, 1859-02-07
6.lf. Nade Men.-Ffederick DouEla S.
Second Lecture.


Frederick Douglass second lecture was de
firered 10 q fair house at Metropolitan Hall on
Saturday evening "Self-Aade Men,"
The lecturer commeuced bY saying that 1e"
subjects are more worthy our attention and
sspdv thau the various u.es which men made of
life, Such themes were Interesting to all men,
but especially to the young. While it was not
of such special consequence "aat iEic"s OF lie
were presented to the old, aud hardened, the
case was widely different with those who bad
all the world before them and all examples 10
choose from. The speaker regarded lie a. an
individual fact without reference to any other,
q affordlng the largest variety OF moslFe ior
tho exercise Of all men's powers. liz gave
vivid picture of the different circumstances M
der which ell men begin the journey OF lie,
nortrayin9 the condition of fortunes faror
ites on the one hand and thss Of the children o
dest,tutiou On tbs otber-dwelling at much
Ieogth upon the conflicting and puzzltng cou'
trasts. presented in the sn:cesses Of different
classes ot individuals. Mans Object WIS always
manhood, and the study OF man was the most
fascinating Of all studles'
After An eloquent cxordium On the general
subject Of manhood, tne speaker aeuuso Il"
theme ~ eal'lne naouoou nnus' D'1"so'-
tics. oroeh haoe Aer, c'''o''s ia1' 4'a1
paris First, the description of self.made men;
kseon1 the true theory of their existence and
deveoqnen'' t+A1' 1ne Ae''''4S' oN
men b. the Ideas nod ans1ltot'ons peea"as ~
this cuniry; ano joaFtA' tne csl"c1e'o ~ "n'ea
fncb aen arc naeatAns e3poseo' n9' oooe'ass
gsse Irapid aketch Of sas oltusu4sles ano easo-
ships Incident to those VINO r'se 1fon III"
condition in life to usefulness ana iane.
In accounting for sesfmade men, he attached
hut litle importance either to chance, destiny,
or suserior natural Endorsements, giving the
chief tuportsnce to purpose, perseverance,, IN.
conourabte will and industry Without these,
no eplovment Of natural abilities could bs euc
cesstl, and with them acarcely any other defect
coua stand IN the way OF succeas. Labor iu-
erased the cs;arity Tor labor; the weak we're
mde strong by it, and the strong made strong
.. Men we're estimated by what .bey do. rather
han what thcy can do, Potential ability was
one thing. actual ability quite smother thing.
You nro better than when you do bettsr than l.
The case OF Hugh Miller, the eminent geo1ogist,
waa instanced as . brilliant example Of selfcul-
turs--Ehu Barritt, mastering thirty languages
over tho glowing anvil, Kossush. Astounding us
With biz eloquepce, gathered from Shakespeare
and the Bible. while enduring the rigota of Au6.
trian imprisonment.
He dwelt with much emphasis on the achieve.
nents Of Benjauin DAuuscer, sl4se in the State
Of Masyland, self:mllc man, and all eminent
mathematician, will, whom Thomas Jefferson dit
not think it beneath him to hold CORE e-prndence
Mr.. Douglass sid Presidents were men, not plat.
iorm.. iu those days. HI referred to Wm Dcisz
an excellent draushtsman and M inventor, whe
had risen from tic condition Of a servant to be
come the chief manager Of an estate worth tbres
millions Of dollars. There, too, said the lecturer
stands Tonssaint LOuVerturc, the brave and gcn
e1oas soldier, tue cool aud sasacIous stttesman
aad the dauntle>s llberntor Of his sable pe"p'c
Fifty Of the best years OF his life had been spen
in slavery, end Jet he Lad become the hero Of Lis
tory, poetry aud cloqacnce. Wordsworth en-
clrclcd his memory with ba1o Of fade]eas glory