The national Republican., 1867-11-16

livered q lecture last evening at the Thirteenth h
street Baptist church, for the benefit Of the
Ladies' Benevolent Association. The audience
In numbers was fair, but not 90 large as Il
should have been. The lack Of numbers was
however more than equalized by the intelligence
| present.
| "Greece" was the subject Of the lecture In
Its moral and physical features DR.. Samson eyi.
denced thorough knowledge, and his remarks
were very entertaining, and proved rich intel.
lectual feast to those In attendance.
4 The lecturer commenced by reverting to the
subject Of his previous lecture, and instituting
q comparison with his present subject. He first
became acquainted with Greece when she had
In modern times but entered among the nations
OF earthi when like woman, she had but at
tanned her majesty.
Rapidly spproaching and illustrating by the
map the classic land. tho speaker took the audi
ence as II BY magic to tho very heart Of the
country In few moments. Modern Greece has
about 21 900 square miles, one third the siro Of
Virginia. And what land Is this that has ore
ated such figure in the world' A look at its
| physical formation; to see the vast quantity Of
rock and the small area Of productive land, we
wonder yet more. The geographical position Of
Greece was thoroughly explained, and Its physi.
cal properties demonstrated In lucid and graphic
style. Modern culture In Greece, since Its sal.
vation from the Turks, was very little, and tho
wheat raised was not sufic cient for the wants Of
the people. How Is II possible that this little
land has created such q stir in the worldf
In ancient times, II Is said, Its population did
not exceed eight millions. In 1851 and 1852 II
was ], 200, 900. As far back as we learn Of ve
know that the Greeks were famous in commerce
and arts. In 1920 before Christ, Athens was
settled by Cecrops. Letters were also said to
have been introduced at that time.
Our word political comes from the word poius
In Greek. In the little area Of Greece In ancient
times there were more than sixteen or seventeen
States. Theso States held for more than one
thousand years They could not, however, have
been more than little towns. Where was the
border Of these towns, and who had the au.
thority. These cities or towns would be sooner
overrun than DO consolidated. What built up
those oitles' Commerce. In the Trojan wars,
twelve hundred years before Christ, the com.
merco Of Greece was alluded to BY Homer.
Commerce built up that country, and will build
1t up again. Commerce gave her cities wealth.
Corinth and Athens were the glory Of Greece.
Tho temple Of Minerva, In Athens, repre-.
sented on q parchment painting, was shown to
the audience by the lecturer, and statuary In the
picture pointed out as embematic Of commerce
advancing toward art. The design the temple
was that Of Pythias, who was born 500 D. @.
| The highest stimulus was given to art from
the earliest ages In China and Turkey there
was also induosment to pupils in schools to ad-
|
Of Washington there were boys Of the highest
genius, and there should be some place where
genius should be brought out, not for themselves
or their families, but for their country.
Greece was great In the great departments Of
art. Rome was great in architecture. But
Greece was great in three. She was the leader.
In sculpture, architecture, and painting she was
the leader. II was said that the Greek idea Of
architecture originated In q log cabin.
| Specimens Of GreciBn architenture vera Az.
hibited to the audience; Girard College, Phila.
delphia, being incidentally mentioned by DR..
| Samson as ono Of the finest buildings In the
United States. The Patent Office was spoken =,
and the Treasury building, the latter being OF
the Corinthian order.
The idsas Of the Greeks regarding sculpture
were colossal From the grand to the beautiful,
from that to the historic-which latter was In
the timo of Alexander-the Greefs steadily ad.
vanced.
| Another Of the arts-painting- progressed
from stage to stage in beauty, variety, and finish,
until they were unsurpassed. Greece's day Of
glory passed away when Alexander conquered
the country. Her decline commenced from that
era. One Of the last plunderers Of Greece was
Lord Arundel in tho time of Charles I. Lord
Elgan was the last which was In the present
century. The advent Of Christianity in Greece,
end the hold II took upon tho people, was ad-
verted 20. When the Hebrew threw the sacred
writings away, the Greek picked them up. The
Grseian srtists bsnama Ghristians, and hogan to
collect tho heads Of Christ In sculpturing and
painting. They carried Christianity into art
Tho reign Of Constantine and Its results upon
the prosperity Of Greece were dwelled upon, as
also tho early wars between Greece and Turkey.
The future Of the country was alluded to, and .
bright picture drawn by the eloquent lecturer,
to dawn in days to como. Tho resources OF
Greece were explained and given In defence Of
the speakers argument rs to her future glory
Intellect and energy dwelled among the Gre
clans, and their mental and physical qualities
would yet bo brought forth for tho benefit and
prosperity Of their country.
This finished the lecture, and at its conclusion
rich court dress was exhibited to tho audience
tho son Of the lecturer being robed In 1t.
Among the audience we noticed M. Blacque, the
Grecian Minister who was evidently much in.
terssted in the remarks Of tho learned lecturer.
MoRrUARY REpoRT.-Through the politeness
Of D.. @. M. Dove, secretary of the Board Of
Health, We have been furnished with the NOR
tuary report for the month of October:
OFFICE SECRETARY BOARD OF HBALrH,l
l. WAsHISGIoS, D. G Nov. II, 1867. I
REPORT OF INTERVIEWS IN Tue CITY OF WASH
INGTos FOR THE MONTH or OCTOBER, 1867
WHOLE NUMBER REPORTED 1903.
| Causes. Causes.