Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-12-08
FROM BOSTON,
"Reminiscences of the Lyeeum-Aneedote
OF Poe-H Ward Beecher on Amuse-
menis The Pulpit and the Theatre
Family.
[Boston Cor. Hartford Evening Press.l


had but one theatre, one course of lee
lures, and the entertainments of Rus
sell and Dempster were about all our
concerts The theatre was a second
class one, at the north end. The lee
ture course was that of the Boston Ly-
ceum. 1t was waning In popularity. =
Beecher, Chaplin, Cough and Curtis
had not then come out as platform ora
tors, though Chaplin was known as a
very eloquent preacher in Charlestown,
and had recently thrilled his audience
with a discourse on the burning of the
Lexington (steamboat) in the sound
George Bancroft was, perhaps, the most
popular lecturer then. Emerson gave
his series of lectures on "Representa-
tive Men, since incorporated in book,
in this course. Poe had just written
"The Raven" and, this poem being
much talked about, he was invited to
deliver poem at the opening of the
winter season. He came. and stopped
at the fremont House. When the COM
mittee went for him, early in the even
ing, they found him in such a state as
seemed to render the thought of his
speaking before an audience q prepos-
ferrous one. But they went to work en-
ergetically to improve his case as much
as possible. Strong coffee was brought
into requisitiOn, and then a walk, or
rather run, in the evening air was de-
termined on. AS the story was told me
at the time by one of its actors, Poe
was very compliant. / presume our
present Mayor Lincoln (who was one of
the committed hasn't yet forgotten his
double quick movement with the poet
up and down franklin street. There
was a lecture before the poem, and this
gave considerable margin Of time.
Poe was fi1ally presented. / remem-
Der him well, as he came on the plat
form. He was the best realization of a
poet in feature, air and manner that l
had ever seen, and the unusual Epale-
ness of his face aided to its aspect of
melancholy interest. He delivered a
poem that no one understood, but at
its conclusion, gave the audience a
treat which almost redeemed their dis
appointment. This was the recitation
of his own Craven" which he re-
peated with thrilling effect. It was
something well worth treasuring IN
memory. Poe, after he returned to
| New York, was much incensed at Bos-
ton criticism on his poem. He de-
clared that he knew it had no merit,
and very little meaning; that he wrote
it when Ia years old, and had purpose
ly put it as hoax upon BOstoniaDs. -
The statement about it's early produc-
ton was correct; the others of much
more doubtful veracity. Poe had put
], Il
was too late; inspiration would not
come to HIM, aud he took this early
one as q make-shift. He had egOtism
enough to believe it to be worthy of
the occasion. About this time, in con-
versation with Dir. James 4. Field, Poe
said it was q reproach to American lit
erature that it had produced no Shaks-
peare "Why don't You write q play,
and remove it, said Field. 81 believe
| could" was Poe's response? When
the facts relating - this visit of Poe to
Boston were ventilated in the public
papers, it came out that his unfortu-
nate condition resulted from a cham
payne dinner that some of the Boston
literati had Given him. The names sof
those present were printed, and some
young writers were Il good deal exer-
cised by the exposure. One of them,
who was then an essayist, and is now
an editor, declared that he had never
drank a thimble fall of champagne be-
fore in his life, and thought it partic-
ularly hard that he should be paraded
in such an association.
This was, 1 think, the last season of
the Boston lyceum lectures. The mer-
camille library came into the field, and
took the young people away. They
first introduced Henry Ward Beecher
to Boston. L heard his first lecture
here. 1t was on "Amusements," and
was an immense hit. A few knew much
about him, and the whole thing was a
surprise, with the electric vigor and wit
of the man, and his oratory, and the
very unorthodox ideas he presented.
The Beechers had been associated with
Calvanism in Boston up to that time.
The father of Henry Ward had preach
ed here, and bitterly inYeighed against
theatres especially. The spot where his
son stood while lecturing was at that
time n frst-class fashionable and
elegant theatre. The old man declared
that he should live and preach on its
stage, and his prediction proved true
The drama languiAhed and became I'M
profitable, and the Baptists bought the
the building. They invited DR.. Beech
Ell to come back and deliver sermon in
it before the interior was demolished,
and he did so, of course. There were
people who thought that the drama was
about to die ont in Boston at that time.
They must be greatly alarmed at its
present resurrection. And here Ito re-
turn was the son OF Dr. Beecher plead
ing tor amusements on the very ground
where his fathers feet had been plant
ed, and, though he did not advocate
theatres, using arguments that logical
ly justified their existence, and strength
ened many -theatre-goers who were
doubtful as to the propriety of what
they were doing. 1t was a pretty large
dose of heresy to begin with, and there
has been plenty more Of the same article
since from the same quarter.
remember another very great sur
prise to myself from this platform. Rev.
DIR. Chaplin used to be quite an attend
ant upon the Lyceum and other lee
lures, ana be generally brought with
him a rather large-sized boy, with
whom he appeared to be on very init
mate terms. / never should have given
him second look, if 1t hadn't been for
his connection with Mr.. Chaplin. Time
passed on and Mr.. Chaplin left us, and
Starr King was chosen his successor.
He was spoken of as a man OF ability
and promise, and was engaged to lee
ture in the mercantile course. l went
to hear him, ard when the presi-