The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-05
MIR. LOWELL,s Speech
At the dwelling of the Bust of LongfellOw
in Westminster Abbey,


London Newspaper Report
The American Minister said; Nv Lord La
dies and Gentemen-I think | may take mon
myself the responsibility; n the name of the
daughters OF my beloved friend, to express their
gratitude to Lord Granville for having found
tlme amid the continuous and arluOus calls Of
ms ms auty, to be present here this morning.
haYing mad occasion to speak in this place
some two years ago | remember that | then
expressed the hope that some day or other the
Abbey OF Westminster would become the Val
halIa OF the whole English speaking race
lnear, hear. little expected then that be-
ginning would be made soon-a beginning
at once painful and gratifying in the highest de-
gree to myself-with the bust of my friend
Though there be no AcaoSmy in England an
swerlng that in France yet ADMISSION to Vest
Minister Abbey forms sort of pGsthumous test
OF literary emlnence perhaps as effec6'Eu Every
one OF us has his own private Nalhalla md 1t IS
not apt to be populous But the conditions of
admission to the Abbey very different. We
ought never to be able to ask the question why
Is so and so here. We ought always to be able
to answer the question why such a one is not
here think that on this occasion | but ex-
press the united feeling of the whole
Ensllsh-speaking race in confirmation Of
the choice that has been made. tho
choice of one whose name is near to them al
and who has inspired their lives and consoled
their hearts, who has been admitted to the fire.
sides OF all of them a familiar friend Hear,
hear Nearly forty years ago had occasion,
in speaking Of MIR. LOngfellow to suggest an
analogy between him and the English poet Gray,
and have never since seen any reason to modi-
ty or change that opinion. There are certain
very marked analocies between them l think
In the first place. there is the same love of Il
certain subdued splendor not inconsistent
the same power of absorbing and as
similating the beauties of other literatures
without loss of originality, and, above all. there
IS that genius for sympathy with universal sen-
y he Of
that they come home to everybody, both high
and low, which characterize both There is some
thing also in the simplicity of style, simplicity
IN Itself being distinction. But in style sim
plicity and distinction must be combined in or
der to have their proper effect, and the only war
rant perhaps of permanence in literature is this
distinction in style. 1t is something quite indie
fnable it is like the distinction of good breed
ing, characterized rather by the absence of GER
tain negative qualities than by the presence of
positive ones; and it seems to me that the dis
tinction of style is found eminently in
the lllustlous poet whom we are met
together in some sense to celebrate to-day
lCheers. This Is not the place, of course, fol
criticism still less is it the place for eulogy foi
eulogy is but too often disguised apology. Hear.
hear But / have been struck particularly if {
may bring forward one instance, with some Of
my late friends Sonnets, which seem to me to be
among the most beautiful and perfect in tho
language. They remind me of some of those
cabinets in which many drawers are unlocked by
there was a separate lock for every line. and in
fumbling among our fourteen keys we
sometimes find ourselves in certain
confusion. Added to this, there would be
sometimes a cOnundrum of secret drawers.
But there was nothing of this in him. His mind
always moved straight towards its object and
was always permeated with an emotion that
gave it frankness and sincerity and at the same
time most simple expression. Hear. hear IL
seems that | should add a few words-in fact
cannot refrain from adding few words-with
regard to the personal character of a man whom
knew for more than forty years, and whose
friend | was honored to call myself for more than
thirty years. Never there private eharac-
ter more answerable to public performance than
in Longfellow. Never have l known more
beautiful character, l was familiar with
the daily, the constant charity both OF
his hand and in his mind. His nature
was consecrated ground, into which no unclear
spirit could ever enter LCheers l feel how
entirely inadequate anything l can say is to the
measure and proportion of an occasion like this;
but | think [ am authorized to accept in the
name of the Americon people, this tribute paid
to certainly not the least distinguished of her
sons-to man who in every way, both in public
and private, did honor to the country that gave
him birth. Cheers | cannot add anything
more to what was so well said in a few words by
Lord Granville, and do not think that these oc-
casions are precisely the occasions for set dis
course, but rather for few words of feeling, of
gratitude, and of appreciation [Cheers