New-York tribune., 1842-03-04
THE TRIBUNE.

MR. MAFrir1's LEcTURE.-Wc have rarely
listened to more brilliant. and never to d i'7e
satisfactory, lecture than that OF Prot MAFflll
delivered at the Tabcrnace on Wednesd sday even-
ing. His subject was the Life OF @6snius,-n
theme which a man Of Genius would have made
eloquent with beauty with truth and With power;
while in Mr. Mafftt's discourse it seemed merely
10 suggest the shadows oi hollow thoughts a1f 10
give occasion for fine nodulations OF the voice 'l'
the sounding emptiness of uirleanng words W.
Maffit,s delivery Is always graceful saraei,'''ee
highly impressive, and generallygood On 'eu'''
dav evening it was more chaste ana ieSs iilu.,N
bv theatrical start. rcpusivc distortion o' ti!e
lures and gasping undertones OF the voice il'lsl
usual. There are few public speakers VINO are
heard with more pleasure than he and still fewer
VINO produce less real effect
The sum of his lecture may be stated IN iew
words. He defined Genius-with more truth than
eriginalitv-,o be the power Of Creating; and l's
constituent parts he said, were ambition. hope.
love of the fines of things. the longing after I'M
mortality bcnevoience, singuarl,v and, most espe-
cially enthusiasm. Each of these parts IN sue
ccssion he made the theme Of extended remark,
rot in explanation, ba, by way Of illustration and
adornmcnt. Some OF his images we're highly tan
ciful and beautiful; but, without exception
which we=can calo mind, they rendered stillmore
obscure the meaning which at bes, was most ques-
tionable. lnapparent illustration OF tac definition
he had gives, FOR instance, he said that Genius Is
the molten cascade of yellow gold tringcd with
the foam Of gitering silver; and again, that 1t is
the embodied angel OF Inspiration, the angel OF
nblquity-the bride OF eternity. In distinguishing
The eloluencc of the pulpit from the cloquence Of
the bar, he said that the former is the glory OF
God clothed with the love that passes all under
stnnding;' while the latter is the face OF Moses
on the top Of Horcb, on which no man can look
but with shuddcr.' The immortal mind, he said,
has a capacity to be filled Only with the gttcrlng
spirit of the UAiyerse.' Such expressions from
his lecture we might greatly multiply; there may
be profouad meaning in thcm-;lnd suppose
VIC are bound to concedc there is, for they drew
down immense applause; bnt If there be such
thing as sound and fury, signfying nothing we
humbly believe that these sentences, and indeed
the creator part of his lecture embodied 1t as per-
fectly as man dc it. a portion CT the lecture
was enumeration Of the works of Genius and
among them he classcd witlou, the slightest dis
elimination. the poems of Homer the battle of
Waterloo. the labors of the Reforners, who badc
the clock Of eternity pause while they could notch
upon the centuries the impress OF their master
minds the steam engine of Fulton the defence of
New-Orlcans the making cfa blade Of Damascus,
,l,o - H. h,,1 W.,
Poinsctt in the blood -dclugcd streets of Mexico.
He told how Genius dwes among the stars how
it fills alltime, eternity and the grave and how IL
Is worsliipcd by all nations-by every Individual,
and especially BY Woman. who should never be
refused place in the Pantheon Of the gods, and
whose bright eyes make man feel like gcd in
their presence. Ordinary language never serves
Mr.. Mathtt's purpose; he never remembers an in-
cident, but story ari>es on his mind;' ami a
graduating student, instead of marrying lovely
girl in the vicinity, was united in the holy bands
of matrimony to one of the most charming nynph>
of the vale that embosomed the college.
We are by no means a"erse to fine words and
brilliant metaphors When they mean or illustrate
any thing: but when man, who processes TO be a
public teacher, who enjoys wide reputation as a
powerful and eloquent defender and cntorcerof the
truth, deals out to his audience merely WORDS and
bombast, ask, not only matter
of dutv, but of decided nclinalion what good is
lie doing? What new truth and that Of how high
import does he tell US What fresh thoughts, what
higher aspirations does he awaken within Us, Or
how does he arouse, clear up, illustrate and give
mel
have long lain bcd-ridden in the dormtory OF the
soull We wish to ask in villa, possible way any
individual of MIR. Maftt's large audience made
one whit the better the wiser by his lecture on
the LIE. of Genius Had he told Us in what this
high power consists-had he spoken in beiitting
terms of thcrar nervalsin this world history 4,
which mes Of genius have existed and of the world
renewing mission which they have comc-had he
said uush rs it should have been said Of the IN
ncr life they lead among us, and the cute. life
they create around us, then would his wolds have
been Of service to many a thoughtful and nquiring
mind. Mr.. Muiltt. evidently knew nothing Of the
subject he seems never TO have been molestcd by
single thought about it; the notions concerning
it, of which ne attempted to present the shadows
most crude and common place; and the Inos
striking and elaborate portions OF his discourse
were mos, pcrnicoes in their icndency-so far rs
they could. without violence. be said 10 have any
influence at all. He aborcd zcaousy-(tbough,
thanks his natural o!,scury with li,te succcss)
Ito convey the impression that all efforts of Genu.
the uilnleSs struggles Of strong and ezra
Tic minds. He spoke With enthusiasm OF the bale
fnl genius of BYRON, and III hating terms Of mea-
sured praise OF SHAKESPEARE and of MlLroN,
whose angels he said, were cold and passionless,