The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-14
WHITTIER LECTURE.
Miss McCowan's Address on
the Quaker Poet Yester-
day at Mrs. Hilton's.

Mrs. J. A. Hilton, of No. 70 Clifton place,
entertained al large number of ladies yes
terday afternoon at her residence, when
Miss Gertrude MCGOWAN, daughter OF the
Rev. w. s. MCGOWAN, pastor OF the Ton-
nele Avenue Methodist Church of this
city. delivered a lecture on Whittier, Tor
the benefit of the Ladies' Aid Society or
the First U~niversalist Church.
The lecture was a repetition of that CIV
en- by Miss MCGOWAN sometime ago before
Sorosis. 1t was most interesting and was
illustrated throughout with selections
from the poet recited in a mastery man
ner by Miss MCGOWAN herself.
Among the luminaries of American
poetry none shine with greater lustre,'
said the speaker, "than Whittier. He
blends the war tones of battle with the
more gentle strains of love. HIS nnes are
as a church spire like a finge pointing
upward" and then proceeded to give 4
sketch of Winters life. 1T was ms
mother" continued the speaker, who en-
couraged him in his day dreams. His
father opposed him, as the Friends dld
not believe in music and poetry. Up 10
seventeen years of age he had little eou-
cation"
Miss MCGOWAN spoke very highly OF
Whittier's sister, who first sent ner protn-
er's verses to the newspaper, the nrsr
n,blication of which was a complete sur
prise to Whittier, but fired him with am
bition to do something for himself, ana
from this sprang the firm friendship be-
tween him n William Lord Garrison.
Whittier's first poem, written in his
early schoo days, was given as an ex-
ample of his ambition to learn. 1t read
land must I always swing the fail,
And help to fill the milking pail!
L want to go way to school
| do not wish TO be a fool
whittier" continued Miss MCGOWAN,
belonged to the laboring class OF men
He was what we would call a nature ;
nobleman.' Nature was his Alma Mater
The acme of his ambition was to make
his mark in politics and he did The
colored race owe a great debt 10 WHIT
tier. During the war his voice was never
quiet and his pen was never still.
The speaker then illustrated her lecture
with a number of Whittier's poems, with
upon each. Whittier" said
she, was considered the best American
DalIdQ WTil6I. IlOiAiSo Gin
ballads Maud Muller is most popular. II
took Whittier to iminortalize a farm
maid Maud Muller" was here recited-
The story OF Barbara F.ritchie.' the
speaker said, was told Whittier by Inc
novelist, Mrs. Southworth, and IS sup,
posed to be founded on fact. VIII
spare you ~Barbar Frftchie, sald she.
.Snowbound," was the next poem re-
cited with upon the nreslue
scene, where the characters are afaWh
from Whittier's own family In Scnooi
Days was also recited, with the com
ment, there was no sickly sealtimentalfty
about Whittier, though he was very sym
pathetic"
ssOur Master and Eternal Good
ness s.every line of which," exclaimed
the speaker, '.breathes forth the spirit
uality of the man," were next recited;
Whittier scored bigotry in any shape
and form, said Miss MCGOWAN in con.
clusion, "He was above all, our poet OF
liberty, a knight indeed without fear and
without reproach. There are a number OF
defective points in Whittier's poems. AT
first he did not court the muse" she then
passed on to the death of Whittier, re-
citing Oliver Wendall Holmes ode to
Whittier,v as a finale.
All the conclusion of the lecture fe-
freshments were passed and a social nour
ensued. The afternoon was further en-
HANGED with a piano solo by Mrs. W. =;
who opened the programme, and
by Miss Katharine Bradley, who closed
the programme with two finely rendered
solos, Fond Heart, Farewell and he
cause I Love YOU as an encore.