L IF E O F DENMAN THO MP S O N O S H U W H I T ( J A C O M B ! . A M E A Y BRA DY j S j . E F R N D EX COMS TOCK P UB A MC A A A . LIS . HERS L L , , E O F M S C NEW RK . ACAD MY U I , YO vv m ' 8 Co c m , 1 88, BY M R L D K cFA A N COMS TOC . CO N T E N T S . o o Intr ducti n, ew En l an d H o m es and Characte r N g , C ild ood and Youth o f Uncle os ua h h j h , M anhoo d and P ro fes s io nal S tru les C a te r I gg , h p an o o d and P ro fe s s i o nal S tru le s C a te r II M h gg , h p o s ua Whitco m b J h , he O l ea T d H o m est d , T rib ute s , The O ld H o m e s te ad a M o ral A e n t g , ro ram m e o f Firs t P re s entati o n at the A cad e m P g y , IN T O DUCTIO N R . N G L E JO S HUA need s no intro d uction to the American public . At every firesid e his name is prized and his virtues known . He is, in truth , a fond relative to us d and all , ten erly considerate, sweetly honest helpful , a nd as cheering by his presence and simple story to - day as when in other times we sat in childish delight to hear a dear old uncle d had tell of the goo and kindly heroes who gone before. f Who will try to estimate the good this a fectionate , homely , m a n ly man has done for his fellow brother ? What a giving o u t there is o f the graces of humanity in his simple d ramatic n s t o ry The embroideries of art have o place in the narrative . i s l d d It fu l of the perfume of country fiel s , freshene by the dew , d t n a n beaming wi h a delicate , exhilarati g life from the morning d and d n . s u The har ships, trials isappointments of a driving o d d w rld are forgotten in the chastened ream of chil hood , home o f a n d the heart ties the family altar . What sweet music these i m p ressions make in the soul of all of us Uncle Joshua is the n d S d s k i ly pirit that waves them into ten er being, as the dew m w d fro the skies vivify the s eetest flowers that a orn the earth . He must be a queer manner of man who will say that he is t n o t the be ter for these hallowed emotions , and would spurn d . d t h e ir spell He must be a lonesome person , indeed , at o s with n t h e glorious beauties of the fields , the skies , and the refineme ts ’ m —a o f an s social and spiritual nature poor, miserable unit , d and d r a wn up and woun round , like a silk worm in his cocoon , l l and s h u tting out all sun ight, day ight , every joy of expanding d l e a re s D o ld n a ture . It is har to be ieve ther many uch . ear LIFE O F D EN M A N T H O M P S N O . 9 Un t r cle Joshua says here are none . He says human natu e at b and ase is all right . We only look at it wrongly , as it were , d d n take a shunte gleam or reflecte surface for the intri sic metal . Wherever he goes there is livi ng testimony of the verity of this t n heory . His big, ge erous, unselfish nature begets an atmos ere d ph of confidence , purity and rest , and stirs up the eeper, rddia nt truer nature of every one , just as the sunlight wakes m the into life and bloo loveliest buds that grow . d d All hail to such an one ! His gracious influence is nee e . d ’ The stage, like every epartment of life s labor, has plenty that W n is depressing and baneful . The holesome amo g players , as e among plants, we wish to cherish . It is doubtful if th re is any more reaching place for general good . Recreation is a natural d want . Let us have it pure and hearty . It is like a soun sleep . “ d In the Old Homestead the soothing con itions are perfect . We may rest secure within its comforting arms , with the stars l l shining brightly without , and balmy breezes b owing gent y in at the wi ndows laden with good cheer from the surrounding and beautiful hilltops, and all within calm , trustful and happy, far away from the bartering and wearing spirit of the metropolis and its controlling pulse . l hilanthm i s ts Ta k about your missionaries , p p and other ! d noble friends of humanity in this age of savage rush , hardene n d d co science and unen ing toil , who is there that a ministers to the tired and d rooping spirit with the same delicious sense and buoyant effec t that our homely and loving friend s at The O ld Homestead d o ? S W uch types, such associations , are to honest life hat salt is r to an egg . They give flavor to our better feelings , and tempe r n the light with which we regard mi sfo tu e and uncharity . d d Again let us say welcome to our goo frien s , Uncle Joshua, S Aunt Matilda, Cy Prime , eth Perkins , Rickety Ann , and the other lovable characters that are b r ought to our notice in this d O ld ramatic poem of simple country life , and the precious ” H d and omestea , and secretly pray that they their kind may be h always wit us . ’ DENM AN TH O M S O N S F TH E A N D M O TH E P A R R . S ti iv in and en o in exce ent ea t ll l g j y g ll h l h . NEWENGLAND HOMES AND CHARACTER. H ER E is a certain dig nity attaching to the name of New Eng l d ue and , which is as much to the element of home life as to any d other consi eration . It has nourished principle and strength in its young which have led to d ecent f and power ul manhood . Brought up to feel the virtue of right livi ng and right doing at a formative i i ha per od of l fe, the c nces for mature graces and honors are mo r e than promising . They are taught early self denial , self reliance, the d uty of a conscientious regard for the S abbath ’ hi day , and the function of study in raising man s lot among s s fellow . The fruit of this home training and association has been m ad e evident in characters that have graced the most beautiful works in our national literature , that have lifted men upward an d d onward in spiritual and intellectual study, that have inspire I 2 FE O F DEN M N H O M S O N LI A T P . b e n a writings to charm and better the world , and that have e leaven of common sense and moral rec titud e to balance and chasten every community . Thus it is that so many places , humble in themselves , with no bigger concern of commerce than a crumbling flour mill or fi tful . a shoe factory , are familiar names to the general reader ffi They have produced what is higher than the wares of tra c . They have marked ind ividuals with traits and habits that have and stood them well in the halting and struggling ways of life, blossomed characters instilled with the juices of a manly nature . Men with a plan of life . Men with an honest faith in a D w ho ivine Ruler over all things . Men sought the right and ff just in every place and in every a air, and had the moral cour w age to stand by a fair conviction . Men who orked as well as prayed , and hated the idle and profane as they would a thief in who the night . Men prized a home , cherished it, and imbued its young with thoughts of learning and Christian experience . 15 there not honor enough in this for the restful hamlets V ? high up in the New Hampshire and ermont hills The soil , hard , rocky and ungrateful , is chary enough of its favors, and bread is truly to be won by the sweat of the brow . Its greatest b e glory is greater than the products of the ground . It is to d .