New-York tribune., 1884-01-04
MIR. ARNOLD IN BROOKLYN.
HIS LECTURE ON EMERSON.
INTRODUCED BY MR. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. POSI-
TON IN LITERATURE.

| HIS LECTURE ON EMERSON.
| INTRODUCED BY MR. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. POSI-
TON IN LITERATURE.
Matthew Arnold delivered his lecture on Emer-
son in the Assembly Room of the Long Island His
torical Society, Brooklyn, last evening The audi-
ence filled the hall in every part. The speakers
voice could be distinctly heard by all. Shortly
after eight o'clock Mr.. Arnold appeared upon the
platform accompanied by Nh Doccher and Samuel
| Mclean. Mr.. Beecher advancing said:
| LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: We have partiality and
prejudice respecting public men-saicsme and authors
and almost always VIC take Oncsled yewsstIfctly in
their favor or strictly adverse 1t would be good tng
for us If could have impartial testimony, II there
that acted, not advocate. but rather as
of the interested in; not two alone,
but all the men we are interested in That might
tunes hgit oul seliIQEe nue. Dut IL womb pc Wnoi
II IS good thing for men 70 hear what they do
not like to hear Then It Is medicine Sweemeats are
| not always . Wholesome. No" what may De
the case with literary men n France or or
had The right heart and the right training to come to
America and make critical e5timote or statement re-
could have selected with much satisfaction and cOnt
dence as the gentleman who is to speak to yon tonight
His writings have been my almost daily food since hr't
/ iIey are among the few things that one
reads over again and again like disintercsted
and nObc-hCarcd friend whom you never can see too
oitcn whom you are never wcaricd of hearing talk No
other man that has shores Ion. time,
/ think, will remain IN the memory OF discreet, thinking
Matthew Arnold whom now have The great honor and
pleasure of introducing to YOU lAppiausel.
Mr.. Arnold, after acknowledging the cordial
greeting SAID;
No such voices those which heard in our youth IT
Oxford are sounding there oxford has ctt-
cism now. linowedle more light but such voices
Forty years ago Cardinal Newman close to there
Who could resist the charm of that spiritual apparon
| clothed in the dim afternoon OF st. MaTys speaking
words which were as religious musicf There was, too
of century TO us in those good old days the
voice of Goethe. | read "Wlhcm Miester" from Car
| original. Then came, too. the voice OF Emer-
son. Mr.. Lowell has wcn described the ap-
f','T' lie was your newman your man Of soul
and gepls, visible in the flesh speaking TO your bodily
ears while from us he was far distant
Improper elements often come into our estimates of
men We have German critic make Of Goethe the
greatest poet that has lived because Germany is the
TLanghteri Them too America Is young country, and
yonng countries like young persons are apt sometimes
10 cyncc their literary judgments want of sll and
measure. have sought, therefore, TO come to real est
mate OF Emerson, with tendency to stctness rather
was reading the other day. q notice of Emerson by
serious and interesting critic. said he: Fifty or sixty
Ps,ascs from Emerson pogy nave mesy passed INTO TO
ported quotations" Bat what Is the style OF quotation
inca TnIC c CH I onmmcni from shaEcpcare and Dark
visible" from MltOn out of not single passage
familiar like passage of tni5 kind. OF more than
Two or three p2ssoses can It. be said l,a that
rics Of men Emerson ~, cannot be caSscd
4mons the lgaie @ bne u ms 1i PoIi6y 6S n'I rs ci dc
OF the principal poets. say it with regret, because dis
like give pain his admirers, and because my wish IS
also say OF him nothing but what is favorable but re-
gard myself not speaking to please EmcrsOns ad
treating with Time and years concerning the productions
OF this beautiful and rare spirit How seldom It is that
we get from him strain that Is clearly expressed aud
! permanent; though there Is in some passages
! style aud cadence that reminds ono OF Gray
one never knows what his "Iltmouse" dd for him. We
and failures Of tins Kind run through all ms poetry re
member that Arthur stanley used tO relate that about
Der Americans and wishing to please them, he de
careI hs Ntrm admiration for Emerson, whose works
told him that he entirely too grceny" Laughter
Even Carlyle is not, in my lndsptut to be called a
f1I hi, histories They VIII not have It. have said that
not their quality OF STYLE He himself knew his defects
method perfectly we'll Indeed, hc and Carlyle Criti
c.c each other u such fashion as leaves little for any
one TO do in promoting their defects. Hawtuorne's nj
ctary talent of the r ORDER but his subjects
| not OF the highest interest His talents were
| the finest that America has ever produced, much
| finer than those OF Emerson Yet " Our Od HOme" l.
| not masterpiece any more tldh " tHSHsh ltalIs:
Hawthorne was sensitive man OF genius 50 situated IN
England that he brought daily into contact with the
| Brush PmISluc aud the BRUSH IhIilNthe Is Trying
person. lLlugnerl Bat neither English Traits nor
oar Od Home is work OF perfection in its kind. 1t
is ndId not to teelde'pOudeuJ when one cOhtcihpattS
bis failures and shortcomings, and Emerson
him Jnat he had his moments OF despondency. as may
be- his own letters 10 Carlyle fIrs. aud tOremO,
which au things tend TO advance whicn freedom cltya
character and seircutucc. The good close to in
uur duylifc aud hDmcy places. Prtcnsion t. useless
II never ChrstianiZed the world or abolished slavery
The exclusive social life does any religion
lie that ne shuts the door OF Heaven on
| himself out Others Compensation finally
great law of life. IL Is everywhere, IL il, sure, and
escape from it, II rewards actions. You must
| pay at last your own debt.
! / can truly say that IN what have in America
with what has been achieved than with
failure. But, undoubtedly, there is good
deal crudcness and failure also. 10 adopt ls line of
! objection To EmClsuI's productions would be unjust
! In 1irst place his points are true
| uHderstJOd; in certain sense they are
! true and fruitful. Had ne attempted developments
! which we now deem cXpgdiJut, hc might have accom-
pishcd hide nothing. The time miglt have iOr
dong later but the work ne dd was the work 10 be
done then His hope tue ground OF his belief II
never ed him he lIncnting to Carlyle
his "hDundrring fingers and -tanmerng tongue In tlS
old mis- tone forward looking SIN the
Carlyle preached the dignity OF labor, the Importance
! Of righteousness, the necessity OF Neracltyy
| the hatred OF shams essential
to happiness yet he bafed those to whom he preached
well himself 10y choosing paradox tnat We not
born for happiness at ALL nave heard ltsai1 uat Emer
too sJugunc and that the generation III America
Is turning well he expected In ths country
Ii l. dcult bo too sangune. Very POSSIBLY the
present generation may prove To be unworthy OF his bgn
hopes Even many succeeding generations may prove
unworthy. but his conviction that the Spirit Is hap
pncss, by hope that this life OF the spirit Will
come more and to be understood Emerson
great and viii surely prove ia the end 10 be right
VEDDINGS YESTERDAY