Produced by Al Haines [Frontispiece: Winthrop's Statue in Scollay Square.] GOVERNOR WINTHROP'S RETURN TO BOSTON. AN INTERVIEW WITH A GREAT CHARACTER. A Poem READ AT A SOCIAL MEETING OF FIRST CHURCH, AND ALSO AT THE THURSDAY EVENING CLUB, MARCH 25, APRIL 20, 1882. BY G. WASHINGTON WARREN. "Interviews are a modern species of literature, in which the author attempts to give a fancy sketch of the known or supposed opinions of the party interviewed." BOSTON: A. WILLIAMS AND COMPANY, The Corner Bookstore 1883. _Three hundred copies printed._ _Copyright, 1883,_ BY G. WASHINGTON WARREN. UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE. TO ROBERT CHARLES WINTHROP, THE DISTINGUISHED DESCENDANT OF GOVERNOR JOHN WINTHROP, A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR, A STATESMAN AND AN ORATOR, IN WHOM THE VIRTUES OF HIS ILLUSTRIOUS ANCESTOR ARE HAPPILY BLENDED, This Little Book, AS A SLIGHT TOKEN OF HIGH ESTEEM, IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. Governor Winthrop's Return to Boston His Statue in Scollay Square The Covenant of First Church His Observations on his Return The "Stocks" of his Time The Changes since, and those which are to come Rev. John Wilson's Vision The Thursday Lecture and Thursday Club President William B. Rogers and his Death The new President of the Club Josiah Quincy's Estimate of Winthrop Winthrop's Life and Services An Interview with a Great Character Silence and Darkness in Scollay Square Winthrop appears to the Writer He disclaims being Venerable Age not reckoned in Spirit-land He refers to First Church and its History And predicts its still Greater Success The Winthrop Cup New Things and Old His Reflections on Wealth The Example of John Harvard The Spiritual the Substantial The Proper Site of his Statue Winthrop's Benediction and Departure ILLUSTRATIONS. WINTHROP'S STATUE IN SCOLLAY SQUARE . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ THE "STOCKS" OF THE OLDEN TIME THE FIRST CHURCH, ON MARLBOROUGH STREET PORTRAIT OF REV. JOHN WILSON THE WINTHROP CUP Governor Winthrop's Return to Boston. On the seventeenth day of September, A.D. 1880, the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the town of Boston, the event was commemorated, among other ways, by the inauguration of the statue of John Winthrop, in Scollay Square. He is represented by the renowned sculptor in the garb of a gentleman of his day, holding in his hand the royal charter of the Massachusetts Colony, which he brought over with him. His serene countenance falls like a benediction upon this city of ours, which shows a wonderful and prosperous growth. He may be said to be the founder of the First Church of Boston, of the City itself, and of this Christian Commonwealth,--a threefold distinction. To have been the founder of a single one of these would have insured his immortal fame.