New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-22
WHITED SEPULCHRES.
MISS DICKINSONS LECTURE.


average man of culture and sense. And the great
orators among men have been they who, with
the masculine intellect, united the feminine
temperament. That Is, they have been they IN
whom sentiment, grace, love of color, form light,
ornament. the picturesque and dramatic instinct,
were most pronounced The best woman orator,
then ought to be more persuasive than the best
orator. And the special aptitude of women Tor this
vocation ought to have sent upon the platform, be-
fore this day. at least ten admirable lecturers of the
ore eloquent sex to every hundred perpatetlc phil
,Qsophers Of the more logical.
But however gently lecture-committees did their
spirting these fair sbyls have not come when they
did call for them. There are not half dozen women
speaking to-day who have any claim TO be consid
cred orators. OF those half dozen there is
not ono who could pass the ordeal of
the unrelenting criticism before which men,
making equal claims to public acceptance, are
arraigned Taking away their more or less charming
womanly presence their pcturesqueness, and beauty,
fkeir graceful feminine way of putting things not
always worth the putting, they would hardly be
heard with patience by the audiences which now
applaud. 1t is of course fair plea in extenuation
to say that since Adam excused himself in Eden,
men have spoken boldly the thought that was In
them good or bad IN or out of season, at all
places and before all hearers, while women have
been exhorted to public silence until public speech
But because women had TO conquer land plainly
and logically theirs by right; because they had not
only to do their hard work like men, but to excuse
themselves for the honorable service-therefore 1t be-
hOOved them TO do il so trumphanty that criticism
itself should forget the condition of and only
the result of endeavOr. 1t was not enough
20 be entertaining, to be bright to be witty
or sarcastic or clever or even eloquent.
The problem for every woman who decided
81, I,.v 4, in harh o,H on1 hnr
voice on tie platform was the problem presented to
the very greatest and lofest orator Of the land To
DE fully persuaded in his own mind Of the worth Of
the thing he had to say and then to say it with such
clearness with such precision with such unassail-
able logic with such hidden force Of facts behind it,
with such sincerity, with such nobility of thought
with such charm of expression, that he who heard It,
if unconyinced, should be ennobled by the atmos-
phere Of its truth and gladdened by the spell of its
beauty
Something very much less than this satisfies au-
dienees. indeed Something very much less
seems 20 satisfy most speakers. But no woman,
coming TO this work as to vocation, has night to
demand less of herself. Achieving less, she Is
gaure. though she crowds halls and grows rich.
Miss Dickinson is born orator. She has the mag
netic dramatic, intense temperament. She has a
voice Of wonderful strength and responsiveness She
has a noble and beautiful presence. She has lofty
deal strong purpose, profound convictions, ten
der power of idealizatiOn, and terrible power of
truth-eling What she has lacked in these years OF
hers is hard work. patience consideration, fairness,
logic Her intellect is clear, quick, subtle.
Her intuitons are ne She thought Of her subjects,
but did not think them out And so hermost patient
hearers her best lovers and her hopefullest beey-
ers grew tired Of waiting for the excellence so long
DELAYED She gave no lecture which was not full of
possibilities of greatness; she gave none which was
great But her Summers rest and experiences Its
study and reflection have done much to refine and
develop her. The Lecture of last night was IN @
higher strain than any she has given. The seeming
fippancy which often panied, the smartnesss and
repartee that made the unthinkng laugh and the u-
eicious greve. the begging of questions, the asser-
ton for argument the clmaxes for conclusions-all
these were not. serlOus-eyed woman, overDur-
dened IS ith the weakness and the woes OF women
came TO tell her story seriously and to leave us
moral with her hearers She told it bnyely' purely
simply elouuently. The faults of last night
were those common and easily mended ones OF
tendency 10 proxity, and emphasis of points that
needed no elnphass-the faults indeed, Of an unwrlt
ten speech But the dauntess little lady is working
hard and already finer dignity sweeter per-
suasivcn.ss loftier moral power, appear in her.
an intellectual force which is new. 1t was lecture
to make men tenderer and women thoughtfuller 1t
was lecture worthy Of the clear brain and the great
heart Of he woman who gave It.
steuvlv Hall was filed with very large and appre-
ciatve aence The speaker Of the evening was intro
duced after the following remarks by
HORACE GREELEY.
LAMPS AND GENTLEMEN: Ten years ago last Summer
was for some days "a resident Of the city known as
Great Sal, Lake. then almost the oasis OF civilization IN
desert OF nearly million miles dropped in one
tie merc ana carried Of to h home very greatly fSt5
nd I
spend thc ten or twelve days hhd 70 remain tnee AZ
Mormon family and Mormon a,tS Sd I'm ~
examine their system OF fe so lar as u dIereu Io
ours form Judgments that we're not merely lOuhueu
on facts, may say, were embodied facts hoNeVe
these opportunities do not come 10 man uhaer any c
cumstauces as they do 10 a woman. Our friend, VINO
will address YOU tonight, have no doubt not only De
Ter improved her opportunities but had mueh larger anu
fuller chances than had. shall rejoice, then with you
10 give her hearing, and hear something OF MorhOnls
mot merely OF what be and known OF LIE at
SAT- Iar CITY tut what teaches TO an oDserYant ana
reflective person have the pleasure then 70 introduce
10 you speaker Of the evening Miss Anna L. DekD
wHITED! sEPULcHREs.
Miss Dickinson prefaced her lecture with an eloquent
description Of the scenery which imparts great
charm to the Mormon country, and touched for mo-
ment upon and habits which there prevail
She rectod forcibe and effective words the sad his
tory and fate OF DR.. Robinson, cruelty murdered by
the minons Of Brigham Young, and uttered scathng
OF the man who held tyrannical sway over
the fair Land Utah. And who the head and front OF
tins whole offending Who IL hei man whose brains
and weakness combined built up this immoral
structure. aud held 1t together; without whom
IL would drop asunder IN less than a twelve
month; q man so tented and disfgured by crimes
aud euormlties that he would be a disgrace 10
"a frstclass penentIary. ApplAuse This man goes TO
Washingtor and Representatives and distinguished pub
c men call upon him 10 their respects 70 HIM Re
neetae mothers invite him into their houses, and give
lin seat their table beside their daughters Now let
US reverse tlis case Suppose II was woman But no,
you say Is not sqpposaDe case , sdy is Is Inc