Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-29

Of political excitements. They were
marked by the admission of Texas. the
Mexican war, fierce and acrimonious dis
cussions of slavery, and change of I'D
miuistrations. IL his general convictions
as to measures and policy Mr.. Marsh was
very clear and firm, but he was no parti-
IAN. To matters of interest to his State
or TO the nation he gave himself with
characteristic fidelity, aud to some with
deep personal interest. In becoming a
statesman he did not forget to be schol-
ar. and one of the measures which inter
ested him deeply was that for establish
ing the Smithsonian Institution. These
efforts of Mr. Marsh and Mr.. Choate,
and others like them, to secure at least |
one library i'll this country adequate to
| the needs of scholars, were not immcdi- |
atcly successful, but they stimulated 9th
er minds, they directed the thoughts Of
Legislators and guided the beneticence OF
the rich ; and now thanks to the wisdom
Of the national government and some of
the States, thanks to the liberality Of our
Astors, Batcscs and Peabodys, this aid to
independent investigation is at least i'll
part supplied. In 1913 Mr.. Marsh made
an able speech with reference 10 slavery
in the remote territories of New Mexico,
| ChlllOrnlu anu oregon,
| j should not omit to notice here an eX-
tremelv instructive address before the
Burlington Mechanics Institrtesi 1913,
and another in the same year before the
Literary Societies of Union College, on
The American Historical School also. nm
admirable discourse on Human Knowl-
edge delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa
Society at Cambridge, i'll 1877 But the
limits of the occasion forbid us to liuger.
Like all his addresses, these were tie pro-
duct of full mind, many SIZED, aud will
repay careful study.
Mr.. Marsh useful services in the House
of Representatives were ended in 1919,
when, to the honor of the government,
he received the appointment of Minister
Resident in Turkey.
The speaker then reviewed very fully,
approximately and admirably the diplo-
matte and literary career of Nj. Marsh,
and closed as follows:
1t is hardly necessary aud yet it may be
proper to turn for 4 moment from the
more public services whether in letters
or legislation or diplomacy, to gather i'll
to narrower circle as about the hearth
; stone Of the man whose works and scrvi-
ces We have spoken. There will be moth
ing in that inner life TO tiisappoint u.s.
; As he appeared, SO lie was. THE great
end of human life, lie once said lis not
to 10 but to be-" The first characteristic
: Of his life, 1 should say, was profound
love Of the truth and answering loyalty
to it, This perlHeated his very being,
controlled his opinions you see ii in his
} speeches, you hear it III his words, you
read it in his books. He was athirst for
knowledge, for the reality and not for the
1 appearance He sought for it as one seeks
forbidden pleasure ms pilgrim bound
for the holy land. He endeavored to
/ reach the truth by the shortest and most
l direct method. and no uncertainty would
3 content him, when w additional labor,
, investigation or thought he could relieve
= his doubts. and with similar directness he
e impaired knowledge.
His sty!: was simple, without yerbiaga
and without rhetorical artfice, clear i'll its
purpose and going straight to its end,
but eloquent with the force OF sincere con
viction. His mind was productive rs
b well as accumulative, and grew not Ivy nc.
: erection merely but by development. His
: tastes were versatile, He received ex-
: quisiio pleasure from music He studied
painting and sculpture ana architecture.
He loved the forest and the mountains
5 and the sea-shorc. He sowed beside al
, waters and gathered his haivests i'll every
: cline. He sometimes lived for weeks
almost exclusively in the open air, walk
1 ing long distances and elm bling higl
', mountains, scarcely rcadina OF writing Al
u ALL and then for months he would bt
s entirely cngrossed in official and literary
/ work and would with difficulty be per
c shaded to take even moderate amount
+ OF exercise. He always insisted that hi
t best literary woti. wn- done after consider
c able periods Of outdoor tic with entire
c rest Of brain, and then, when his mcnta
o powers were actively occupied, physica
: exercise was neither necessary nor usefu
4 to HIN. His mental faculties were il
g clear activity to the end. 1t could at nj
u time be said OF him, IL words which III
: once quoted rs finely applied TO one o
y the greatest lawyers. that "ilis learning
= had passed ont of his memory into hi
C Judgment" for to the last he seemed
/ never to forget or TO fail in the full com
|. mand Of his resources But 1t was tru,
d that he did ret seek knowledge for an,
r inferior end, from vanity OF ambition, bu
l. with reference to liz highest uses for thu
is elevation of the soul, for the comfort an,
l. help of man.
= The nobler ends OF study lie well de
% fined in his discourse on Human Knowl
i edge HE that seeketh knowledge,
'e he said "that lie may thereby erect him
e self above his fellowrmen or subdu
y things, organized or inorganic, to his Owl
g private material uses, shall never fluid it
W He may learn much of the springs of de
!, PRAYED human action, much of the art
~ that enable the weak to control the strong
y the few TO profit by the slavery of tn
mauy-much OF the adaptation Of exter
l. nal means to selfish ends but he shoul,
rs never attain to the lofty goal of the genu
), inc scholar, the possession of the powe
)f which is alone the true expression OF til
D. highest Lnman knowledge, the power
&c namely. to reign supreme over himself
ct 20 resist evil impulses from within an'
l. base temptations from without, to subdu
t, his passions 10 his will, his will to hi
70 reason and his conscience. Work ing as h
l. did with this spirit, you could rot but b.
II impressed with the genuineness OF til
>. man through every fiber of his being.
/, was this moral element which imparte,
ii force to lis diplomacy and weight to hi
words and opinions, which gives substan
/ tial excellence to his judgments in letter
7 and art. Language was not with him n
=! the froncn ulpl0Mntlst Is SAID 10 nav
Re called it, an instrument to concea
d thought, but that living instrumen
he through which his deepest conviction
II Lurst out into expression, through whicl
r, his very soul became visible and tangible
I, His mind was many sided and as h
r sympathized with all learning, go he wa
4 the friend of all lovers Of learning AM
l. genuine scholars.
j. In manner he was grave, but with a flo,
10 of quiet humor,-with strangers reserved