Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-01-27
RIGMAROLE ORATORv

There are few subjec relative to this conn.
try so frequently ridculed by Punch and other
foreign humorists, as American rhodomontade.
We see the quizzes and think them unkind
ana overstrained. We are not aware that the
enort to talk fine" and to raise language ia ?
above the level which its subject probably re
qulres, Is weakness to which nine men ont of
ten are, IN one form or other, continually
yieidlng: In our popular novels, the conyer-
sation OF persons of all conditions lowing to
ignorance of life) is represented as flowing in
STRAIN OF overdone accuracy and prolixity,
~niie .ne world In turn endeavors "to talk
oook, Ike persons il roads Of
But 1T is in the pulpit, ard more especialIv
IN the lecture room, and the political meeting.
tnat the affectation of fine language and elabo
rated phrases is heard in all its absurdity. II
Is remarkable that those who indulge in ex
cesses OF this rhodomontade are generally men
VINO afect to be very practical, very much at.
sarcastic. AN WY
We have been reminded of this folly by a
pamphlet which has been forwarded us, and
%nicn contains an address delivered by Mr..
l. ID. Tenny, before q Young Mems issocia.
ton at North Bend. The grafton appears 70
nave been bona fde one, and a Committee
appiied Tor copy of it, charac terizing it as
aDle and eloquent. What passes for able and
eloquent in North Bend, NAV be gatbered from
some of the beauties which we emil from IL
Tue subject of the address is The Romano nj
lowing: -'
Romance of Reform lies not in pl,tter;uo
Ts"tasms, dazzling the impetuous with bIa1es
Oh exceilence-not in vague sentimentalism
reproaching the languor of sudden vicissitude
not In national celebrations from party elo
quence or halcyon repose, but il lies in
81 substituting the calm repOse Of regularity to
the Wild madness of infelicity and pertubation.
IL lies IN distinguishing cOmmotion by the dig
nity Oh retirement, as we'll as in compromising o
Justice subservient to rebellion: il lies in
awakening minds, susceptible of effects but
regardless OF law-while chartering composure
ana satisfaction on campaigns of rebellious ex-
ctemen' 70 see its victims forever wrecked on
the merciiess breakers of remorse and des
pair" N''
w., In the next paragraph we find the following
What the ''it' in question is cannot be guessed
from the context: e1''''N
III preys like the vampire ON the blood of
humanity, unfurling its breezes to be wafted
10 the .pinnacle of a dismal metropolis. II
holsts It's starless ensign DER the bleeding
WOUNDS OF ine innocent, shouting for its halle
be humanity, and my promise the world ~
The different attributes which cbaracter;za
the authors two great divisions of humanity,
arc very fine:
Some have consecrated halls-diademed
groves and elysian charms others rickety
hopes-detonized affections and sulphurated
Many of the SMILES in this address ara vsrv
original. "a feelingless cinder swamped by
the potency of its own calidity'' is followed by
that clock on the mantelpieee of Eternity.
whose pendulum commenced that vibration to
"Dicn dladrOm seems a century and a GEN.
tury an eternity. "-PhH. BnLleftn.