The Portland daily press., 1882-12-14
Memorial to Longfellow in West
minister Abbey.

Memorial to LongfelloW III WeSt-
minister Abbey.
If is known to the readers of the PRESS that
in response to a request by eminent English
men the Dean Of Westminster has given per-
mission for the erection of memorial of Long
fellow in the Poets Corner, Westminster Alb
b. v, an honor awarded to no other foreigner.
The first committee list of these eminent Eng
lishmen is before us and includes the names of
men of the highest rank, among them the Arch
bishop of York, the Archbishop of Dublin, Earl
Granville, the Earls of Westminster, Derby,
Dufferin, SALISBURY, Chichester, Clarendon,
Leicester, Normonton, Rosslyn and Wharn-
cliffe, the Bishops of Durham, Bedford, Dover,
and S.. Adams, Lords Lyons, Napier, George
Hamilton, etc. Matthew Arnold, Prof. Lilo
mel S. Beale, Rev. Edward Bickersteth, Will
liam Black, Robert Buchanan, DIR. William B.
Carpenter, Canon Farrar, james A. Froude,
Thomas Hardy, Rev. Newman Hall, Dean
Howson, Thomas Hughes, W Holman Hunt
Jean Ingelow, Prof. Jewett, Sir John Lub-
book, Max Miller, Sir Henry c. Rawlinson,
Charles Reade, Alfred Tennyson, Prof. Tyn-
dali and many o. hers whose names are almost
as we'll known here as in England. To this
list was subsequently added the names of the
Prince of Wales and the Duke of Albany.
The proceedings of the first meeting, as re
ported in the London Times, have reached us.
and will interest our readers. The meeting
was held at the Marlborough rooms, Regent
street, London, November l. There was
large attendance Lord Braye presided.
The Chairman having briefly explained the
object of the meeting,
Canon Rowsell, in moving the first resolu-
| ton, appointing committee for securing the
presentation of a bust of the late Henry
| Wadsworth Longfellow to be placed in the
Poels' Corner of Westminster Abbey, said that
| they owed many things 10 the kindness and
cordiality OF the American people, and he be-
| lieyed that the feelings of heartness and love
| would grow and strengthen BY such an inter-
| change of triendlness as they proposed to
make.-Tbey owed a deep debt of gratitude
throughout all the English speaking people to
the great name of Longfellow, whose works
were not only in every library, but at every
| hearthside and in almost every English heart.
| Indeed, some of his sweet and earnest thoughts
| had taken their root and had been the origin
of better and nobler feelings in most of them.
He valued the noble life the poet had speLt,
| and he felt that it would not be honoring him
| so mucn as il would be honoring themselves
to have Longfellow within the circle of the
English speaking family in such place as
| w 6otu AUUSy. kOut6fS.J
! Lord Granville, in seconding the resolution,
said My lords, ladies and gentlemen,-I have
been re quested by those who have convened
this meeting to S. cond the resolution which
has been moved by Canon Rowsell, and have
| to ask myself in what capacity am asked to
be present on this occasion. There is physi-
cal reason which / am afraid You will not
think quite sufficient. That distinguished
writer, Mrs Btecher Stowe, in Charming
description she gave of one of her visits to this
hnxrt frvY aAKAfIg
quaintance she was glad to make, and am
happy TO say have he honor of being one of
those mentioned She was good enough to sa,
| it gave her pleasure because she saw striking
likeness in me to the poet Longfelow. Now,
| many OF you have had the advantage of Seeing
the poet or at all events of seeing pictures Of
him. You are aware his face is not only pic
turesque, but very good looking, so you cannon
doubt The accuracy of Mrs. Beecher Stowe.
lLaugbter0 That could be hardly the reason
/ am asked here. The mole obvious reason
that occurs to me l. that l have the honor to
represent the Foreign Office, and was thought
to be the natural person to represeh the cor
dial feelings OF this country in International
relations. have always thought one of the
best lessons to diplomatists, whether in the
United States or in any country in Europe, is
| to be found in the beautiful opening of 'Hia-
watha," in which Longfellow describes with
simplicity and grace the Great Spirit looking
down with sorrow and pity ON the feuds of
those below, then carving pipe out Of the
rock, and blowing through this pipe of peace
the vapors which restore peace and goodwill
among those beneath. Cheers am happy
10 say that, during even my life have seen
this feeling of good will and cordlaity wonder
fully increased, not only among politicians and
| the masses in the two countries, but among
men of letters. At one time the large propor-
ii, OF writer's from this country came back,
after visiting the United States, bringing with
them nothing but clever criticisms of what
they saw. But now no English or American
| writer of distinction visits the country of his
friends on the other side of the Atlantic with
out paying them their due tribute, and SO
| strengthening the feelings of admiration and
respect which they ought mutually to feel.
When, however, speak of international rela-
| tions am not SIRE there is not flaw in nv
| argument. Ii We had met here to do honor to
| one OF the great literary geniuses of France,
Germany, or any other country in Europe, it
would be strictly international affair." But
brothers as we are of the Americans in blood
| in religion, and in language, with one COM
mon law, and with the same passionate love of
freedom, Il is very difficult, although we are
perfectly distinct Iations, to look upon one
| another as mere foreigners. (Cheers.) TDat
| is noticeable in great as well as in small
| things. When incidents occur that Gre
ate excitement upon both sides of the Atlantic.
| and much big and high talk is rife, we remark
that at bottom both countries feel the impossi-
bility OF any serious difficulty, one lead
| ing to any really serious complca-
/
in smaller affairs. 1 believe that all well
hammered Epglishmen of any social attain
| ments give precedence to foreigners happening
| to visit them. But occasionally one hesitates
| in the instance of Americans, not from the
| slightest want of respect or of friendliness but
| simply from the fact that on hearing the famil-
lar introduction of Mr.. and Mrs added to sur-
| names either English, Irish or Scotch, one can
| hardly realize their belonging to foreigner.
| The poet Longielow died in the March of this
| year, and when he had passed away it seemed
| like the ceasing of exquisite music believe
| his loss is felt as much in tn country and in
our colonies as in the United States them
selves. / will lave to others to inquire wby
| Longfellow has attained sucn immense ponu-
lariy among all Englsh-speaking peoples.
But there is one thing perfectly obvious, and
| it is this-tbat no man ever more perfectly
blended genuine patriotism with cosmopolitan
| feeling. Cheers LoDgfellow was great
| lInguist, as we'll as great traveller, and with
| a mind impregnated with the legends of old.
| no poet before him ever presented to Europe
| ans the legends of his own American father
| land. There is one thing that strikes us all.
Like his life, bis poetry is imbued with the
| souDdest and healthiest morality, and these
are claims to an exceptional honour. The hon
our we purpose, is, believe, exceptional, and
| one that cannot be accorded even to English
| men save in the very rarest instances One
| point on which / may tell you I have not
deemed it right to take the Cabinets opinion
| is, that am prepared to help you as far as [
| can in giving honour to an American poet
| whose works we prize as greatly as we do the
| works of TennysOD, or the most valued poets
OF our time. loud Applause
The resolution was agreed to, and it was
further resolved to hold public meeting in
| the Lyceum Theatre on behalf of the memorj-
al at the earliest date deemed advisable by the
/ executive. The hon. treasurer Mr.. f. Ben
| poch, announced that $500 had already been