I was thinking, just as I got your letter asking me to send a greeting to your meeting and to Mrs. Howe, of the great power, in framing the character of nations, of their National Anthems. Fletcher of Saltoun said, as every child knows, “Let me make the songs of a people, and I care not who make their laws.” No single influence has had so much to do with shaping the destiny of a nation, as nothing more surely expresses national character, than what is known as the National Anthem. France adopted for hers the “Marseillaise.” Its stirring appeal Sons of France, awake to glory! led the youth of France to march through Europe, subduing kingdoms and overthrowing dynasties, till “forty centuries looked down on them from the pyramids.” At last the ambition of France perished and came to grief, as every unholy ambition is destined to perish and come to grief, and her great Emperor died in exile at St. Helena. Is there anything more cheap and vulgar than the National Anthem of our English brethren, “God Save the King”? O Lord our God, arise! Scatter his enemies And make them fall. Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks; On him our hopes we fix; God save us all! England, I hope, knows better now. But she has acted on that motto for a thousand years. New England’s Anthem, The breaking waves dashed high, one of the noblest poems in all literature, was written by a woman. We waited eighty years for our American National Anthem. At last God inspired an illustrious and noble woman to utter in undying verse the thought which we hope is forever to animate the soldier of the Republic. In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom which transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, While God is marching on! Julia Ward Howe cannot yet vote in America. But her words will be an inspiration to the youth of America on many a hard-fought field for liberty many a century after her successors will vote. I am faithfully yours, GEORGE F. HOAR. MISS ALICE STONE BLACKWELL. In the journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson we find this tribute to his friend, Julia Ward Howe: “I honour the author of the ‘Battle Hymn’ and of ‘The Flag.’ She was born in the city of New York. I could well wish she were a native of Massachusetts. We have had no such poetess in New England.”