The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-26
Charles Mackay's First Public Appearance In
America.

The distinguished English poet Charles Mackay made
his debut in America lecturer at the Mconaon last
evening when he delivered the first Of course Of three
productions upon the National Historical and Popular
Songs Of England Ireland and Scotland As was to have
expected there existed considerable curiosity
and hear whose fame had long since reached and
whose writings have found admirers in many Anne
rcan homes The attendance large and fashionable,
the audience embracing several of our most distinguished
lIerdti
Mr. Mackay said that the subject for his first lecture
would be Poetry and Song" The unbeevng world
asksWhat is poetry, and what songY The definition,
Ike that Of virtue beauty is difficult of presentation
We know and feel what is but give truthful expires
sion IN words is impossible. As regards beauty,
ind II in thing and some in anotherthe lecturer cit
ing among other illustrations that which exemplned the
difference Of opinion entertained by nations TO what
constitutes female beautyand there was no real stand
ard by which TO define il, either in nature or art What
had said that poetry cameg nearer vital truth than
even history itself, but he had definition
for t. Lord Bacon asserted that the ,o,
but he forgot that falsehood and fiction were two
very different things still he had definition No error
said the lecturer is found TO be common than that
which sustans encourages the suppOson that
and poetry are the same in character and purpose
Poetry may exist in prose as well as in verse and ne IN
Irving and the book f"Job" In some verse there was
not an ioa Of poetry and there is much with no more
as plenty boys and girls, while poetry is like the
philosophers stone Hood and Jerrod had both dis
ton found combined in the writings Of all great poets,
and the greatest who unes them with the most
II the objects of poetry 10 teach, exat refine,
to show the beauty and benehcence OF nature, to
strengthen love for God and man. which they most
certainly are the individual who does not understand il
is either uneducated IDIOT while who under
stands but does not like is to be set down as blind 70 the
beautiful and dead to the n0best instincts Of his nature
Song s defined as a short poem set TO music, and
true II is that none appeals 80 strongly and with
much success TO popular taste AZ this. The working
classes may be strangers TO all of Homer, Dante Milton
Or SHAKESPEARE except their immortal names, but the sim
pie song that which their wives and daughters sing
they gather around the humble heahtone at the close
Of day Of honest toll and they find tn the expression
Of their most intimate human feelings and hopes. Mr..
Mackay designated songs the flowers by the wayside
of life, which the hlmbest may pluck and place in their
bosoms which appeal TO the hearts OF the lowlest mai
den with holy power 10 which those of lofty preten
often strangers In fact ancient song
that may be called the elder sister OF history and the
lecturer cited the efforts of many ancient writer's in this
line showing antiquity dignity Of the song writer's
art. Those OF David were dedicated TO God, and
wrung from the suerngs Of an aching heart Several Of
the ancens to music and sang their verses but
the two arts these days he remarked seldom uni
ted Many modern songs would require distinct tunes
for each verse, little the regard paid by the writer
TO the necessities involved in the rules of music and
this 10 be attributed the fact that musicians
often unite their best productions 70 the most wreched
efforts verse-bcing those which present TO them the
strongest recommendations Song without metre Is
egg without meat or a body without soul.
II had been customary 70 speak Of anything valued
at q ridcuously low price that which could
be bought for song and the speaker proceeded to us
rate the injustice OF snch provero Inere were nnme-
tiona value "God Save the Queen and Yankee
Doodle and of another class he brought forward Burns
song OF "a Mans Man for a. thata production which
teaches the nobility OF governed by the only
standard Tell us he said the worth OF such song
this by Burns In pounds, shilngs and pence in dol
lars and cents and we will then know the value OF Gan
old songn He next instanced "Home, Sweet Home,n
that which helped 10 educate people and fill their hearts
with patriotism The French know little Of this that
they have word in their language TO express IT, while
in England and America Il priced as among the dearest
OF earthly ties This had d0no moro 10 keep alive
those virtues that find their origin at the hearthsde than
al the preceps practically enforced by law gvcrs There
was doubt but that the "Marecaisen had given nm
impetus TO the struggles for liberty and stronger
Of song writer's influence desired than the
course taken by Louis Napoleon IN calling out one
hundred thousand armed men 70 preserve the peace
when the remains Of the poet Beranger were borne
10 their final resting pace-earing, as he did, that
the people, In recalling the songs OF the deceased
poet, would remember the liberties OF which they had
been robbed Love still remains as the great in
spration Of song but seldom taken the theme
and has long since ceased to furnish subject
confined 70 these three however and he further
marked that invariably upon the side OF truth and
Justice when it's debased Those which
couragcd unhoy passions and such compositions a. were
OF bacohanalan character have permanent existence
and they perish out Of their inherent rotenness
True song, he affirmed high and holy thing, and can
not die out from the love OF people. IL the welded
mate and better half Of music, and In no base or L.
noble passion find expression II teaches the Dobles
Of sentiments and In them the song writer's find their
power II not easy 70 be great poet in the nine
teenth in the seventeenth century-he difficulties OF
attaining emnence being much greater and far more nu
than then He thought that the age Of false
cosceis in poetry passing away Twas the duty OF
the poet cling TO the soul Of beauty rather than
the outer garb OF fancy, and thereby increase the
worlds happiness In this view how great was the calling
and how exalted the position OF the poet.
Mr.. Mackay then closed by reading few stanzas or
original poetry about the who had "lost purity Of
tone and "triner In the land His lecture occu
Piled ts delivery jst one hour aud he was listened TO
Throughout, with coee attention. Interrupted frequently by
applsuse.