The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-09-17
'IIDg SzUUU.
PHILLIPS AND COUGH.

We have already passed our limits and have
scarcely said half of what the subject allows.
There are scores of lecturers whose names
we have not even glanced at-"Grace Green
wood" Josh Billings, DIR. Chapin, Stephen
Tying Jr, Revs. Mr.. Wyllis, Kitteridge, Tall
madge, Charming, Roe, and Culis-a host or
them, all equally deserving mention. Above
all, we have not spoken OF Wendell Phillips.
He is one of the great geniuses of America
Long ago he observed that sensationalsm was
the winning card in literature, and at once in
troduced it to the rostrum. His lecture
"The Lost Arts"-proved to astounding null
titudes that all the wonders of the nineteenth
century are as old as the pyramids if not an
terror to the Ark. Cough was equally keen.
He saw that great many very good people
would like to 60 to theatres, II public opinion
would only let them. lie accordingly brought
the theatre into the IyccuIl, a-ziTrfarated With
pantomime, initiated all the passions and fol-
lies of humanity, and made everybody laugh
and weep as spontaneously as if in theatre
box. These two men still stand at the front
of their profession, and the amount of post
age stamps used in fruitless attempts to Sc
cure their services would surprise people at
large if half of it were told. All the lyceums
want them. They could ask any price, yet,
comparatively speaking, their terms are mod
crate. Their highest rates are very seldom
over 5000, and Phillips last year-if we are
not greatly misled-took 500 only, not un-
frequently. One of the noticeable facts with
these men is their wonderful knowledge of
the United States. Meet Mr.. Phillips on
Broadway and ask him to lecture at White
water, Wisconsin. As il reading from pock-
et-book he will run over in his memory all
the places for which he is engaged for the
season. Fifty-towns, fifty dates, twenty rail
road and timetables, all accurately repeated
off much more quickly and easily tnan po-
liceman could tell you the side streets running
into Wall street; finally the destructive re-
mark that he must lose two days at White
water, and shat cannot be done," with the
emphasis on the politest past of the denial
No one is more accessible, no one is reader
with fresh topic, pungent title, twenty
whole lectures in hand, and prepared TO ex-
temporize new one from the evenings tele-
graphic dispatches. The same knowledge OF
towns and railway lines, affabilty of manner
and mag 4iAcent facility characterizes Cough.
To those who have been flooding him with
invitations, glimpse of the hard working
home-life at Hillside, near Worcester, may not
be amiss, and although we take our excerpt
from a private letter, the fault will be pardon
ed. II have been altogether overwoIked this
summer" he writes, 'and, in addition, my
wife has been seriously ill for weeks, and
twice within the past ten days we have gath
cred round her bedside, fearing she would
sink, but by almost superhuman efforts, with
careful nursing night and day, she has rallied.
> For more than month have not
been in bed till two or three O'Clock in the
morning. Then my route is to be
made,-and already more than 400 letters
have been answered. ground of excuse
surely to impatient committees, and OF
thoughtfulness to invitationless lecturers who
regard the great "Stars" in the field as living
charmed lives!