The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-28

Last evening, In the presence OF fashionable
and intellectual audience OF $500 persons Of both
sexes, Mr.. Edmund Hodgson Yates the well known
English novelist and lecturer mado his debat at
the Hall OF the Young Mems Christian Association
and the verdict pronounced by those 1850 we'll
bred and well-informed people will, no doubt, be
accepted as final by the American public-a public
which, though very hospitable. Is also very hard to
please. In the United states OF living English nov
ests Charles Reade is read more than any other,
and Edmund Yates comes next in rank. Born In
1884, and known as tho dramatic critic OF the Lon
don Daily Ne,os, and as editor Of the Temple
Bar Magazine. and having now considerable
fame as constant contributor to Au the Year
Round he met with an Intelligent as wen as APP
preciative audience last evening, who know him
through the columns OF those periodicals and mag
azines In addition to the fact that they bore IN
their minds vivid remembrance OF his literary
individuality In the series OF novels that have ap-
peared from time to time over his name, the best
known of which are drumming the Gauntlet
"Black Sheep" "Kisslng the Rod" "Broken to
Harness." Gland at Last" and the serial now
running the magazines with the title of the "Yel-
low Flag" The best newspaper work Of Mr.
Yates, perhaps was that done by him for
couple Of years in the London Morning STAR In
the column headed the "Faneur." To many OF the
people who saw the novelist last evening for
formed Of him. 1t Is common and popular SUPER
sutton that every man who writes half dozen
successful books must have pale and cOnsumptive
appearance; that he must be weak at the knees
that he will be afflicted with bad hearing and
difficulty In his eyesght Therefore. all were more
than agreeably disappointed when tall, six-foot
gentleman, in unexceptionable evening dress, with
the orthodox willie tie, the Drawn and muscle
OF Lie Gaardsm ma. stepped upon the platform to
by New York audience to stranger. Mr.. Yates
has large massive features parts his dark hair In the
ease and force OF an accomplished cricketcr. TO
be brief. he bowled his way into the
sa as OF eas NJ" as na felt anf maae w ta
without any disrespect to Mr.. Yates, is no slight
accomplishment. There were no dramatic clrects
reading desk, big pitcher OF Ice water q large
tumbler to drink II from, and dozen or SO Of car
Marcus Stone which We're amply the the
The lecture was entitled "Modern Society" and
nights in London. Mr.. Yates dealt gently
with his subjects and now and then little
appeared; but their appearance was not OBJ.
truslve and hearty laughter and applause were
yielded to the energy of his description and the
excellent drOllery OF his nmicry. There is q pla-
cidty and case about English hum0r that strongly
contrasts with the grotesqucness and wild abandon
OF "Artemus Ward' or "Mark Twain" cannot but
endorse the cear-sIghted and pungent terseness OF
the hits made by Edmund Yates At the fashionable
whatever is ridiculous and overstrained In the
social anachronisms Of the world in which he
moved and his sketches of she physician who, after
the manner of Abernethy, but lacking his ability,
first pockets the patients guinea and then insults
him; OF the Gladys doct0r,n who is shod with vel
vet, and whose tongue Is dlsgustingly oeaginous;
Of the "od young lady," who has seen too many
watering places Of the "dawdling swell" who car
ries Off Che belle Of the evening from the ''bashfu
young man" with q yawn and sheer, and
Of the too indulgent 'papa' at the sea-
side. who is bear In his counting house
In the city, were all we'll done and elicited the
more than eager anticipate every joke and stroke
OF hum0r made manifest during the evening.
There Ia nothing bitter or coarse or painful In the
style Of Mr.. Yates and the ladies particularly
seemed to enjoy the entertainment, and where the
ladies are secured 1t Is unnecessary to say that
more than half Of the battle has been fought anu
won. In fine, Edmund Yates, on his first evening
In America, has succeeded; and now he needs but
to do one thing and that Is to give his audience
variety and his triumph is made certain.