American Testimonial to Mrs. Cowden Clarke.
New York, 13th December, 1851.
About the time you receive this, you will probably hear of an American testimonial to that amiable woman, Mrs. Cowden Clarke, to be presented to her by the American Minister, Mr. Abbot Lawrence, in the name of the subscribers, at the head of whom stands America's greatest and best statesman, Daniel Webster.
This testimonial is in the shape of a magnificent Rosewood Library Chair, richly carved, and covered with the finest French Satin Brocade. It is at this moment on the Atlantic, in the "Atlantic," and insured by the Atlantic Insurance Company, for three hundred dollars.
As the fame of Shakspere is world-wide, subscriptions of five dollars each came in from all parts of the American Union—from the most northerly of all, Maine,—to Mexico. From Wisconsin, in the far-far-FAR West, to the shores of the Pacific, at San Francisco—they are thousands of miles apart from each other.
Why have you left it to us poor Yankees "to take the wind out of your sails," in presenting a testimonial to the authoress of the Concordance to Shakspere? Mr. Payne Collier, and such like dear fellows, who know so many eminent wealthy literati, ought, now that we have set you the example, to get up a subscription, and present Mrs. Clarke with some better Shaksperean testimonial than a Chair! What say you to a 'First' Best Bed? But if the hangings of it beat our satin brocade cover, why I'll hang myself in despair—no I won't, but I'll eat it—bed—feathers and all. The Chair was to have been covered with the richest silk Genoa velvet, of a regal scarlet or crimson, but the lady of our Secretary of State, Mrs. Daniel Webster, would have it, that velvet covers were quite old-fashioned; and as ladies best know what will suit ladies, she was asked the favour to select the cover, and I guess you will admire it.
Now for the freedom of America. Collins gave the Chair free passage. Edwards, Sandford and Co. conveyed the case to the ship, and will convey it from Liverpool to London, free. They are Express men, and thus do we "go a-head."