New-York tribune., 1884-01-27
PTBLIC SPIRIT.

| IF the dead observe the proceedings of then
| survivors, and if we retain in the next world
the tempcramcnts which belonged to us in this,
how astOnishcd the spirit of Julius Hallgarten
must have been by the memorial service held
in honor of the mortal IIallgartcn last Thursday
afternoon. We can almost imagine the clear
and gentle eyes expanding with wonder and
the face flushing with embarrassment Gf
ghostly faces flush, as the modest
gentleman looked in at Stcinway Hall,
and saw multitude collecting in the driving
storm to celebrate his good deeds, and the great
Philharmonic Society over which he once pre-
sided paying to his memory the rare tribute of
musical mourning. 1t was one of the most
charming characteristics of julius HallgaItcn
that he seemed to be unconscious Of his own
merit Nothing delighted him more than TO
contribute to an object of charity or of public
benefit, or to any wise scheme for the advance
ment of culture; and nothing distressed him
moro than to have his generosity advertised.
Some of his bencfactiOns are just now coming
to light. We have already mentioned his libcr-
al contribution to the fund for rcscuing poor
children from the New York streets. and his in
slstance upon secrecy in the matter. II appears
that he was the prime mover in subscription
for carrying out an old plan of Theodore
ThOmas's to give free concerts 10 the working
classes, and that shortly before his death he
privately forwarded to Dr. Adler 81 900 to be
used for this purpose. He was the founder of
aprize-fund in connection with the National
Academy of Design, and there is probably no
reason why the fact should nOtn now be disclosed
that he mcditated the foundation of a musical
V.v-fyo fund n1r e 81.
an artistic character to which he gave liberal
assistance, cOntriving, however, that his name
should be kept back. He was a man of re-
markable kindness; his will shows that; but
perhaps the most notable thing about him was
the union of great public spirit with a singular
and engaging modcsty.
The charity which does good by stealth and
bushes to find it fame has been a common type
of virtue for eighteen hundred years. The
combination of public spirit with extreme sim
pllcity of character is more rare. Public spirit
as distinguished from charity, is nearly allied
to the sentiment Of pride rather than of COM
passion. 1t was Il favOrite civic virtue of the
ancient Roman State in which the feel
ing of pity for others misfortunes
was almost unknown. 1t was vain
selfish ambition to advance the prosperity, dis
tnctiOn, comfort elegance, education, and re-
fnement of the community. without any thought
of personal advantage or of posthumous honor,
is wholly product of our modern civilization.
We have had some signal examples Of it in
America. Wehad one in the unassuming ca
reer of Peter Cooper. We should find hun
drcds of cases in point if we knew the full his
tory of private bcncfactions to American coll
leges, amounting according to a recent calcu-
Iation, to over seventy-fvc millions of
dollars. There are men in New York who have
given away fortunes, who are still giving, and !
will give as long as God spares them, but of |
whose benefactiOns to the community probably |
no full record can ever be made.
Julius Hallgarten was man OF this stamp; |
md it is in men of this stamp that a great deal |
,f the hope of our country lies. We are too |
icrce in the scramble for wealth we set too |
nigh value upon material success we pay an
exaggerated respect to money; but there is
aving nobility in the character of a people
mOng whom the virtue of public spirit appears
Il such ilustrious purity.