New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-02-18
Nr. Emerssn's Third Lecture.

New England, in which no soug bit to name some
of the different facts in her literary and scientific
Character, reminding us that, as the heart Is g
citizen of7every country and as strength of char.
acssr can be confined to no territorial limits, the
remarks be should make would be susceptible 81
wider application than to the people Of the sec.
ton which be had mere Immediately in view. Yet
| the men of New-Engand do differ in certain i'm
pertant particulars from those of other districts
and in none more than this, their reliance upon
ezpedients--spon settled system. They cen,es,
the field by inches: their strength is that of a
cautious forecast, judieious arithmetic. They
thus accomplish great undertakings; they build a
large city, but it i<by aggregate of small acts.
When the men of the North and those of the South
meet each Other, face to face, this is very
marked it is seea in Its breadth ct Washington
where they meet each other full grOscn. The
man of the South for the moment; he accom-
plishes his undertakings by personal address, by q
vigorous blow. The man Of the North lives for 3
year; he relies upon the whole apparatus Of means
within his reach, and he is only halt himself when
no undertakes any thing from his personal strength.
The results correspond. The Southern man is
naughty, headstrong, interruptions, wilful he will
have his way, and he does have it. The man of
the North thinks the matter over and takes into
deliberate consideration, the thousand obstacles
in hi, way, and thus he arranges bis behaviour
The North always has the advantage at the end Of
ten years the South always has it today.
Let US look little at the taste of our people
for EIoquence. This has been often remarked,
| and many things in Nsw-Engand offer it oppor-
tunilies for development. Faneuil Hall is 4
COED school; though much of tho speaking there
is slovenly and bad. The mass who listen pre-
dominate; and if the S speaker be dull they feel
how uneasily and uncomfortably they are situated J;
they find themselves piRchea and ebowed, and
they create temult and drown the Speakers
voice so that spite of entreates, he is forced to
stop. But the chosen man rises, and every one is
at his ease. He speaks the word that each knows,
and on his lips they all hang. And at each pause
goes up their united shout, echoing his thought,
the grandest sound in nature. Let the dull man
rise again, and they are sadly crowded and uncom-
Portable
New England is faithfully represented by her
eloquence. The Orator must be man Of good
sense-having an eye to facts, to and objects
Of nature sparingy, but to business chiefly dealing
not at all in flowers and stormy appeals to Passen ;
but trusting himself to the plain truth. He must
carry his point against his adversary by taking
higher ground than he; he must have the strongest
intellect applied to business. He must have no
tricks but as the orations of Demosthenes were
said to be soldiers so must the speeches of the
Yankee be men of business A new field of ele-
quence has within the last quarter of century,
been opened in the Lyceum fast extending in every
direction 1t had its origin in New England and
merits attention as grand and distinct fact. 1t
was started by gentleman who read series OF lit
erary lectures in Boston; and az he has long since
passed into new employments the influence he e1-
erted belongs to the past. In the power e1erted
ever the young to whom he spoke he was almost
comparable to Pcriclea of Athens. Remarkable
for the beauty of his person, with classic style
and grace, with marble lips and voice of most
musical tones, though slightly nasal the words that
he spoke moved all the people of New England.
With talent for collecting facts, he brought
them all to the topic upon which he spoke He
had good deal Of learning, and it was all availa.
BILE at the moment; and so readily and so power
fully did he bring all history and learning to his usa,
so remarkably appropriate were his quotations,
and such the grace and beauty which he threw
over all he touched that learning at once took the
highest place, and all who heard him felt the
beauty and the dignity of the man, and the coars-
for the manner, after they had discovered that the
matter was not for them. Ia TIE pulpit, (for then
he likewise preached) be made amends for his dis
play of learning and gave the reins to his most az
| fluent fancy. He read from Milton and seemed to
give as much beauty as he borrowed. His success
was the triumph of Rhetoric. 1t was not even
then commended that he breugh any now truths to
light: but his style and manner were the secret OF
| hi. power. There was that finish about him that
there is in women. By Series of Lectures which
he delivered during two winters, he made the be-
ginning of what is becoming National Institution.
The evening lecture answers all the purposes of a
social meeting for both soxes it gives new topics
for conversation, and by furnishing pleasing rec
reaton to the young it is fast taking the place Of
the theatre and ballroom.
Into This field we see entering the greatest men
Of the country led by instinct of its Importance.
! This is new and capacous field for the cultiva-
ton of eoquence. 1t surely is not in the Senate
or in Courts, where external relations alone are
spoken of, that Eloquence msy reach its highest
ground but in Philosophy and Poetry and in the
| whole wide range to which the Lecture opens the
way. look upon the Lecture Room as the true
Church and College Of the coming tne, as the
home of richer eoquence than Faneuil Hall or
the Capitol ever knew. Here is all that the ora
TOT can ask-a convertible audience, willing TO lis
ten to reason and love. There is no topic which
may not here be treated. Every thing is here ad-
missble-Philosophy, Poetry, Wit Satire, VEN
trioquism almost; all personal and loca! topics
may be permitted, and embedded in single speech.
Every note may here be heard from the explosion
of a cannon to the ,nke Of a guitar. The field is
unlimited, and it will soon draw the best powers
of the country into it.
1t makes the chairs of Professors dali and life
less there are no there, axes, no loving,
no enchantnen,. All is laid out according a