The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-10-28
Lyceum Lecture.

The lecture by Hon. VIM. Parsons las,
"Wednesday evening in Bid'lcfnr,l WAS
well attended, anil enthusiastically re-
ceived. Those who lid not attend Lost n
rich treat. II was very fitting that Ia
open n literary course literary subject
should have been chosen, AMI also fitting,
that since England and America have one
common literary history and fame. that
an EngliShman should be- the chosen
speaker. Mr.. Parsons speaks rapidly and
without notes, and held his audience for
an hour and half in IN unfortunately
cold house. while the best comment upon
the lecture was made 10 us by u gentle
man on coming out of tho hall, 81 wish
he had spoken an hour longer" Mr..
Parsons is eminently theatrical in deliv-
cry and relies much upon stage effect anil
naunerismS To hold the interest Of his
audience, being. we should judge, dis
ciplc Of John Brougham In his clocution-
airy periods. The lecturer can hardly be
partloned. with the book before him, for
misquoting Sheridan any more than for
stating that the ships containing the tea
which was thrown overheard in Boston
harbOr. were afterwards burned. AMER
Shcritk.n's great speech in the House of
Commons in 1887. Mr.. Parsons, to show
the astonishing effect Of that speech,
quotes Hastings himself rs saying that mt
the close of Sheridan's speech. he, for a
moment. believed himself guilty of the
charge. The legend, fr legend it is, is
not equal to what Bisset says IN his Reign
Of George III. He says: 1.-The late Mr..
Logan. well known for his literary efforts.
and author of mastery defense OF Mr..
Hastings, went that day to the House pre-
possessed for the accused and against the
accuser. At the expiration of the first
hour, he said 20 friend, All this is do
clammatory assertion without proof
when the second was finished, This is q
wonderful oration;' mt the close of the
third. MIR. Hastings has acted unjustiiia-
BLY, the fourth, Mr.. Hastings is IA most
atrocious criminal and ut last,.'Of all
monsters of iniQuity, the most enormous
is Warren TIastingsr But this story is
disputed by critics, and it is evident that
some other person than Mr.. Logan was
the person thus impressed. Mr.. Parsons
could not have illustrated the effect Of Mr..
Sheridan's great and memorable speech
ON that occasion better than to have made
use Of fact much more suited to his pur-
pose than the illustration employed. "A
motion was made to adjourn. that the
House might have time to recover their
calmness, and ''collect their reason" after
the excitement they had undergone; and
Mr.. Stanhope, in secouding the motion,
declared that no had come to the House
prcposSeSsed in favor Of Mr.. Hastings.
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the honorable gentleman. 1t was rellete