New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-10
CONE HUNDRED YEARS AG0.P
JAMES PARTOS's LECTURE.

The announcement that 5ir. James Parton
was to make his first appearance in NowYoFh AZ pub
lie lecturer last evening has for tho past week. caused
considerable excitement not only In the literary circles
OF New-YOrk, but among those general readers who
hayo for many years delighted in his writings. Ohe
Hundred Years Ago" is one OF these themes in dis
guessing which Hr. Parton ID peculiarly happy. Last
evening lie was fully himself. From mass OF highly
Interesting facts comparisons OF the "nusty past" and
the g'oriOls present." descriptions Of hSAi olden
timcs historical "reminiscences, and hele sketches OF
men and things he story touched at every avail
able opportunity with bits of sarcasm and dry humor
which caught at the spirit Of his audience and held
Il ia grasp TIL the end; always carrying Thorn along
yib him, and continually making even the grayest and
oldest Of them indulge in hearty fits OF laughter But
beneath all this there deep thought sympathy, ro-
grct hope and every characteristic of noble heart, OK
pressed tue picture which he drew To-day the best
day the world knew" is Of the most selfchar
actcristc sayings 10 which Ir Parton ever gave ut
terance.
Tie speaker struck boldly into bis subject by the
seron that to-day the best Of all the days the world
has seen; which ne illustrated by contrasting the habl
lions OF the oden time with those OF the present day
To described the noted old mansion of Major Ben
PcTlcy at Newburypor which three generations
Of antiquaries have filed with ancient utensils and fur
ntture, and whore there whole suites OF rooms fur
nished tho style of 100. TIE speaker FUZZY apprecia
ted the taste and beraity which have created inter
esting museum, IN which tho whole life Of old New
England lives again. But, the residence OF family
low inferior is this old house to tho country villa
OF tho present time, with apartments lofty aud
spacious, and all its implements happy hits Of
inventive talentthe whole house warmed by one mvis
bic fire, and lighted at night By turn OF the hand In
these two houses behold the interesting and nusty
pas-the bright and better present The lecturer pro-
ceoded to deScant upon the simple contracted provn
cal life lived in the old houses illustrating every point
by some fact umportant in itself but indicating more
than II told. He described the way in which country
Clergyman 20 gears ago, had clase but-takng
into his family, under whose direction trees
were feed In the forest and the best timber selected
II was artist could do, assisted by the village
ba ksmth TO get tho carriage done I'm five months aud
when It was driven out the whole population OF the viii
age out into the streets Ia see II 90 by, and re-
manned gazing at it IS long as it could be seen. 49,
lie gave some curious particulars OF. the Incredible
scenac subjects, in the last century. IN 1870, Lonls
XVI OF France touched AGO persons for the Kings evil
witch. John Wesley aud DR.. Johnson both believed
So wtelerait, aIpartions. aud haunted houses and Dr.
Queen AUue. The German Goethe, the most gifted
yoing man thh5n living was scdhtg tho virgin
passing sleepless nights in trying TO make gold.
When Prof sillman was appointed Professor
Of other man in New, Ensishd know anything
about chemistry, and he was obliged to 40 to Phadel-
When at he began lecture in that famous old vault
10 feet under ground he wanted some glass relOTs ana
college could boast, the bulb Of which was broken on
from the neck The glass ker copied the model with
Chinese fidelity and sent all the ret0rts home with
the and necls nicely separated The state OF med
ieal science, the lecturer thought was pretty fsry
shown by a remark OF Figaro IN the Barber OF Seville:
"All the garrison take physc tomorrow morning ana
had Interest enough To get the contract Tor ggs
them theidOsc." In the odcn time, doctors Died Tor
almost every disease drawing blood sometimes from the
arm, sometimes from the foot according TO their fancy
Mr.. Crawford, a candidate for tho Presidency
in 1924. stricken with paralysis IN
the midst of tho campaign, and was pleu
% times in three weeks and bed pr0sely each lne'
aud people wondered that " took him three years TO
get well Along with this gross ignorance there existed
certain dread OF the advance Of knowledge, as u u
impOus for to pry into Natures secrets when
Dr. Franklin invented the lghtnng-rOd, Harvard Pro
fcssor had To come forward in pamphlet ana dcisnu
speaker quoted from article of $780, in which the ac
tors of Drry Lane Theater severely repiehendeu
for Initiating thunder and lightning in the Tragedy OF
Macbeth similar feeling exists 10 this day IN certain
dealer IN lightning Ia often obliged 10 discuss lheo
ogy befOrele can drive n bargain.
In point OF humanity and bCnevoencc me progress OF
had been signal that even the cyhicai anu Ges-
pairing Carlyle could scarcely deny H. III Is only 10 years
since Hows ri found the jails OF Europe 70 DC hlthy
dungeons the keepers which had the privilege OF Sell
ing iQuOr and tobacco To the Inmates 80 that l was
Only internal taIrroom wherein men ana women oi0
and young and rotcd together The very year
IN which Howard began his work, woman was burned
AZ the st,k. i'm Spain charge OF having made com
pact with the devil The lecturer Grew hideous picture
OF the torture and execution OF poor Daniens crazy
fanatic who graEed the skin OF Louis XIV. OF
France with ponknife, AMI was torn iinh IRON ho ny
various kinds. The awful faC ~ this ease was that
ali France applauded the punishment aud Europe was
NOT shocked t H. No protested nor nteroeded and,
a We may judge from the ns'nors Of the time, all