The New York herald., 1867-10-09
Tho Lecture seasou.


We have already announced the opening of
'he dramanc season and of the relg Gus sea-
son. The opening of the lecture season will
come next IN order. Throughout New En- land,
the MI Idle States and the Western States, ar
rangemen have already been made by lycc-
ums, by mercantile societies and by mechanics
societies, to secure the most popular lecturers.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Wendell Phillips, the
late Starr King, q. P. Whipple, Henry Ward
Beecher, and other familiar nam s, long stood at
the head OF the long catalogue Of eminent
Northern lecturers. All these save one sill
figure on the list Even the Rev. Henry Giles,
although confinel to q sick bed, will appear
this winter by proxy before the aud ences
which he used to delight by his wit, humor and
eloquence, and lectures which have been writ
ten at bis dictat on will be ext ensivoly read.
Agasiiz him self will be induced, it is said, to
popularize the results Of bis distant eXplora-
tons and his profound studies, and to renew
the success which attended bis public lectures
last winter.
Moreover, a new feature will be added this
year to the attractions OF the lecture season.
The ancient practice of the orators the hi to-
iians and poets of Greece, who used to recite
extracts from their own productions at the
Olympic games, is to be revived Dickens is
to read passages from his own works, and to
introduce anew to the American public a
goodly company of characters with which we
have already become well acquainted. Mrs.
Yelverton is to favor us with extr acts from
the famous Yelverton correspondence" in
terspersed, perhaps, with passages from the
correspondence Of Abeard and Heloise and
the lyrics Of Sappho. Arthur Sketchley is to
present to US, viuG uoce, the fussy Mrs. Brown.
George Augustus Sala may take the temperance
pledge and become the rival Of John B. Cough.
Alexander Dumas psre may infict upon US a
ply, and Alexander Dumas fills may recite pas
sages from his Dame aur Cdnelids. It is even
feared that General Butler and Ex-Governor
Henry A. Wise may be tempted to read aloud
to the public as many of their voluminous
letters as can be read in thousand-and-one-
nights-tar less entertaining than those of the
Princess Schemerezede.
Not few lectures, or readings, like those Of
Mrs. Fanny Kemble Butler and Mr.. vanden-
hof, are also promised for the ensuing season.
1t is not impossible that Mrs. Butler herself,
who has lately arrived in this country. may be
induced to repeat the very successful expert.
ment which she made few years ago with her
Shakspearian readings. In Boston Miss L,coste
has just been reading a choice selection from
the classical poets. We are glad to learn that
a young lady, the display of whose extraor-
dinary talents as reader has hitherto been
confined to private circles Of fashionable So
ciety in Boston and in New York, has been
persuaded to announce a course of similar
readings at Chckcring Hall in the former city.
II that gifted young lady could be induced to
appear in public as an improrisatrice she might
win laurels like those with which Madame de
Stael crowned Corinnr. With such an array Of
attractions as we have indicated the lecturing
season can hardly fail to be successful.