New-York tribune., 1900-12-07

None 6aying al Thy heels; but al
Enwreathing thee with bays.
r r. stoddard rose 10 make speech. Tut his
feebleness was 50 apparent that he WAS urged 10
A.. down ana talk and he did He related his
hrst INTRODUCTION 10 Nr. stedraan IN The Tribune
pahoe BY Bayars Taylor. and told some remi-
niscences OF the acquaintance which followed.
Y White spoke OF Ny. Sted mans work a
brniker IN Wall Street, and OF his ability turn
from that brain raezing work 10 find refreshment
h literature William Winter made address and
read q poem. He said:
SPEECH OF WILLIAM WINTER.
whose conauers the world.
Winning its riches and fame
Comes 10 the evening al last
The sunset OF threescore years.
Confessing that love real
AL the rest s dream"
Those are the words OF the loved and honored
Poet around whom you have gathered tonight. 10
congratulate him on the fuhlnent OF a great work
Rnd 10 crown him with the laurel OF perfect re-
nown. They sound the keynote OF this occasion.
ard no word OF mine could make IL sound more
tue He mas lived worthy OF love; he possesses
a. and love Is the crown of life.
have listened here 10 the sweetest Of all music
the music Of the voice Of friendship; and now. as
Eaze over this brilliant company.-''the choice ano
master spirits" OF American literature In our cap
ltsl-and consider the motive Of this assemhlAse
Hnd the emotion that thrills in every heart, my
thoughts 20 back 20 a memorable personal expert
Hncc nearly fifty years when hrst, consciously
I worshipped al the shrine OF ideal intellect and
beauty. II Was lovely night in May. The T1ver
Charles flowing dreamily through the meadows OF
Cambridge. glimmered in FURNISHED darkness under
the fain. light q stars. The winds were hushed
The soft air vas laden with the fragrance OF mac
and woodb!ne At some distance the CLOCK IN ihe
old church tower striking midnight, ano stooo
N the gate OF Longfellow. whittier ] had come.
stranger and a pilgrim, 20 lay my hand upon the
latch that The poets hand had touched Strange
und wild and passionate Is the heart or yonthi ou,
unperverted by selfish ambition and unernplttefeo
nv worldly distrust the heart of youth Is true
Many a time since then It has been my fortune TO
meet with great authors OF the present and 10
stand az the shrines Of ilustrious authors OF the
mast longfeilov Holmes and Willie Collins were
nv dear personal friends have clasped hands
with Charles Dickens, and Robert Browning, and
Matthew Arnold. I have made pilgrimage 10
sloperton cottage. and worshipped IN BronhaIn
Church and stood the grave OF that wonoerful
singer. Thomas Moore, 'the poet OF al circles aho
,be idol OF his own" ] have been privileged 10
raan in the halls and clOisters and gardens OF
Nevstead Abbey. and 70 kneel in awe and rev
erence beside the tomb of Byron, IN HneknaIi
church 7 have stood in the old Castle-st- STUDY
Of Sir walter Scott in Edinburgh. and held IN my
hands the original manuscript OF his journal
ars Looked lrpon the almost egible tracery OF the
last words that fell from his immortal pen Ano,
many a time by night and by day, nave nuseo
,n st-atford Church and heard. or seemed 10 hear
he
around the sacred dust Of Shakespeare. But never
have felt more deeply than In my boyhooo's s
cream and rapture that magical night the
glamour and the glory Of poetic achievement ana
poetic ren0wn. -,
There were clouds. now and then, over the land
scspe no doubt but in the retrospect. poetic sent-
rnent gladdens and glorihes all the Past Looking
back 10 the middle Of the century ano 10 the olo
scholastic city where some OF my early days were
spent see as in a vision. time when the world
Is nd
action had fallen asleep. The broad, white streets
were shaded with copious elns. willows. and silver
leaf NAPLES The houses were mostly lsolatel n
gardens The shining river wound lis sinuous way
Through broad reaches OF golden marshISho'- s'li.
aud solitary IN the sunshine, save Tor the sur OF
ripplinr grass and the flight OF the wandering gull
Once every hour the long omnibus rolled lazAy
Through the village street. on It's droWsy journey 10
neighboring Boston. once every day the holssiess
tenor of lie was family stirred by the arrival OF
The Boston Transcript" The noon bell was Euis
IN church tower al y and the curfew bell al D.
Al intervals the voice OF the lecturer became
auoible.-EmeTson. or Peabody, or Parsons. or
beecher or Chapin. Osgood. or W nipple or Slles-
once in company with Longfellow, heard Charles
Aackay discourse on The sea-sones OF DlDolhi
and once heard the elder Dana. the author OF
The Buccaneer."-a slight. strange gray paiilu
man. with dark. mysterious, aWe-strleken eyes
discourse Hamlet" Sometimes, ramDlhe
among the quaint red college buildings al Harvard
ne gBzer might descry he decorous, stately saDie
hgure n Edward Everett; or the tail, shamohhg
Feton, with spectacled nose and kindly. preoccu-
pee face; OF Pierce. the great professor OF math-
enatios with MS long hair and hirsute Visagei or
NE rough and surly Greek tutor Sophocles. IN ms
cyllc mood. which was incessant, and his ancient
COAX which seemed &C be perpetual: or the manly
sresence and thoughtful, preoccupied countenanee
o. Lowell; or the handsome. comfortable Agassiz'
WITH his beaming face and dark observant beneV-
eeni eyes, 80 intellectual and 50 sweet There
aAo might be seen the ambient Theophilus Parsons
happy h. MS swedenborgian faith, happier stil In
his legal erudton and his sunny. cheerful. self
eonnoent temper that nothing could sadoen And
here sometimes came the dminutive but erect,
sprlghty, vital Dr. Holmes OF the bhthest
splfitf surely. that ever walked this earth. As !
tlink of those times and persons-serene in a halo
o. poetic distance and reverle-I breathe once more
me fragrance of syringn and violet IN the half
forgotten springtime that never can return and
near the patter Of the falling leaf In FURNISHED
autumn woods OF Long Ago
The Nfld aTdor of youth is chastenee and sobersd
a. years drift away. but n once IL has been felt
ne emotion of delight In the achievement OF poetic
genius is never quite exringUisheo. no realm OF
..eAofy Yields 50 much 20 comfort the heart and
~-set me MIND az the realm that Is peopled with
ne Poets OF the Past-that realm 10 which your
Dohofeo guest throwing wide the portals OF song.
- MADE the avenues OF access Sc easy and so
seaAant for the generations that are 20 follow
- ana IN which he himself Is. and forever must
remain. an immortal presence From Bohemia"
- ne biameess Prince" from '-Old Brown" 20
-e Heart OF NeW-Englsnd." from the unique |
.aAnc and tender ballad Of ''Montagu' 20 the |
80. ~no pathetic rhapsody OF The Lords Day |
~ IRON the Bryant Ode 10 the gossamer. lace |
- exquisite lOVelness OF The carib Sea" from l