lose ton If
they continue 10 resist principle, which have be-
come accept, by the Acknowledged leaders of |
society. lie has not only conquered genulty, but |
made philanthropy gentcel. Among these four
i've hundred bret essays, there are 50 delicious |
criticisms art and literature, on great authors.
composers singers, actors and musicians; there are
memories of travel III foreign lands recording fine
and exceptional experiences; aud there are lttlo
suggestive treatlses on matters Of domestic aud
business llic which appeal directly 10 our homely |
good sense. Indeed. whatever NAV he the suhect
Dn which he diScOurses, his manner of doing il
leaves on our minds the impression of certain in
lclinablc grace and charm. Yet Mr. Curtis has
never cOndcscended 10 gather into volumes even a
selection from these delightful products of his mind
We might 90 on euumcTating other men, some of
hem very obscure indeed. who make no pretension