Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-07
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Mary sits, holding the little Jesus in her Ian.
and amusing him with pictures, while she talks
with Elizabeth. There Is neither frame nor story
to the picture, and perhaps it is only banished
here, because it is not good enough for the light.
Dreary, lonely and chaotic as this strange mu-
scum is, il Is an Interesting place to visit.
Monday afternoon Mrs. Leonowens gave her
Hrst lecture here. Her story, as she has told it
in the Atlantic Monthly, and more recently in
her book, is widely known and has excited deep
interest. We were eager to see and TO hear the
woman who had lived six years at the court of
Siam, and who had won such influence there,
and taught the princes, her pupils, so well, that
when one OF them recently came 10 the throne,
he abolished slavery decreed freedom of wor-
ship, discOuntenanced pOlygamy, and introduced
other reforms; sending in each case his procla-
nation "lor Maam This English teachel) TO
read" Did any other woman ever accomplish
so much2 We had heard of her in New York,
when w. c. Bryant, Parke Goodwin, G. W. Cur
It's, Charles Brace, and others, asked her to tell
in public the novel experiences which were so
interesting to those who heard them in private.
She had been in Newport and Col. Higginson
had sent to the Womans Journal a fascinating
report of her lecture; at last she had come here.
Unfortunately she was 10 speak in the miserable
little Meionaon; an underground hall, which
ought to be the cellar of fremont temple, and
which everybody dislikes. Yet there Fanny
Kemble read; there day after day Mr.. Emerson
has lost his place, and won the hearts of his
audience; there the placid Shaker women sat in
row, through their convention, and didn't look
at the strange Shaker men; there the Gettys-
burg picture stood, and soldiers fought the bat
tie Ger again: but neither art, literature,
nor religion has sauctified the place; it
IS still forlorn, unventilated and de-
pressing. Somebody had tried to improve
matters Monday by placing on the
platform immense and magnificent azalias and
other plants, and large audience was ready at
three O'Clock TO greet Mrs. Leonowens. One
could not help noticing the number of hand
some women with gray curls who were present
Boston ought to be famous for this STYLE of
beauty, for 1t is remarkably rich in it, At
three Mr.. James 7, Fields appeared upon the
low platform, and introduced a slender lady,
with clear-cut, delicate features, and profllsion
of dark halr arranged in braids and curIs. She
wore black silk skirt, with an overskirt and
waist of white Canton Grape, with black trim
mings, black ornaments and white gloves. She
has adopted the fashionable stoop which made
her appear much shorter than she really is. She
speaks rapidly, with great vivacity and empha-
sis, gesticulates freely, and is dramatic when
ever there is opportunity to be so. Her nara
tive is wonderful; her life in Siam was as full of
romance and strange experiences as any OIL
entail novel. She saw what no other foreigner
has ever seen, and she was allowed privileges
that terrified the Siamese courtiers. They al
ways enter the presence of the king
crawling on hands and knees. She re-
fused to do that, and as great favor was
allowed TO hop into his presence. One attempt
at hopping disguised her, and she insisted upon
walking on her feet as an Englishwoman should,
This, to the Siamese, audacious request was
granted, and the king of Siam saw, for the first
time, member of his court stand in his pres
ence. In one lecture Mrs Lconowens could, of
course, give no connected story of her lfe or
even a sketch of Siamese customs; so she
selected incidents and descriptions which should
give some idea of Siam. She speaks very highly
of the women; of the domestic virtues; of those
in private life; and Of the ability of the female
| judges; the bravery Of the female soldiers: the
| skill of the female artisans; for women there
find every sphere open to them, excepting the
| priesthood-I believe no woman can be priest.
She loid both amusing and thrilling stories, and
certainly avoided monotony; never was lecture
more varied. ! think it gave unqualified pleasure
to all who really heard it, and they were, perhaps.
half the audience. The Meionaon steampipcs
arevery noisy pipes. They 90 off every minute
like barrel of fire-crackers, and seem to be al
ways keeping fourth of July; they are at the
| back OF the hall, and infect with restlessness
everybody who is near them; there is an inccs-
SAINT wandering about of people, trying to get
away from the execrable noise, and to find some
place where it is possible to hear the speaker
Most of the wanderers wear silk, so a constant
rustling is added to the cracking; then one
after another gives up in despair and Greens
out, and creeping out Is always more noisy than
any other way of going; and all this interferes
sadly with the comfort of those who fry to be
patient on the back seats, and to gather some
thing from the rapid speech, and peculiar En-
| glish pronunciation Of the interesting lady who
is telling her story with so much animation.
The regular lecture season is over, and the
field Is open for new corners. Mrs. Leonowens
was invited to lecture. Miss Virginia Vaughn
is to be invited. She has lecture on the 'fP)-
etry of the Future" which has received the
praise of some of the best of BOSTON critics
and her friends are making arrangements for
her to deliver it some time this mouth.
DIR. VIM. Jordan has been invited by his
friends to give four readings from his celebrated
epic poem, Die Ni6elunge. In the European and
the larger American cities he has been greatly
admired by lovers of German literature; and
he VIII probably be here next month. The first
announcement which l have seen of lectures
for next winter comes from Mr.. W. H. Niles.
who is going to spend the summer in Switzer-
land, and prepare two lectures, one nara
tive of Alpine travel, the other on the Glaciers
and their phenomena. Both of these lectures
are to be illustrated with landscape paintings
of sufficient size to be seen in the largest halls and
painted for this purpose by MI. j. G. Low. Mr..
Niles is professor of geology and geography in
the institute of technology; he will prepare
these lectures with great care, and is confident
that they WILDE both interesting and instructive.
Photographs shown by stereopticon are proved
to be satisfactory illustrations of lectures in a
large hall but it will be very difficult to arrange
oil paintings in way to please large audience.
However, Mr.. Niles must have some plan for
this, and probably means that his pictures shall
be far better than mere scene painting.
From the State House