Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-31
sNIrHsoNIAN IrsrIrurI.N -Re7. Geo

SEIrHsONIAN INSTITUTION Rev. Geo w.
Bethune, ID. D., of New York, lectursd at the
institution last night. Subject 4" The Ora
tor "
DR.. Bethune is a great favorits with Smith
sOnisn audiences, and the appearance Of his
portly figure, and good -humored, specialized
face, was greeted last night with a hearty
round Of welcome.
Tue lecturer spoke Of eloquence as having,
ID all history, been trampled down by dss
potic governments, aud as approaching per
lection only in degree as the popular will
prevailed. Even in Greece it was confined
mainly to democratic Athens, and in Rome
oratOry reached its highest point when the
city was freest
contrast was drawn between the severe
practice Of the Grecians and Romans in Rhet-
ORIG and DialecticS, and the little attention
paid to them at present. No branch Of edu-
cation is so neglected in this country as orRto-
~, and i; il rarely named as part Of n collie
giate education, and then most slghtingly
When, in the absence Of books, the voice
was the sole channel Of communication be-
tween mind and mind, and the orator had the
monopoly Of mental influence, as in the days
of Rome and Greece, we cannot wonder at
the power he exercised We live in circum-
stances widely diferent-in the day Of the
printing press, Of books, newspapers, pam
phlets, and fa,i!e writers
The abuses of the press were amusingly
dvelt upon by the lecturer. Yet it was a
grand instrument for the worlds regeners-
tion, and If potent for evil was 80 much the
moro potent for good.
But the power Of Oratory had not been d.
minished, nay it had been maguifisd by the
press. The orator must teach religion, plead
at the bar, discuss measures Of policy, or thrill
the hearts ct the community in the cause of
charity. Tho professor. the artist, the phi
iosoPher, tho woman Of strong mind and bifur-
Gated neither integumentS, tho New England
teacher OF psalm singing, the politician. the
citizen, all are obliged to avail themselves Of
the arts of oratory for their purposes.
In all times the man Of eIOquence has been
the man Of power. The military man who
succeeds before the PUBLIC must call the
orator to his aid, aud though the orator may
not receive the fasees Of power, yet he rules
BY the eicqueuce of his craftsmanship Great
captains however, have often exhibited q
degree Of eiOquence. and Cromwell, Washing.
ton, Napoleon, Wellington, jackson aud Tay-
Tor were mentioned as examples. Unlike the
general, the administrator, the statesman, the
philosopher, the artist, the poet, the historian,
the esssyist, the orator must hide his skill
from those he impels
His faculty lies not In commanding what
shall be done, but IN leading others to do. He
knows that the instant be puts himself he
tween the audience and his theme be fails.
The audience cares very little about the
speaker, but about the subject, and in that he
shrouds himself. The superiority Of Demos
themes over his Latin rival is that he concesls
lis art. Cicero never forgets, save in a few
instances, that he is Marcus Tullus Cicero
when We read after the Roman we see the or
ator-after the Grecian, We feel him.
Superficial critics arc apt to underrate the
power Of an orator, because they cannot ap-
preciate his effect upon his audience.
Tho orator cannot work by fixed rules, and
must vary the style To- suit the audience and
the occasion, and what nay strike the reader
Of the printed speech irrelevant. may have
been necessary TO lead his hearers up to the
point to be inpressed-a skirmish for vantage
ground The proof Of his power Is tina. ne
produces results.
An illustration Of this kind Of criticism was
given in the mathematician who scofed at
Homer because the Illiad % proved nothing"
The orator takes frmer hold upon his au-
dience than the esssyist. Let the speech and
the essay be printed side by side, and which
will be the most eagerly read The news
boy mover cries the essay Of the editor, bu.
makes the welkin ring with the announcement
Of the speech.
This might not, however, be so true in Wash.
ingtOn, where so very many speeches are de
hvered, as elsewhere Those who thus wish
TO influence the popular mind use the spsech-
form in writing. The President in his mes
ssges uses this form The apostles Of our re-
ligion took not the dOgmatical form of the
essay, but the direct one Of the epistle There
Is not single essay in the whole Book of
God He teaches IN the form Of personal adj
dress. Would that cur preachers would write
their sermons more as though they wore 70 be
spoken Tbs secret of the superiority o. the
orator over the essayist is, that the latter does
not appeal to us personally, but the former
singles each of u out-ve are fattered by the
IN or1 rr1f i1r,,I -
ened
The lecturer addressed the young men pres
ent upon the advantages of being prepared
for public speaking upon any emergency
Should they not be able 70 attain the tOpmOs.
round as orators they can at least acquire the
ability to express their thoughts with earnest
ness and effect There Is not one of US who
ls not at times conscious Of thoughts proftabls
To others but which We lack the ability to
communicate. There are 50 many occasions
for man 10 speak his sentiments befJre the
world that the neglect TO acquire the ability
90 TO DO is almost a crime.
Eloquence should be studied by the patri-
otto that the PEOPLE may be enlightened and the
sophistry Of demsgogues publicly exposed 1t
IS the duty Of well-infOrmed men not TO aban-
don the management Of primary assemblies
where national measures are originated, to
the management of Cfhce -seeke's, DULLES and
blsckguardy.
AssAULrING An OFFICER. - Las. night,
Oficer Yeatman, while attending to his duties
IN the northern part Of the Fourth Ward, was
attacked by a young man, and q desperate
fight ensued, in which the officer and his op-
ponent were both badly beaten. II was re-
ported that the man is dangerously injured
Although number Of men were standing
around, none Of them interfered to prevent
serious consequences. The officer reported
himself al the guard house, his face much
bruised ard his fingers cut. He described his
assailant, but could not tell his name
Since the above vas Wri ten, Watchmen
Norwood and Birch have arrested the Young
man, who gave his nsme as Michael O'Sulli,
van, snd be was committed to Jail by Justice
Dom, in default Of 5000 bail. He did not
recognize Yeatman as the man he had been
lighting with; but on bis way To jliI, said that
J. King, county constable, was the man he
was after, he having had some diff ,ulty with
him, and vas determined 10 have satisfaction
WAsHISGrOS CIRCUS The entertainment.
at this establishment tonight are for the ben.