The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-02
DR.. Oliver Wendell Holmes upon "The
Audience

Audience
lecture upon the above subject delivered at the
Brooklyn Institute last night before audience which
occupied portion Of the amphitheatre. The
speaker ad that in lecture devs red last he at
tempted to illustrate the pecuarties of the lecturng
system and the subject naturally led him to refer to
the audience, which touched upon fe sentences.
although it appeared rather free and easy matter to
speak That the lecturer the property Of his
audience for an hour two ole and his
face did not suit some they turned their noses while
others INDUCED in Sleep and all this the e,urer must
bear but when 1t his turn it is another ues
tom and here he hoped the audisnce would shake hands
like boxers before seto and take all the knocks which
might be administered in friendly spirit After various
amusing illustrations Of his subject the lecturer com
meuced with the definitions Of an audience: Three
made . college, and thre, made an audiences man
Q woman, and o boy. Ten may be considered the
practical unit of an audience, add $500 the
largest sum. There are differences in audiences both
ia aspect AID oepori ment. In citrs IL ia gensrsng
sphsbfb and gay while in little country town it is Of
ter stupid and Gull Is small matter to make
dieDce feel with The lecturer but when 1t is ones
brought into spiritual condition 1t IL like infant
in the aims Of healthy nure-tuoyaat and sprightly
Before the lecturer appears he lies II ia the
of expectation There little busting about tho
door. and he enters with lozeng~ ia his moith Thea
ne gees towards the stand and hhuf-a by ,ins while
number OF double barelled glaspes are ieveei ut him
and, with probably fifteen hundred eyes upon him. he
feels like pepper box long before hs reaches the
Sr The young ladies have By this tune ceci ed upon
hts face and the young upon his figure To the e;
turer the day is half los. snd half Won when n ap
pears before the audience; and while IL ia skng
mind about he lecturer he Ia king his mnd about
IA, audience, and various Thoughts sz;ats bis miad
while he scane those b-so MIN. ed OF various
classes let the lecturer look and ne soon becomss
familiar There is the Silent listener the appre ,a nz
Isterer the resisting listener TIE pesapapsr critic an
the that goes cut The apprci.iiLg listener s gsa
eran. - feu'se but n not agays 70 nala with
pretty face that the appreclatng listener bat my
d. vi h grey head 10 whom the lee urer al
find nVa
minutes after you commence, and he appsars to tbok
should either make the audience weep OF la sg
.nd loot ~ 70 say "None of your tricks upon ma
Inc gtork meant well when be pat bis head into this
VOLTS mouth pull out bone l thinking Of the daa
ger Of having his hsso Item of and W the lecturer
stands atioD 10 tie porer who either il cir
ferent 20 the fuhest, IL not what the gin to
De msse ttls Of 4. Bot when they into Lecture
ros m and after sitting five ute attempt give
subance he whole u very often usse al work
n, when they look the lecturers manuscript are
apt TO select such portions generally marked ia brackets
which the lecturer did wish to haze published aud
nex msrning appears in the pipers The relation o. the
CT, . " b1cn more delicate la an well appointed
Offices ccmps;ent Tor the sta ion; bus Oft
that the critic Is DOT a. and so Ia APT to pas
ipsn1 bpfn what he knows very little of-tlnS ah-cns
the lecturer nurousy, and 70 craft % hirsss Tue
inevitable stendsn. UloA lecture is the riaa who goes
out he invariably reiires in fur not In anger, out
IN hurry-for &c e. eyiG. Mt hs must q, having some
thing ~ I'm cor 10 attend tn elsewhere fhs life Of
audience he d iaed into thee per iods of Eve
nputss each Tho hilt IL all attention 10 hear what ia
20 me- and during The sscond psfpd it'd not rufre
. portion seized Nth GRO VI ines II ia.
iar'e docs rot prove Interesting In sicn o,se the
ar~r may refer TO the American gle 50 s.i up their
- otim; bat that won't do Il TOO Often m,ds 1se q