Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-11

and Wednesday evenings. Notwithstan-
ding the unfavorable circumstances of in
element weather, and want of sufficient
notice, on both occasions, he was greeted
with large audiences, composed of the
beauty, intelligence and refinement Of our
city. They we're no less fattering to the
good taste Of this community, than justly
complimentary to the wide celebrity Of
the Lecturer. We confess to have had a
feeling of doubt, so numerously have puer-
lie amusements been attended in our city,
whether an entertainment of this high
sort would "take" with us, and we expe-
rienced glow of the most pleasurable
satisfaction, when we beheld the size and
intellectually of his audiences. The dec
Drum that pervaded the whole assembly
fully evinced this latter fact We wish
we had space to characterize Mr.. Shilla-
bers lectures as they deserve, but our lin
il will not allow u.s. Both his addresses
we're poems, spoken with such happy elo-
cution and gesture as to charm even those
70 whom poetry is otherwise dull. OF all
literary pleasures, give us the delivery of
a fine poem from the lips of its author /;
coming with that force of emphasis he
meant TO give, and warm with that vitality
and soul with which it gushed from his
brain.
His poem the first night, was picture of
Human Life--an application of Shaks-
peares seven stages Of man. First the "boy
with satchel and shining morning face to
school" and then the clover, signing like
furnace" were delineated with the most
g exquisite touches of the Poets art. When
the current of Youth widened into the
broader stream of manhood, then the vari-
Gus characters that play their several parts
in the great drama of Humanity, were
brought before the minds eye in all the
vividness of reality by turns provoking
the quiet smile or hearty laugh, with gent
al humor or pungent wit; and anon stri-
king far down beneath the ripple of mirth
to those deeper fountains that lofty senti-
ment and true pathos alone can reach.
His Lecture the second night, was an
other phase of the same subject pano-
rama Of Life in our great cities, with its
contrasts of light and shadow Of vice and
virtue, of poverty and plenty, all pregnant
with the significant meaning they have for
. the Poet. This lecture, though not of so
large scope as the first, and not so aboun-
ding in the more delicate touches Of hu-
NOR, yet gave equal satisfaction to those
who relish broader wit and less philosophi-
cal thought. Though all Lecturers are
compelled to sacrifice something of The
purest taste, to popularize their discours-
cs, yet We believe Mr.. Shillaber's style will
better bear rigid criticism, than that
Of any other distinguished lecturer we
know. But what pleases us most of all,
is the genial philosophy that undcrlies
both his humor and pathos. Deep in the
dark depths of evil, his eye discerns the
shining grains of wisdom. Beyond the
scowling clouds that shut out the face of
Heaven, he beholds the bright sun still
shining screnely on. Above all the din
of the worlds strife, his ear catches the
low notes of the "still sad music of hu-
mainly"
But as much of intellectual homage as
Mr. Shillaber has extorted from us, We be-
lieve we but echo the sentiment of all who
heard him, when we say that our love for
the man exceeds our admiration of his fine
genius. He has won from us that war
mer feeling, which genial and noble ma
ture alone inspires, and we feel in parting
from him, like taking leave of an old and
dear friend, rather than the acquaintance
Of day.
And now word in conclusion. A
mongst We are happy to say, very few
exists contemplate prejudice against in
yiting Northern men to lecture for us
What! shall we refuse the hand of fellow.
ship, to such large souled men as Mr.. Shil.
laber, because he halls from a far distant
portion of our great country? The lover
of his country, and his kind, will see in
the coming amongst us of those men from
the North, that so largely shape the pub
lie sentiment Of their section, the surest
,nethod IN dissinata the estran pement thai
now obtains between the two portions Of
our common country. Nothing would bet
ter bring about that state of good feeling
SO much to bo desired, than an interchange