Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-25
WHITTIER's PORTRAIT.
A Gift to the Friends school at Proyi.
dence.


PROVIDENCE. R. l., Oct "a
At the boarding school of the New England
YEARLY Meeting of Friends in this city, this
morning, the Whittier anniversary was cele-
Drated by the presentation of portrait of the
poet By Chas. r. Coffin of Lvnn, Mass Coffin
was pupil at the school fifty years ago and
later a teacher and then a committeeman,
which office he still holds. The gift of the
Whittier portrait was the result of a desire to
give the institution last memorial of the
grand old Quaker poet. The portrait was
painted by Edgar Parker of Boston, the artist
who painted Charles Summer. Ii is life size,
representing him while sitting in an arm chair
In an attitude of peaceful thought. The pic
ture has been hung in 1he Alumni hail. where
the exercises of the day were held. Upon the
platform beside the donor of the portrait were
number OF prominent citizens and friends
including Mayor Doyle. Julia Ward Howe.
Clark Shane of Fall River, Hon. Jonathan
Chace, Samuel K. Burlington of Fall River.
james II. Chace of this city, Benz. F. Knowles
of South Manchester, Conn, Peter NJ. Neal
OF Lynn, Mass, Sylvia G. Rowland of New
Bedford, Esther Jones of Deering, Me-,
Abadiah Chace of Warren, Gertrude Cortland
or Newburyport. Mass, cousin of the poet,
and others The exercises opened with
silent PRAYER, after which, without formality,
Principal Jones introduced the orator of the
day, Thos Chase, l.. L. d., President of
Haverford College. The orators delivery
was very graceful. At l.45 an adjournment
was taken TO 2.3O P. NJ
PROVIDENCE. r. l.. Oct. "a.
In the exercises of the Whittier memorial
at the Friends School in this city, there was
much larger attendance this afternoon than in
the forenoon, the Alumni hall as well as the
library being completely filed The exercises
opened with singing MARX the merry eleves
of tairyland," by the members of the school.
Augustine Jones, principal of the school,
delivered an address on receiving the portrait.
Mr.. Jones then read letters from Whittier,
T. d. Wells j. B. Thayer of Cambridge,
Pliny Earle Chase of Haverford College, J.
F. Clarke, Bishop Thomas, NJ. Clarke and
John Boyle O'Reily. Whittier's letter was
as follows:
DASvERs, Mass, Oct. 13, 1884.
Augustine Jones, principal of the Friends
School, Providence, X. l.;
My dear friend-I have received the kind
invitation to be with you on the oath inst,
but it is hardly possible that l can avail
myself of it otherwise than by proxy. My
double or counterfeit presentment" will of
course be there, and the party most interested
may ftly supply my place. The position
assigned me between the busts of the great
English friend and statesman and the noble
woman, who, like the master, visited "the
spirits in prison." seems so far beyond the
desert of its original that if the portrait had
the miraculous power of locomotion attributed
to medieval pictures, it would feel con-
strained to walk out of its frame and seek
humber place. | have reached an age when
fattering ceases to deceive and notorieiy is a
hu rdan and tho faint shadow Of litararv
utation fails to hide the solemn realities of
life but genuine token of love and good
will has no limitations of time and is never
out of place. | scarcely need, therefore, to
say that | highly appreciate the generous
compliment paid me by my much beloved
friend in placing my portrait in
the old and honored institution under your
charge. | confess heard the first intima-
ton of his purpose with some surprise and
msgiving as looked back on a life not
indeed with honest endeavor, yet marked with
many weaknesses. If however. this gift of
my friend shall testify to our common inter.
est in the Friend school and faith
in the principles and testimonies
of its founders, if it shall
serve to remind those who see it, whatever
may seem worthy of commendstion in the life
of its originals due not to himself but to the
Divine Providence which surrounded his
youth and strengthened his manhood. | shall
be more than satisfied, need not say, to
thee, nv dear friend, although am Quaker
by birtbright and sincere convictions, | am
no sectarian, in a strict sense of term. My
sympathies are with the broad church of hu-
manity. Nevertheless, If one has to be
chung in effigy" he may have some choice as
to the place of execution and it goes far in
reconciling me to my own fate to know that
the ceremony in which | must be a passive
participant will be performed in the hall of
learning of the Society of Friends.
am truly, thy friend,
(Signed) john G. WHITTIER.