The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-12-11
wendell Phillips Lecture.


! charming afi1air--a literary gem of 'pu-
est ray serene" 10 fact, twas sas yeneris
ls to the matter, manner and quality, as
compared with everything else et the kind
in the annals of Davenport. Immense re-
sources Of knowledge; a power Of concen-
tTation of the very highest order; facility
for aprcsi.e i!!ustration. unparalleled; and,
a fuency aud easiness Of dictien 10 be en-
sie2--were 50 happily blended, and employ
cd with 50 much mastery, that a large and
igselligent audience sat entranced from the
10 the end OF the lecture, and,up-
on ills conclusion, like Oliver Twist, felt in
clined to call for "more.n We indulge IN
no eAsggeraiion in stating The fact, tina, ev-
cry persen present was not. only highly
rratificd bat greatly instructed,
Although MIR. Phillips has a Worldwide
Identification with the peculiar doctrines o.
tie day, intended q promote social reform
and lends the powers OF his great lGteiIeei
to their advancement, still, the odor OF the
shop was not pereeptible in aha, he had 81
say upon the Lost Arts, and, as eense-
auence, not single listener was at any
n,ament placed la the attitude OF dissent
No covert design can &c urged against him
for nothing OF the kind was meant. The
discourse was purely literary production
intended f OF discriminating body Of listen
egs, with view 10 their Improvement
Ii the Association shall, in the main, be as
happy in producing lecturers before the
community. as they have been in Mr. PHI
lips, tue advent OF Spring will ind us more
thoroughly instructed, or laiiing al this,
very negligent and unappreciatiye people
considering the advantages within our
reach.
The great principle which Mr. p. en-
deafors TO incnlc4te Is, that we Of the pres
en-, day are wrong in having 50 much ysp'-
u as 10 believe that We src beyond eve.
~ other age 81 abe world--lliat We indulge
toe compIacently in the lrite remark, what
would our grsadlathers think were they lis-
ing now !"and, that Tie nineteenth cen
tury should not he constantly exhibiting
the trait OF taking ofi'its hat 10 ITSELF"
After an exordium, wherein he comment
ed on the power experienced by LSceums
and prnung-lress--a power superior 10
that Of Presidents ana Cabinets-he inge-
niously introduced fact alter fact, proving
that nearly all the inventions, rom which
we derive benefit Al present, were known to
the sncients, and that much of their knowl-
edge appeared to be lost, beyond redemF-
lion The manufacture OF glass; the mix
lng and application of colors; the hardening
o: metals; the eIsuisiteness OF carving
the delicay 81 fibre in woven material; aud,
the machinery necessary for heavy trans
portal lOn-respeetng ali these, ctr progen-
itof. ofthe olden time s+re far superior to
as Mr.. p, sontended that he use 81 tae
telescope dated yery far back, notwithstand.
ns the recent assertion OF MIR. Everett as
e. lis modern birth, else, how could such
accurate astronomical observations hase
been made thousands OF years ago--ihat
marine instruments mus, have been used az
Sicily before the Christian Era, and an OPP
era-glass (or what Was equivalent 70 id b.
Nero. at the COLISEUM, when witnessing
tac gIadiatotiat exhibitipns within that m
u.ense ed.6ce that roadWays, having the
cardinal priae,ple Of general level, ant
with grooves, inslead OF rails. were in oPer
a ion long back and, lhst cid pictures rep
resented boats wigh wheels, propelled b
internal machinery, the motive pow er PEI
lhaps being steam.as s2isling among the "a
tirnts. Even balloons k4sAed 10 be
| vogue, though We consider tnem entirely ,
modern .rigin As regards witty saying
and choice msxims, and tipwery figures ,
rhetoric, many Of them are traced from ii
old Greeisn aud Roman authors, whence q
got them, 10 the interior - Asia, haYif
originated there ceaiuriea before.
Tie peFoalion Mas grand, evolving II
idea ,hat.the arts IN he earlier times wel
confined 10 the priesthood subserYing the
purposes on it-porisut occasions, ard,
ihose who held rule over tae masses. coz
sequeaj aI,en nasion FEB. they wei
consigned % oblivion. But now, the re-
pie hold the power, aed il would be4'nPe
sble cgea 10 submerse them oga,n, wha
ever the mutations u society aud cover
nrnt might be.
Ii was a noticeable set by many Of II
audience, that no allusion was made by Il
accomplished lecturer 20 the electric tel
Graph He made the renark, though, th
tae uncienIs cume very hear DISTRIBUTE
use;r ideas by means o. p,saiag, bus b
/ accomplished Is no farther ihaA h nake i.
aressigns ugon bricks IL rongersati.
aith gebjie;nsn aifer the detteeFy Of i.
lecture. /, aa- ug4 e=fed aiso, that lie
yention .; cuaposder hauli als7 Hsve
i, place, seeing that IT'S eons quenees.
adsancing cifilizab0H--in giving inteiiige
humanity ths advantage over mare bru
oree IL ALMOST inralculabie
We hope 10 hear many dlseours Is q
yaIusble character during the Winter, b
can hardly xpeeL from Tie style eener
IS adopted 10 listen to any con iaiuing
much Information and yielding SO mnch r,
pleasure a. that just gigen u by Nead,
Phillips.