New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-01-10
LECTURES.

cray, Agassiz and Meagher Thackeray, witty
caustic, satiric, lfe-lke in portrature of char
acter-Agassiz, learned, scientific and curiousl
interesting in philosophical detail-Meagher
brilliant, vehement, picturesque in oratory
offer, (should their services be securely a choic
trio of lecturers to the people of New0rleans
1t would be a rare treat to hear Thacl1
erays semi sarcastic, semi pathetic and graphic
sketches Of Swift, Sterne, Addison, Gay, etc.
Agsssiz' deliberately skillful and intensely in
teresting developments of the wonders of nature
and the glowing descriptions and burning ap-
peals of Ireland's young Tribune, whose modesty
is the great ornament of his character, and a
most agreeable relief from the vulgar and OBJ
trusive selfpufing of others who vain gloriously
parade themselves as martyr-notorieties and to
wake the wonder of gaping curiosity consp
cuously obstruct our highways and oratorieally
display all their bleeding wounds upon the pub
lie platform. Meagher is true man and true
hero, and, therefore, unpretending. He does
not demagoguically declaim his sufferings to
listening audiences, because he knows that such
defamation is the special privilege of preten-
tious, and seldom truthful, humbugs
We hope the proposed series of lectures will be
presented to the public of NewOrleans. and we
guaranty full demonstration of public interest
and sympathy.
Lectures are verv useful. in their vov. whom
presented BY capable persons They arc 70
their subjects what picture is To n rondscoro
presenting all the outlines. colors. sbanes and
substances, briefly and picturesquely. They
present conclusions. deductions and s,,,o,os,
tons, which, though the creation IF a I'LL
mind and the expression of a single intallioenco
must set other minds at work and cause other
intelligences to look more clearly and fxedlv
into what thew treat Of man NAV rood
the life of Swift, or Sterne, or Pope. or Addison
NAV see the phenomena of notpre and Sind, tha
problems of science, NAV cast a glance unon tho
passing panorama of the davis history. Int SOL
dom does any mind 90 tbroupb the lahoriouo
process of ANALYSING and grooming troits of cbor-
acter, Incidents of biography and facts of bis.
tory, and rarely. indeed. can anv mind do these
things with the anatomical skill of a Thacxerav
the complete condensation of an Agossiy ti,o
warm, but picture-like, presentation of n
Meagher
The most valuable feature of the lecture IL
suggestiveness. We speak. of course. of the lee
ture in the hands of a man of head and stud,,
In such hands the lecture is like n scene flashed
back wildly upon the vision from n mirror like |
the revelations of microscope or telescone IN |
dulled or careless sight. like new exnanse N, ,
suddenly discovered city, rising up abruptly
before the traveller who has iourneyed carelesslv
upon some forest -hedged road If a man hears
an idea from another, he must be dull, and |
Slow and oaosalaas on tI,o ;Jo. 1880.
less, if it should not awake reflection and
the inquiry of intelligence and if these
come not to lay new thoughts, and truths and
motives upon the minds altar, even as in the |
first burst of sunlight, on the Panathenea lone
troops of the garlanded maidens of Athens. laid |
fruits and flowers upon the altar of Minerva
The lecturer suggests, because he eondensc-
pictures in outline, and the mind must curiously
figure to itself the details of which he gives the
summary. There may be lifetime or centu-
ries in an hours lecture, as there NAV be acres
of woodland, hill and valley, and long reach
OF streams or broad yeiw of waters upon a can
vass Of four or five feet, as there was suggestion
OF overmastering power and divine accessories in
the grand statue of the olympian Jove of
fhidias, and as there is the suggestion Of the
DOWNFALL OF famous and graceful race in the
Greek Slave of Powers. The capable lecturer
is painter or sculptor in his words Agassiz
paints the wonders of the natural world Meagher
makes Ireland and Australia glow before the
vision, and out Of past history Thackeray quar-
ries and hcws into resemblance "the shape and
body ofSwift, Sterne, Pope, Addison, etc So
presented, these subjects make the mind grow
curious Of their accessories and surroundings
one wonder of the insect, the animal or the
geological world, whets curiosity for what re.
mains behind; one sketch of history or a lands
condition leads inquiry to investigation; one
sketch of character makes that character the
usher at the portals of his age, and the auditor
of lecturer becomes the curious surveyor of a :
held Of history.
Another favorable feature of the lecture is,
mat the speaker draws deductions which become {