New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-05
THE ENGLISH FOLK.
rrCTIRE BY EDWARD A. FREEMAN.

III ,y,rd hlew the snow last nlght alou"
oroor Of EIrhteenth-st and Fifth-ave, anu p''' w.
entrance Of Chickerlng Hall with terrihc ioio' r.,
Edward 4 Freeman, of Oxford I'M A.. &C.
land the historian, was to deh>oi 1T, IS
coprse If three lectures there under 'no 'J tho
tho New-York Free Circulating Llo'''S -,
L. ar f,rr hundred persons VINO oIaNou ' ~
'hieo vi ' :.s into the lobby of the hall to get
|alh ,t,pc blast and the binding SNOW Inc
o'' Va - e. Tho Lecture was $50, but most OF the
' N oront of this. came hall an houf
", we're comfortably seated III the audlto-
''i.,>, t tbat tIme Then followed drcary season
e ,r.it,nc IL was twenty-five minutes TO y wheh
~. Fr.emon came in al the front entrance ana
% the drcSsinC-room. 4 moment afterwaTd
uenrv F. Pcllew advanced upon the stage. followed
L- +be lecturer who took a seat in the rear.
Mr. PeIlew said it gave him great pleasure to in
trolnce so distinguished lecturer to the audience.
The New-Yorl Free Crcu a-ing Library had been
leaking recently for some one to present il to the
public in satisfactory way, and the person looked
for he thought. had been found in DR.. Freeman.
The lecturer had been in the country some time.
The citizens of New York had heard of him at diff
f emf places and they had begun TO be afraid that
they should lose hm entirely. They had caught
the historian at last, although in asnowstorm which
mad kept many persons from attending the lecture
A, Dr. Freeman was to deliver two other adj
dresses. however all would have an opportunity 10
hear him. II was the duty of library. Mr.. Pellcw
thought, to place literature of a high order within
the reach of the people, and the Circulating Library
hal done tins in securing DIR. Freeman to lecture.
The library Ind received two muntcent gifts re-
Gently $4,000 from John Jacob Aston, and $1,000
from Mrs Benjamin IL. Field. which encouraged ITS
proeenitors greatly and made them hope that other
citizens would follow the example set them.
MIR. pc,rw having ceased. DR.. Freeman came for
word and bean to read his lecture. lie is man
of about five feet six inches IN height, and very
,hick-sct. His face Is pleasant, AMI hc has bright
,-ru,Ish eyes. His hair is very light brown and
yyas bru,h carcicssly. An enormous brown beard
tnued with gray * ended far down upon his chest.
lie kept his eyes fixed on his manuscript most OF the
time. using 10 gestures. The lecture was a comhi-
nation cf two he had given IN various cities and 1t
...,,,oI to IN ie much of Dr. Freemans time to de
eide what parts OF the enormous manuscript he
sbonld leave ont. His voice is not unpleas mt III
conv rsaion but he had to force it to ill the hail
aud it sounded husky. As the lecturer pre-
vented from making gestures with his hands by the
close attention which he had to pay 10 his manu-
SCRIPT, he occasionally relieved his feelings by hit
Ing one foot slightly in the air. Freeman wore the
conventional dress suit, but black tie and black
s.lrt studs The subject of DR.. Frcemans three
lectures is 1.-THE ENGLISH People in their Three
Homcs0 and OF the first which was delivered last
might. " Old Middle and New England The read
In lasted about al hour and quarter and was as
follows:
LADIES AND GrN1LEMES: The subject upon which |
ai.. soiu. to speak THIS evening Is one wuch cannot
ca.' ticmc M my hands or in my own iand 1t Is
your land. have been through several parts OF the
Esatern division OF your G3nn4ent and nave soHGn
r eg"rs Which mark il the history and character
of e.
history character points OF which are character
ich j. common TO al has 10 be treated in somewhat
different WAY great cities than in another
some things winch are true ana appIorate ana ac,cE,
able place, not always exactly True or exactly
l lnd mat nave 10 Iudnc ,sO'uc Hl.'e
notifications Of my general subject IN almost every
place that come T." and especially In this great state
OF yours, Whch mas Hdikcu CLI'tttI duu n'Aio VI
is own; this great city OF YOURS, winch has again
tie body OF the state, in some other things
having separate character OF MS own I'm
huth Of those, / lind that | have to look at things
ID n somewhat different way from when ana speaking
either To the north OF YOU or to the south OF yon
spoke at Boston, or That spoke at Baltimore ha'
wlch Ihc most appropriate at Bosr0n, would have
had very i,ie meaning at Baltimore;
Iiu in all places have had 10 deal with general
subject, and l nave TO stand before You in the
same character in all of them. | stand before
yon member of one great community
addressing members OF another sreat comnumlyi
both Of which have equal rlght in common historical
possession And That common isioiicai pos Is no
The laws, the freedom, OF the English FOLK; from the
anv gl,mpses Of the English folk in any Of
the homes which they have made Their OVID
6n IN the Snf GH5e are re, ng Tr re
thItewhiCh stand forth conspicuous above all others
TIE THEME IL CENTRAL.
have them generally 10 speak OF the English people
IN its three homes; and of those three homes tnnk
yon will understand the feelings with winch say that
aui now standing in the latest and i'll the vastest.
have sometimes said sportycy, and yet
have TO speak of is Old Middle ana New-EugInd There
j. a phrase which has special force in some parts OF
your country, but which in its strict aud literal mean
ing is inappncablc others. ] cannot here. in the
FneIagd cannot speak Of New England go to tine
south of YOU SIN less could III any stic'hess, speak OF
NewEusland here where II go back TO past daays,
shall 1ud not New England, but name OF winch sGa
have TO speak often agIn-NeW-Nethe sui
think if / do speak III tue sriCtcst sense OF New
Ihoi conury north central and SOUTH as in a certain
sense, New England; "a an England newer than
the one FROM when myself have come
tIry the NewEngland OF the Eighteenth, can AFFORD to
allow me- for the at least 10 extend its name TO
side OF the ocean Tue Ncw-England OF which have
speak, i'll its relations to the cider Lngianl,
United states of America
Engandthe England which is my own home and birth
place. And IL is Of the ties which Dnd TINS newer Eng
land the older which bind the older England 10
this one that have mainly 10 speak before you
have speak OF all things the past ana present when
set fOrjh tnoSc TWO great anu
Sounger-as alike members OF one yet greater whole
have set forth whatever can serve 10 draw together
the two communities aud those who form them-what-
ever can 10 draw the greater child TO It's elder
parent the elder parent 10 ITS greater enid.
1Appause have to enlarge on all that can
draw together those whom geographical posi-.
ton whom historical destiny has parted asunder
into two distinct political societies, but VINO ought slll
10 deem themselves one as brethren in higher
brotherhood, ancient born OF one stock, speak
ing one ancient tongue, sharers under DIR
feient forms in one ancient freedOm-a freedom
That has been struggled for and won by the common
torcfathers Of both All this Is part OF my sublsci-S
highest and wOrthest part. But is not the whole OF
nv subject; tits not in historical order its earliest part
III ask YOU this England TO look back to the
older / have 10 ask that older England In It's turn
look back in the like II call on you here in