New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-06
THE BROOKLYN ATHENEUM

The attendance on the course of lectures at the Ahenoum
is credabe the literary Of the citizens of Brooklyn
As lectures have now attained rank department Of
Literature constituting no uncomfortable OF knowl
edge TO a large part of the community they entitled 10
come critical for the benefit OF those who deliver lee
tuIe as well s those who hear
The lecture on Common Sense delivered last Tuesday
evening the Athenoum emnenty su,eessul one.
il the plause Of the audience is fair test Perhaps ths
novelty of the performance may have had something to do
with its success 1t certainly is somewhat new to see our
most eminent dynes enter the lists for the amusement Of
popular assembly by droery We amos,caned back in
Imagination to the Ilumors Of Easter which three centuries
ego delight devou Catholics but with this difference in
our favor that the eminent clergy did not then take
part in the performances.
Some allowance too to be made for the popular repuis
Of the lecturer To have a distinguished name Is OF no
email account in the effect produced by public discourse
remember many years since when sir Webster appeared
"a counsel in the suit between Mr. Asor and the State Of
New York as 10 land title tried in this City. The court
room was crowded with New England cisizen-even
the s Of the windows and tops Of the door over which
there we're windows that raised for ventilation were
denfely stOwedin the latter ro0st recolect among
others the present President OF williams Colege-and
thus uDcomfOrtably the auditory "waited In paent ex
peciaon the live long day TO hear the speech Of their
distinguished counrymaD. The case involved nothing but
dry question Of law-he argument was niehgbie only
10 awyrs but the hearers listened with profound afmra
ton. Had the speaker been unknown TO fame tho audi
ence would certainly reduced to the judges and
members Of the bar.
Put TO return 10 our lecturer Among his illustrations
of Common Sense which seemed rather home
thrust biz fashionable audience. Few The said could
occupy themselves nationally at home and hence were
driven abroad 10 seek for frivolous amusenents more At
tacveto their minds Not ten perons OF the audience
he remarked, bad eyerread Monno not as many among
{, n thousand persons.
But those present should not be entirely
instructed in classical poetry he read OF ongeow
poems the bearing Of which upon the subject In hand
could bo cadil
ing of poetry would not be out Of place TO produce
specimen We know Of nothing which will compare better
with this in aptness than Lord Coke's Commentary on
Forest Courts Seeing, says he that we are 10 treat
"Of matters Of game and hunting let ne, TO the end We
may proceed the more cheerfay recreae ourselves with
The excellent description Of Didos doe Of the forest.
wounded with deadly dart stricken In her. and not i'm
pertinent 10 purpose whereupon he quote. from VIZ
g gil the well known hnef srnSr fnjthz DIDO etc.
The false preiensions Of the advocates Of women rights
the feminine democracy who claim the privilege Of wear
ing garments of scsnty Dehthe conyersers with spirits
Socialist &c all passed In review and disposed Of
as having no other object than that Of notoray But
would have been instructive IL the lecturer had pointed out
how the love OF notOrety constitutes distinction between
those classes persons designated by him and the rest Of
the world Does public lecturer prepare discourse
without compacent anticipation of being talked about
DO the fashionable hearers who gathered by popular
lecture 20 for the sake of Intellectual culture merely
have they also desire Of being known persons Of
literary taste And not many induced even by the
lesser yeny Of being in an assembly OF genieeL fash
ioneble people
Pascal who was keen observer has well described
this teii and pronounces IL universal We viii give his
words those who have read Milton may not have
any greater familiarity with the great French hnkerbut
atIansstion WILL presume, be quite needless. a. the
French language il pretty generally uaderst0od
among which s perhape than be said Of the
English La yaDite est 81 ancree dams lie cO9ur dc
"l'bomme gu IN gOgat, mamitoD un erocheteur 50
vape Il yeut ayor admirsfenrs ct les PHILOSOPHERS
"mane en- veulen Ceux gui ecriyent centre IA goire
veulent syoir la elore d. ayor bien eerte ct moi
"aui ecrs ceci TAI peut tire cstte enyie'
The lecturer honored by large attendance Of tho
clergy to whom Of course must not be imputed soy
deLe motive yet we cannot help thinking that seat
tbs stage commoton Of the audience to make place
for who should happen to in late perhaps
not be altogether Of account in their Of enjoyment
Upon the whole Brooklyn is fast acquiring Literary
which hope may soon equal the celebrity whch
it already has for It's distinguished clergy.