New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-04
WOM4Y IN THE LYCEUM.
MISS KATE FIELDS LECTURE.


The pleasant leCture-rOom of Plymouth
Church, Brooklyn was well filed, last evening with an
intelligent audience. gathered to listen to Miss Kate
Fields essay Woman I'm the Lyceum" Punctually
at the hour tho young lady made her appearance,
accompanied by Mr. Beechcr, who introduced
her in few happily chosen remarks, expressing the
pleasure 1t gave him to be present recalling the respeo
able" horror which the OF such enter
ainmont would have created ten years ago, aud point
ing tnumphanty TO the rapidly accumulang eyldences
Of which the cultivated audience before him one,
that people so to hear woman al the lyceum" ont
OF curiosity or courtesy simply, but because the
woman has something 10 say and the power
to say 1t we'll The speaker Of the evening
elegantly attired, and a flowing e0i0tTe and
simple adornment Of flower and ribbon. Having com.
posedy awaited the close Of Mr. Beechers brief address
she proceeded without rising. and almost without ges
ture-wi'h manner snguarly charming and self-pOs
sessed, and IN q sweet yet resonant vOco-to read
discourse piquant. 81 sensible. and withal 40
womanly. as to dIsarm criticism. and carry
with her the sympahics Of entire audience and
in which apt historical Illustrations. felicous quotations
from Dickens and Shakespeare. apropos anecdotes q
lery. aud hlumined "i.h CLEANS OF , gn6ocyr
with corcnt rcasonugs aud sound common sense
Miss Field has ingenious Of throwing herthoughts
into form Of spirited dialogue aud begins her essay
with tho observations Of Of the world and OF a
minister one OF whom thinks woman lecturer terribly
unfeminne. while the other viii never couulehahce
woman in breaking down Christianity, by speaking IN
public ~ Fat defiance OF 50. Paul Then comes scurch
Ing but reycrent analysis Of the apostles preaching ana
practice the woman question, whereby tie conclusion
il reached that St Paul and womans night ~
the yccum can be easily Ieconcilcd ana that u Is not
but society that makes towards OF women IN
this matter INC various other ways IN WHICH wIH ,
may exercise whatever talent sho possesses receiver u
aud fair discussion. She may write book only mat j.
something that requires brains IN run measure; ana
which, hEo marriage becomes .pecles Ol plUiAu,ly
when woman engages IN IL rom any Dne ' ae
pctreSs, whose la6ors and temptations arc
many. and whose prizes arc few; or she may choose
he enough 10 face the public on the rostrnm
Instead OF the stage where unlIhulucIeu ~ M ~ ,
embarrassed by rchearsals and unpersecutcu Dy hn u
Of rcscuing herself from impecuniosty-a long and
fashionable name for horribly annoying ana uha.hlon
for hersef aud employs inc egoustic pro
nom 20 But then, what matteri woman ieetuIer9
many brilliant examples from history. Ana now NO az
delight IN Shakespeare Poria, and applaud her even W
male attire when she defends Antonio aud makes that
noble speech mercy! But then TO an educated psr
son Of ordinary Intelligence lecture an insuncrable
bore VIII man stop lecturing on that ac
COUNT Ever since the subndenco OF chaos
man has been talking. whereby the world Is inily
informed as 10 ms views on all subjects. ana u
is quite time that woman should speak There IS sex ~
thought aud the feminine SIDE OF thought ignored
for centuries, that asks 10 bo heard II woman oc
cupcd all the space belonging to her by divine rBht
there would be no woman question: " TIl, s Of ~
half Of the nineteenth century being woman ltioioWs
that woman must take inc nSa IN ner h owl bc
great gift Of beauty and the great privilege OF uIe5s au
gnage Nv sySliowing II ia no part womaulines
and that society stupid when 1t insists that they shall
90 about with their pinned to their sdes after the
manner OF trussed fowls. And, pray, who does tbs
greater part OF ccturng in priyntoi Were "A man
Should hail public lecturing by women what Jefferson
Davis would call blessing In disguise. The MUSES. were
women; Plato tells US that Socrates learned rhetoric
from Aspasia: aud II II to Ives persuasive eoquehce
that all knowledge.
The latter part Of the essay was devoted to showing
the amentabe nsucioncy OF literature alone bread
winning profession not only In times gone by but even
IN the present palmy days of talented authors and noble
hearted publishers and the singular ease with which
erateiI may make money by carrying his wares 10 the
lyceum and retailing them in person The Rev. Petroleum
Veguyius Nasty writes book and makes nothing but
small Increase In reputation and In the circulation or
Inc Toledo Bidde; but ho writes lecture entitled
"Cussed be Canaan" and IN little while he makes
$4,000 Comparatively speaking literature is all work
and no play, and iecturing AL play and no
work The only young literary woman who ever made u
grand success with her pen the heroine Ot ST. Elmo
whose romantic the reader sketched with play
ful irony. 80
Miss Field closed her admirable essay with a brief
and impressive recitation, which may be LETT Ia Dc
freshly enjoyed by the many who will doubtless improve
the next opportunity that may be Afforded To enjoy THIS
unique and charming entertainment