Rev. Rufus w. GriswoId before the His


forIcal Society.
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The discourse on Literature and the Fine Art'
in The United States, pronounced by Rev. DR.
GRIswoLD, on Tuesday evening, a, the University


was listened to by one of the largest meetings eve


held by the New-York Historica! Society. Among
the distinguished persons present we observed Hon


Benz. F. B1,ler, Chancellor Mathews, Judge Jenes
| Rev Drs. De Wit, Mason, and McVickar, Prof
| Lewis, and many other eminent professional and


literary men Of the city and country. 1.-THE absence
Of the venerable President, Hon. Albert Gallatn
| Hon Luther Bradish, one of the Society's Vice Pre-


ients, took the chair, a, S O'Clock. After the read
| ing Of letters from Martin Van Buren, Harmanus
Bleecker, Chancellor Kent, and others, on the sub


ect of change of the name of the country, DR..
! Cirswold commenced his address, which occupied
| ibout an hour and half and was listeaed to with
the closest attention. He announced his purpose TO
be, TO show that instead of neglect of aslhelcal
culture and production in the United States, no
other twelve millions of people-about our average
population for the last quarter of century-had
ever ACCOMPLISHED so much in the domains Of lltcra-
ture and fine art in so short period Although
ne acknowledged some obstacles 10 exist here, he
contendqd that the excitement and turbulent move
menrs of our society, and the nature of govern
nent and Institutions, were all in the highest degree
favorable 10 the production of great works. He
referred TO the literature of Athens, written amid
the conflicts of discordant elements in the most
tumultuous of democracies, and TO The lives of
Camoens, Dante, Tasso. Milton. and other world
renowned authors, who had never known that re-
pose erroneously deemed so necessary TO the sue
cessiul pursuit of letters. He contended that
wealthy and privileged classes were nearly always
drones in society. The slave holders in the South
ern States, he said, who had the so-much-talked-of
leisure, had produced literally nothing, in comparl-
son with men AT the North, except when brought
INTO conflict with US, on questions affecting their
particular Interests.


Presenting a briefreview the history Of Rs,he-
tica cultivation in America, DR.. Griswold proceed
I'd to make critical survey of its several depart
ments, in which he presented sketches of Irving
Cooper, Pauldlng, Prescott, Bancroft, Claiming
Emerson, Brownson, Hawthorne, Bryant, Dana,
Longellow and other authors. He pointed out
what constituted National Literature, and urged
that whatever the Subjects scenes or characters OF
eur works. they were generally pervaded by truly
National spirit.


His discourse embraced a great deal Of curious
Information, such as no other person, probably,
could have given, and was full OF original and strk-
ing commentary. DIR. Griswold sat down amid the
applause oi the Society, which unanimously voted
It's thanks, and requested cory Of The discourse
for pubcatlon