Year: 1875

THINKS OF AMERICA AND HER FUTURE


The speech made by Lord Houghton In response to
the toast OF his health the reception at the Lotos
Club Saturday night is Of much interest account
OF the manner in which it deals with the relations
between England and America


After the applause which greeted his appearance
had subsded Lord Houghton said that he felt deeply
gathed for the enthusiasm with which his name had
been received for this compliment which had been
offered him, in addition to the many he had already
received in this country. he not unaware
OF the special value Of the present compli-
ment He knew that here had been received
Mr.. Froude, the most ORIGINAL OF English historians
who had glanced round that room with brilliant eye
like that OF frightened hDrse-tappausel who had
for the last two years been employed in the important
work of creating conederacy OF British colonies
Here, too, Canon Kingsley had thrilled them with
an urgent eoquence like voice OF departing geniasi
and here, too had been received the promise of
future English statesmanship in young Lord
Rosebery. (cheers.) He felt himself there
fore, under the obligation OF answering
clearly and powerfully no could question not
of rare occurrence which he conscious every
of his hearers was putting to him in his heart"What
do you think Of our country?" Much laughter and
cheers AS to another nfrequent form Of interro
cation, 'Do you admire constitutions" he would





consideration that he must ask their leaveto
his opinion. Niuch aughter.l on the other ques-
ton he had no difficulty America emi-
nent for the beauty OF her women. Cheers)
At this time OF life he fair witness that sub
Ject but he would offer the valuable testimony OF
his son. young man of some talent and perception, of
seventeen years OF age who had gone home with this
expression his lips and this impression on his heart
cheerng In this sense therefore, he fully admired
the youth OF America, but he not prepared to I'M
personae the country herself exactly in that aspect
Americans were very fond OF appealing to their youth
When anything went wrong or seemed incomplete, or
disappointing, they said You should remember how
young are" Now, he not prepared entirely TO
admit that pretenson. In all that constitutes nation,
in the aggregation Of thought In the expansion or ideas
America had all the experience of the Europe from
which she came, added 10 the interest and vivacty
which she had gained from her transportation to
novel hemisphere. She had indeed that charm OF
middle life and that full luscious beauty and mature in
teigcnce which great French novelist had lmperso
mated IN LA Femme de Quarante Ansn Great ap-
pause) Balzac himself may have taken his notion
from the old anecdote of Frenchman giving TO his
Two counsels on MS entry into the world-"Lsten 70
the old men and make love to the women of forty.n
Great laughter)


This Is the advice he would repeat Love your
America with all the devotion she deserves, and do not
disregard the words and thoughts of veteran Europe
He however, was not about TO abuse the privilege
either OF his age OF his present position But al
lusion had been made TO him both poet and poll
tcian Ii might not be unbec0ming for him say tnat
he had done his best to reconcile whatever macnatve
faculties he may have possessed to the practical busi-
ness of the world and its political action. He
had been for twenty five years q member of the
House OF Commons and afterward of the other branch
OF the Legislature, and he believed that, taken as a
whole, mans life suffered from mixture of the
real and the IDEAL he knew he addressing the
Iotos Club society whose fundamental principle III
words meant anythng) had been expressed in the
melodious Of of the latest and least of
American poets, Joaquin Miller


1t Q that mother Earth


Is weary from eternal toll


And bringing forth by fretted soil,


In all the agonies of birth.


Sit downl SIT down So it best


That we should rest. that we should rest.


think then shall all be glad,


At least know now;


Not And Earth, somehow,


Seems growing old aud sad


Then fold your hands for il best


That we should rest, that we should rest.


But somehow other he hardly thought that his
present audience quite purely contempative,
quite entirely free from all worldly interests and
secular motives as their nomenclature would imply.
And they right If they lived exclusively in
sphere of literature and art they would be living solely
with other men, taking upon themselves high
responsibilities and leavening with their
thoughts and objects the hard and heavy
destiny OF the common multitude of mankind.
in their ultimate action more powerful than, tho
Senators of Venice the barons of England or the
grandees of Spain. II their mission to lead this
magnificent country In the OF civilization of the
world-fcheersl-to give form and permanence to what
would otherwise have been aeeting development Of
material force to give dignity to wealth and consolation
poverty and stie the ealouses of the elder world
any possible expansion OF the dominion of the
by making It coincdent with the progressive develop
ment OF man.


At the conclusion of his very eloquent address tho
noble Lord took his and greeted with enthu-
siastic applause.