, 1872-10-28
MRS. WOODHULL,
The Free-LoVe Apostle at the Academy
Of Music.
Her Audience largely Composed Of
"Spiritualists."

Her Audience largely Composed Of
| "Spiritualists."
Some Of Her Peculiar Social
D0gmas-
Hrs Victoria G. Woodruff lectured last even
ing at the Academy Of Music. The audience
that gathered was the largest ever seen within
it's walls. It was quito sufficient in quantity,
whatever it might have been considered in
quality. Although nearly all the seats were
sold previous to Friday night, q becoming zeal
was shown in assembling. People began to be-
siege the doors as early rs o'clock, and
| t1enceforward the stream OF flowing humanity
was incessaut. No one wished to be copspicu-
ous1y Late AL were anxious to be premature1y
PLACED, that they might, unseen, observe and re-
| mark upon other auditors as they enter
! Cd. The assembled multitude was
not badly dressed, although there WAS
little fashionable display. Masculinity predomi-
. mated, but ladies were present in considerable
| numbers. Probably one-fourth we're OF the
gentler SEX. Gay ribbons futtered in q San
| culinary way over the balcony, and plumes, al
most as stately as that Of Henry Of Navarro,
nodded from the proscenium boxes. 4 large
proportion Of the ladies' we're spiritualsts, - that
WIS plain to the most casual observer. Still
| there we're many present who would shiver with
| alarm we're they to be accused Of tho slightest.
| leaning in that direction. These listened With
| meek gravity, and shuddered visibly when the
| speaker uttered the naughty words that are e1-
clgded from the vocabulary OF the drawing-room
All the: young lawyers who have auburn hair
we're present, and many legal gentlemen were to
be seen who had passed the e1imacteric- Most
Of these fringed the crowd, and, leaning one
their thoughtful features behind the latest fash
ion OF silk tile held gracefully poised in air at the
proper angle. All occupations seemed to be
REPRESENTED, 30 far as could be guessed by the
including ladies' who are within that imaginary
circle called the aristooraoY."- Everybody
watched his neighbor intent1y, to sec il he ap-
proved, and when there WIS applause, looked
round to, see whence the noise proceeded. The
"man who applauds" is often q curiosity.
While waiting for the beginning OF the lecture,
the audience amused itself In various ways, but
principally in searching mutual inspection.
room scene, furnished with chairs upholstered
Contra Il eoasseed j Sd sman 1B" ss5ls apea ea
Tash saa r. Sso Rass Sn T
bling Singer sewing g-machine modestly eh1oud
ed from public vieW. The chairs we're not IN
e tended to Be used but but simply to grace 3 the
ssene' aonisa KHae tbs boys N an19s,t the ga
the hour BY measured stamping Of feet, which
continued for some time, unchecked by official
authority. Precisely at8 O'Clock HRS. Woodruff
walked unattended to the footlghte. She Was
trimmed with rufaes Of black SILK, the oSer-gar-
ment being cut in the Louis Qustorze style Of
male attire, ornamented with buttons, and con-
ing to the throat. A tiny white standing collar
hesttated between conflicting shades Of pink and
monse- e-co1or. Little lines OF SNOW white we're
revealed down the middle OF what in ladies, at
tire, iB commonly called the corsage, and about
the wriats: g g. The hair was worn II the style
made so popular. When occasionally an elf lock
crept down ineinuatingly over the. left temple,
it Was thrown back with vigorous toss OF the
head, that showed that even in the ashes OF Free
love lived their wonted fires. Her features we're
thin, and her complexion noticeably pale. There
was the fainteat ghost Of a football in q distant
portion Of the house when she advanced to the
desk. Without hesitating for. a moment, she
addressed herself to her oratorical task. She
produced the printed text OF her lecture backed
With blue, the same that has been heard On
Eastern platforms, and commenced reading in a |
voice that sounded at first faint and distant, but
which afterwards acquired strength and earnest
ness. First she read poem written by Jamea
Russell Lowell many years ago, which is barely |
possible that gentleman expected to be used on |
such an occasion. No applause followed the |
defamation OF Mr. Lowells lines, although they |
were read with some force and feeling. They !
passed, it is to be presumed, somewhat over |
the heads Of the major part Of the auditory.
The lecture proper opened With the following |
mystical paragraph:
It has been said by very wise person that there il
trinity in a1 things the perfect unity Of the trinity
tri-uniy being necessary to mike complete objec-
so snd hs Hoy
Effect and the Process Of Evolution. Also the poHti-
sf sfas htau1t ths rst 5sfse 4s Or y
also resoyabe into these parts, thus Religious free
dom, political freedom, and social freedom, while Reli
fnanity. There are also he beginning tie end and
the intermedate space, time and motion, to all e1pe-
circumference mud area, LENGTH breadth, and depth
to all form.
After this came an appeal for freedom, re1ig-
ious and otherwise, the subject being treated IN
a generic way that offended few, as there we're
many things with which all could agree. En-
larging upon the 6haksperean text, swho
steals my purse steals trash," the speaker said:
The same rule applies to that class Of persons who
others. This class of encroachers ohers rights,
In some Senses are more responsible than any other,
persons to be made to appear whit they not may,
perhaps be to place them in such re1atons with third
s9 destroy hs'F means
assds lass 5s th9 :, ,J'9 pursuit oi happiness By
thief what they destroy more valuable than ia
hat which the burglar or thief appropriate. For
robbery there may be some excuse, since what is |
stoen may be required to contribute actual needs
but that which the assassin Of character appropfate
does neither good to himself nor to any one else and
makes the loser poor indeed. Such persons are The
.orst enemies Of society. |
This being supposed to be sort Of back
banded blow at her enemies, elected faint ap-
plause.
The subject Of marriage, the theme which
orurient curiosity most desired to hear discussed,
was next broached.
The argument was continued ut great length,
md with considerable variety of illustration
She declared herself free-lover, saying:
To those who denounce me for this reply: "Yes,
IN free-lover. have inalienable constitutional
md natural right to love whom 1nny to love % long
IS short period to change that lore every
lay It please, and with that right neither you nor
my law that you can frame have any right 70 inter-
ere. And have the further right to demand free
md unrestricted exercise Of that right aud it is your
luty not only to accord it, but, community to ses
hat am protected In it. trust that fully un-
mo jrat fhrt ar51 |