New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-25
MR. WINTER AT THE LOTOS.
A DINNER GIVEN FOR HIM BY THE
CLUB.

JEFFERSON JUSTICE DAILY AND OTHERS.
The Io,os Climb added last night to the long list
/ OF men distinguished In the arts and professions
whom It has entertained from time to time the
name of william Winter, for over thirty years the
dramatic critic of The Tribune. By many speakers
Mr. Winters attachments as a writer upon tho drama
| and its exponents as author and as "A poet were
dwelt upon I'm generous terms With the usual taste
displayed by the committee In charge OF tho clubs
| dinners, the dining hall was Handsomely decorated
with profusion of foliage and flowers Frank X.
Lawrence the president of the club. presided. and
also seated at the guest table, In addition TO MI.
| Winter. were Joseph jefferson, Chester y. Lord,
| Abram s. Hewitt Reginald De Koven. Judge Joseph
| F. Daily Horace Il. Fry. John Russell Young. ex-
Judge Charles p DAILY, G. +. Lathrop f. F..
Mackay. Daniel Frohman. the Rev. NJ J. Savage.
| Franklin Fyles and John &. Wise.
Among others present were DR.. w. W. Walker.
| Colonel George Briggs. DR.. o. f. Hill. +. H. Rock
| WELL Captain william II. White. ID. b. Sickels
| George F.. Wooster n. w Ranger. W. T. Evans.
| Julian Rix. John Elderkin. l.. p Vedder. +. A
| Burnham. o. Il. Weber. o. w. Buckingham. T. NJ
| Scock. w r. Bradley. II. L. Common, f. +. Hoyt
| H. J. Davis. c. J. Perry. Hart Lyman. John E.
| Mholland. Henry VI. Stegn an. c. A. Gerlnch. f.
| y. Gibbs. c. w. Price. f. H. Low. f. c. James
| A. l. Elkus c. A. Hamilton G. y. Wayland G. H.
| Coffin. W. l.. Malcolm Julius Chambers Judge
| Morgan j. O'Brien. II. GugGenhelmer. j. b. Pond
Albert II. Smyth. f. Il. Phelps. George A. Hearn.
George Il. Schenck. George II. Bogert. ]. q. Og-
| den, William Z. Webb. j. II. Kennard. H. Boser
f. II. Butler. r. Locke, II. c. Veit. F. u. Downs,
| Ira a. Shaler. W. r. Brown, L. S. Thomas s.
| Pratt s. Untcrmyer. T s. Klrkwood f. VAIN
wright J. ID. Flower. r. 7. Murray. Sylvester Pope.
| F. T. Hume. William Carr and George NJ. Ellwood
Before Mr.. Lawrence opened the evenings ora
| tory Tom Karl the well-known tenor sang
| Drink to only with thine eyes" Although
| Mr.. Karls effort literally applauded, Mr.. Law
| renee felt It incumbent upon him to point out that
the sentiment not one that usually found favor
| In the eyes Of the members OF the Lotos Club.
THE GUEST INTRODUCED.
In introducing the guest OF the evening, Mr. Law
renee spoke in the following graceful terms:
Let us have as little possible Of the hardness
Of music or" on night Ike this We assemble in
honor Of a dear old frend-one who has been for,
man in walks that dear to this club. and one
whom remember In this club a score of years
morning than doctors or families would let us
Sit up io-ngs Q2ushtsrin DAYS when W yohn
lam Florence and old John Gilbert sat about the
board Of this club But W9nd NOT rn To b up
a living mana writer poet critic and above
As a writer william Winter has interested and
Instructed US ALL lie has taken us back to oua ola
England As depicted by him, the Tower or Lon; Lon
OF Ely ana all the other dear old spots that he has
portrayed TO us have taken on a new me- new
interests.
as critic of dramatic art Actors themselves who
interpre: the dramatic author are themselves in
cs fe ha WINTER AS We
remember him most kindly here. The lines repro
ss@p Rs fame as pos "" the
glorious inspiration that seemed to call them forth
We may be pr9ud-rshty Rr9udVof american Ut IT.
brightest adornments. the pure simplicity OF Haw-
the vivid brliliancy OF Edgar Allan Poe We cannot
poetry Of Wam winter viii e nd its
high and place APpanseW With
kindness the love and loyalty OF his old friends and
Club and / ask you to rise and join with me In
drinking to the good health OF our guest tonight
MR. WINTERS SPEECH
The toast drunk with the greatest en-
tHusiasm. and when he rose 10 respond the applause
broke out anew for several moments. Mr.. Winter
was deeply touched by the warmth OF the greeting
extended to him.
He began by saying:
my first impulse would be to declare that I
have done nothing to merit this honor; but. without
qualification. TO disclaim all desert would be to i'm
pugn your judgment and discredit your kindness
Tho great and wise DR.. Johnson I remember did
not scruple TO accept the praise OF his sovereign
When the King had said It,. he afterward re-
marked. II Is TO be So My literary life dating
from the publication OF my first book in Boston, in
1851, has extended a period OF forty-three
years, thirty-seven of which have been passed in
active labor In this city. Since 1866 ( have been
the accredited and responsible representative Of
Tho New-fork Tribune In the department OF
drama. In the dramatic field and also In the fields
OF poetry. essay. biography and travel have put
youth and endeavor. striving to add something OF
permanent value to the literature OF my native
land. No one knows as well as do my failure
and my defects. But have tried to follow the
right course: | have done my best, and now I'm
the review OF that long period OF labor II you my
friends, find anything that Is worthy OF approval
anything that seems. In your eyes. to Justify such
a testimonial as this. II would III become me 10
repel an appreciation which IT is honorable to pos
scss and which | have labored and hoped TO
deserve. When the King has said t. 1t is TO
be So"
Mr. Winter went on to disclaim having seen I'm
the occasion only compliment TO himself inter
preting the gathering also having arisen from a
desire of the club TO effect rally of stage veter-
ans and of the friends Of the stage and a time OF
theatrical depression to evince once more the
practical admiration for the great art of acting
which the club had always shown He went TO
discuss the relation between the theatre and
society and the province OF the writer's by whom
that relation Is habitually discussed MANY
thoughts" he proceeded. crowd upon the mind
at such time this and many names
membered which it would be good to mention and
pleasant to hear. My thoughts go back 10 my
young acquaintance with such stage advocates s
Fps Sargent and Edwin Percy Whipple, Henry
Siles and william Clapp. Wallace Thaxter and
Charles Congdon and James Oakes-the friend OF
Forrest-and as | think OF them. | recall time
when Mrs. Farren was the Juliet of my dreams
and Julia Dean the goddess OF everybodys idola-
try and when the green curtain-n those days Il
was always green-never rose except upon land
OF enchantment, and the roses were always bright
by the calm Bendemeer.
much may be said Of the critical art" Mr. Win
ter continued. ITO understand human nature; to
absorb the literature Of the drama; TO discrlmi-
nate between talking and acting; TO see the mental
moral and spiritual aspect OF the stage and like
wise TO see the popular aspect OF II: TO write for
public OF misce aneous readers, and at the same