National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-11-27
EDMUND YATES.


The nrst lecture Of the star Coarse at lincoln
Hall last night was most encnufagingly attended,
and when the Indictment weather II remembered,
II seems remarkable that the spacious hall should
have been flllel. The audience, too, was ono Of
great refinement aud intelligence, embracing q
E%sra thornton Sl WRs pr S sSa ssS VR a.
tlnguishpd officials Of the Government.
Previous ID the introduction Of Mr.. yates, Mr.
n. W. Pratt came forward and said!
owing to the udlspositlOn Of Mr. L. L. CrOunse,
who was to preside this evening, the duty tle-
wolves upon me, The further duty Of thanking
the nnnagere Of this course Of lectures on be-
half Of the Joint stock company Of this building,
the Smithsonian Institute and many Prominent
citizens, for their Kindness and generosity m re-
leasing then engagement Of this hail for Decem.
her In favor Of Professor 1yndall, who could
not deliver his course Of scientific lectures In
this city unless he could have the entite two
weeks, commencing Dccembcr2. The managers
trust that the eNlgency Of the case will be sum-
uient excuse for their action. the next lecture
Of the course will he delivered by \. DE COrdova,
on December H.. Daniel DOuHhery will deliver
Mr. Yates was received with applause. lie Ia
young, powerful in Physlque, and Nlthal veIy
Of II. J. Ranlslell Of the Tribuas, too, although
he Is not 80 handsome ~ either Of these gentle
men. Ills lecture does poor Justice to his fame
a. q novelist Delivered by an unknown man Il
would he pronounced one VI the most stupid,
lnane, and lnconscquential efforts an educated
man could possibly be guilty Of. Measured by
any legitimate standard, this lecture L. destined
TO become the chief cornerstone Of drivel aud
trash. We can understand now why the World,
Tribune, EpcHtng Post, Herald, the Boston and
Chicago papers have cOntented themselves with
and style, both Of which Hte admirable, and
omitted reports OF what he actually said.
Ills powers Of mimcry and versatility In de-
Bcription cannot well he conveyed TO print hence
the only charm he has, and the only claim to
favor as a Lecturer must he In 4 good degree
lost. But solid matter Is expected from man
like Edmund lates aud even ON 80 trivial sub
Iect A. "Aodern English Society (which, accord
Ing TO his description Of IT, would be an excellent
NINE for soft solder he might haye presented
some OF ita better and reJleeminE features. lie
could have told us Of the real worth Of English
mothers and fathers, and OF the real queens and
COuTtly gentlemen who make up good society In
London, and he could have given us some real
Information that would have been valuable; but
alas, for the great English novelist" he has
gathered up the frnnpents VI wOrn-eaten jokes,
and the debris Of the asylum for Laughing
idiots" and has after II we must believe him, a
most painful laboD concluded 70 call y lecture.
"By all the gUtls at once" let him reflect on Its
name again.
Mr.. Yates commenced by reminding MS Of the
Dutch minister who once said: "Bredren uut
shisters, let us shay phew words pefore We
pegin.r lie INDUCED In dprefatory remarksr as
10 the difficulty he had had In BcleUtlnRa name
for his performance. Ills first idea was to call II
n lecture, but he looked into Old Samuel John
sons dictionary aud found that the definition oi
the verb 40 lecture was to instruct insOlently
and dugmatlcally. walker In his dictionary,
had adopted the came definition. Il was not his
intehu9n 70 lhstrucl' lnen he tnOugnt on caling
~ -ioOis l,!sI, " Dut lust
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