The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-13


ograplly of the Bible, and other books.
He was a brother of Samuel G. Good
rich, famous as the Peter Farley" of
our fathers.
John s c. Abbott was the first and
perhaps the only one TO gain a wide lit
erary celebrity while a resident of
Worcester, though his chief fame came
after he had removed from the place.
He came here in 1880, as the pastor of
the Calvinist, now the Central church.
and remained five years.
short time after, he preached a
series of discourses, which he collected
in a volume entitled 1.-THE Mother At
Home, book of moral instruction for
the family, which was published in
Boston. 1t passed through many edi-
tons in this country and in England
and was translated into nearly all the
European languages.
1t was printed in Greek at Athens
and in Dutch at the Cape of Good Hope
Joseph Boyden, the old Worcester jew
eler, an eccentric bachelor, with strict
notions as to the duties of women, on
seeing this book exclaimed THE Moth
er At Home! Why, she's never at
homei" What would he have said in
these flush times of few mothers and
women's clubs?
Another book of almost equal popu-
larity was The Child At Home writ
ten in the same vein, and in later years
Mr. Abbott produced other volumes
which gained him a worldwide repu-
tation, the most remarkable of which
was his life of Napoleon, first printed in
Harpers Magazine, and afterwards in
several editions, including French
translation.
1t is a circumstance worthy of record
that when Mr.. Abbott came to Worces-
ter he was strongly imbued with the
conviction so powerfully sgt forth in
Channing's Review of the Character of
Napoleon, that that parsonage merited
neither distinction nor credit as a SOL
der, statesman or ruler; and that his
conversion to the opposite belief took
place while he resided here, under the
following circumstances:
While riding in a chaise to Shrews-
bury, with the Rev. George Allen, with
whom he was on terms of intimate
friendship, he expressed his opinion of
Napoleon in unfavorable terms.
Mr.. Allen repeated to him the sub
stance of letter written by the emper-
or at a time when he was engaged in
one of his fercest conflicts with the
European powers, conveying to one of
his ministers a plan for the extinction
OF pauperism in France, and the open
ing of internal communication by the
building Of a vast system of canals
through the empire.
This was revelation, as compare
lively few facts relating to Napoleon
We're then generally known; and Mr.
Abbott asserted in later years that this
letter changed entirely his opinion of
the man. His Life was an extremely
partial estimate of its subject, written
with great ferVor and enthusiasm, yet
NOT Intentionally nlisrepresenting his
acts, Gen. Scott pronounced it the
best and only true biography of the
great conqueror; but opinions as strong
ly adverse have been expressed. The
work was undoubtedly, chiefly valuable,
however, in modifying and counteract-
ing the widely accepted view of Chan
ming, whose natural tendencies and
limitations of mind disqualified him
from either understanding or appreci-
| ating the character of Napoleon Mr..
Abbott's other historical and bioAraph-
zeal contributions We're numerous end
popular. His brother, Jacob Abbott,
| is we'll remembered as a successful wri-
ter for the young.
| George Bancroft, by common consent
| the most distinguished native of Wor-
cester, as he was one of the most emf
nent literary men of his time, can also
claim high place in the racks of
| American diplomats and politicians
His advantages in carly life We're ex-
| training his own country could afford
but in addition, a course at the German
universities, following close after Geo
! Ticknor and Edward Everett, at a Pc
| rloo When such an experience was rot
as common as it has since become.
Mr.. Bancraft's great work, the his
| tory of the United States, kept the peo-
pie in a state of high expectancy for
nearly half a century after it's first
announcement and considerable impa-
| thence was manifested at the slow prog
ress OF the work, Richard Hildreth.
| tired OF waiting, in the meantime pro-
| duclng his history, one of the most
| valuable and reliable works of its kind
ana far more practical and useful than
us more celebrated contemporary is
sue
Banoroft's history is today, in every
gentieman's library, yet, as one we'll
known scholar recently remarked, to
the writer, nobody reads it. 1t has be-
come merely a thing to conjure with.
Inns Goes not reflect in the least upon
Mr. Bancroft's great abilities nor de-
act from the credit due him as one
| who by his efforts did so much to gain
| eminent recognition of American literal
ture and scholarship, and to place them
on sure and enduring basis. 1t sirnp-
| ly shows that tastes and methods in the
well as those in all other branches of
science, have changed with the pro
| gress of time.
| The stately and rhetorical treatise no
! longer serves the purpose of the stu
| dent or inquirer, who, Influenced by
the hustle and hurry in other lines, de-
mands quick reference to original
sources of information. Hume, Gibbon.
| Macaulay, Grote and other similar
ret4af 4
| lively small measure Of recognition in
| thsse times.
| 1t is singular and a bit amusing that
while Mr.. Bancroft's great fame was
| generally acknowledged, and should
have been a matter OF unqualified pride
| TO the people of thef town. that gave
! him birth, there was manifested
| here through the time of his active life
a strong feeling of resentment against
him, and a disposition to offset by dis
paraging comments and anecdotes the
glory resulting from his literary repu-
! tation and public services.
| The opposition even went further
| than this, in attempts to thwart and in
| suit him, and otherwise to render his
visits to the town disagreeable. In 1910
| the democrats of this vicinity, DESTROYS
! of greeting so distinguished an expon-
| ent of their principles on the national
anniversary, and as they thought wise
| ly, judging that it would not be well to
| receive him in Worcester, arranged for
a celebration in Barre, with Mr.. Ban
| craft as the orator. Immediately on
| announcement the wings and those I'M
| friendly to the speaker, by extraordi-
nary effort induced Daniel Webster TO
| go to Barre on the same day, where his
greater fame absorbed Mr.. Bancroft S
audience and left him comparatively in
solitude. This was long boasted of
with great JUNCTION.
The treatment of Mr.. Bancroft at the
| time of his appeafance in Worcester