The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-08

lied by Marshall as lone of the most con
temptbie characters in sacred history" At
this declaration there was considerable stir |
among the audience, and quite n number of
ladies, fearing that Marshall's love of a good
thing, or possibly his condition might lead him
into an indiscreton, arose and left the hall.
Marshall, undismayed by this Interruption qui-
etly remarked that the ladies evidently agreed
with him in his estimate of Joseph,s moral
character, and added, that he proposed to in
quire only into his career as a politician and
speculator Joseph was denominated by him
as 'the first speculator in sacred history;" and
he drew parallel between his practices and
those of the modern school of operators. There
was prevalent in Louisville at the time this
lecture was delivered a scandalous and doubt
less unfounded story relative to the prac-
tices of former Treasurer of the United
States, who was represented as sending all
bullion of the Government, in transit from
and to any point Of the Union, by way of Lou
isville, in order, it was asserted by the jour
nails of the opposite party, that it should pass
through the hands of, and be used for time
by, banking house in which the Treasurer
was partner the shrewd operation costing
the Government very roundly in the item of
transportation. Marshall alluded briefly to
this well-known story, and likened Joseph to
sort of sub-treasurer who indulged in like
operations, and who "heartlessly put his own
brothers to the cost of double transportation
this local allusion produced great amusement,
and put the audience in the best of humors,
and the laughter inspired the speaker anew.
He ratified on through the Old Testament and
the Apocalypse, singing out the most pro-
| minent characters, and alternately making
his audience roar with laughter at his
| comical analysis of the solemn characters, or
thrilling them with wonderful paraphrases of
| Biblical descriptions or narratives. He talked
of the prophets as if they had been his personal
| friends, and ought to be those of the audience
| too. / cannot recall how he ever introduced
| the subject, but remember he compared Saul
to himself-each being head and shoulders
above the people-taking care to repudiate the
| Witch of Endor, however, and then flew off
into some theory about the inequality of men
and races, as shown by blood and color and
| figure. Solomon did not meet with his un-
qualified commendation; he was "doubtless
very reverend, grave, and wise old signor" he
thought; but, he added, ''his choice of his
| lady friends, and their number, does not prove
it to me-" In this vein he ran on for nearly
| two hours, winding up with a brilliant
analysis of the character of Christ, and
description of the scene of the crucifxion,
of fine pathos and great power. He
had talked himself thoroughly sober by this
time, and stopped, closing with an apology for
the unintentiOnal change of programme and
the announcement of the lecture on Napoleon
for the ensuing evening.
| Marshall too frequently permitted his habits
to interfere with his lectures in this manner;
he was not always as happyin his efforts when
intoxicated as he was ON the occasion to which
| have Just referred. But he was never posi-
| lively bad, even when very much influenced
by liquor. His flow of language was too easy
to leave him entirely helpless; his active brain
| found wine stimulant, and it never confused
it. He was not the more profound or accurate
or elegant after his indugences; but neither was
he, on the other hand, less voluble or origi-
| nal. He had an odd way-and forcible way
too-of putting familiar ideas, and the drunken
he was the odder was the expression. He was
! once engaged to deliver a course of lectures at
| Lexington, Kentucky, and made his appear
ance for several evenings in state Of intoXi-
cation. Naturally the audiences dWindled
down until only about a score of people assem-
! bled to hear his fourth or fifth lecture. Num-
| bers were of little consequence to Marshall
! He would have lectured to single person had
! there been but one present, and if none had
| put in an appearance" doubt not he would
have lectured to himself ON the unapprecia-
ton of genius (and possibly the depravity of
| nature). When he had finished his lecture to
| the score present on the occasion alluded to,
| Marshall, not yet quite recovered from the
effects Of the wine he had imbibed, suddenly
concluded by saying, in his quiet way
'Ladies and gentlemen hope you will all
| come again to my next lecture. Do not weary
| of well-doing. Do not be discouraged by the
smallness of your numbers. l am not. Come
| again. I'll lecture to you no matter how few
OF you may be present; for, as was said on a
| more memorable occasion, where there are
| two or three gathered together in my name,
| there will be in the midst of them "
1t is not to be inferred from what have said
that Marshall had no veneration for sacred
things. There were few better Biblical stu
dents-there were few divines more thoroughly
versed in sacred history than he; but he knew
and cared very little about religious theories
and arguments. He did not lack veneration,
and he insisted on looking at and talking about
prophets and saints as human beings, and
thought nothing more ridiculous than the
prevalent custom of writing about such char
acters in the titled style and souorous SEN
tences of King James age.
Marshall was particularly happy at repartee.
and, next to Cough, was the quickest at reply
ing to question or interruption from his audi
ence whom have ever heard. Most orators
have their set retorts for Interruptions Mr.
Andrew Johnson used to have standard and
favorite reply for all interruptions, and he never
failed to use it whenever opportunity offered,
for though not original, perhaps, it was always
quite effective. Whenever an interruption
occurred-and in Mr.. JohnsOn's early career
these We're very frequent-he would stop for a
moment until his silence had drawn attention
to him again, and then say, very slowly,
"There are but two things in animated nature
which hiss, the serpent''-a long pause
| I'apd the pOOse.' don't think this ia OrionoI