The Portland daily press., 1866-01-30
M. L. A. Lectures.

The sixth lecture Of this popular course was
given last evening by George William Curtis
of New York. The hall was not merely crowd
ed, it was crammed to Overlooking, and for
an hour and a quarter, the speaker held this
immense audience as ffspsll bound by the
charm of his splendid and impassionate rora-
tory. His subject was "Sir Phillip Sydney, the
gentleman" anfit was theme web -caicula-
tied to exhibit the best peculiarities of his
eloquence.
Mr.. Curtis began by saying that IN our new
land there is little room for pride of ancestry.
Few of us can trace far back the lines from
which we sprung; and aft Of US, could we de-
SO, might find ancestors both famous and sin
famous. But genius has descendants of its
own. .--qo - I. rg,i
The figures of history are the family por-
traits of the, whole human race ; we may trace
their licensees in the mene of to-day. Every
true poet, singing while. he staryes in a uod-
ern attic, is sprung from Tasso. Every -miser,
hard and cruel, is the grandson of Shylock
every uniustjudge, declaring. enc class ,hasno
rights which another class is hound to respect,
is the descendant of JeHfreys; every traitor has
in his-veins the. blood of Arnold; and every
brave, faithful, courteous and knightly soul
which in these fiery later times, in. cur own
land, has gone forth to do battle for the right,
has an ancestor in Philip Sydney 1t was for
the sake Of these, the Sydpeys, Of our day, the
speaker said, that he had chosen their elder
brother as his theme, =; Z 60, g
In rapid manner, but with many touches
of vivid description, the speaker ran over the
chief events otSydney's fife, showing the COM
bination of circumstances which shaped his
character, the varied influences which contrib
uted so to mould its rich elements to that per-
feet development, which has made his name
the synonym of all that is -chivalfous and no
bic in our conceptions Of human Character
He painted the fearful Struggle for religious
liberty which agitat ed the 10th century, skill
fully contrasting and comparing it with the
conflict for civil liberty. the tumult Of which is
but now subsiding; and he gave wonderful
vitality to the interest with which he invested
his chosen hero, by showing his kfnship with
ten thousand modern sydneys as gentle, as
courteous, as heroic as he. .....-.....
In conclusion, the speaker touohsdsupsn the
fact that SydRey's bright eareer Was ended at
the early age OF thirty three, and in.that con-
nection dwelt eioquently upon the achieve
merits of a0..th:t Youth, he said, is the main
spring of the world. The experience of age
is wise in action only as it is electrified by the
magnetism of youth. The history of heroic
achievement is the history of young men.
Turenne marshal OF France at twenty !;
William of Orange general at the same age;
Bonaparte, the coneueror OF Italy at twenty
seveni Bacon ssetchiag at seventeen the out
line Of bis philosophy q. the countless youthful
heroes. who have, upheld on Southern battle
fields, the banners the Republic, though the
boards were not grown upon their smooth
cheeks, were quoted as instances. F
The heroic age iss the age Of youth. We
live in that age. q, ,-4.e r--,,.--
We live in land which has been saved by
young men, The future before us is a future
glowing with such rainbow. promise as only
the youthful sky can show. In careful cult
vatioh'o OF those traits of the true knightly gen.
tleman mirrored in the character of Sydney,
these promises will find their best earnest, of
fulflment. s. .,sN 49, I. 49, -.
The meagre report which alone we are able,
at this late hour Of writing to give, can do but
imperfect justice to this eloquent andinterest-
ing address. Its peculiar charm is lost in the
attempt to give it in other than the speakers
own words. IL was listened 10 with Che deep
est interest, and drew out frequent and warm
/ applause. 40
The Portland Band were In attendance be-
fore the lecture, and gave some excellent mu-
-
The next lecture will be given tomorrow
evening by Rev. DR.. Chaplin, of New York.