Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-10
Letter from Boston.
New Lectures and Recommendation
Cushman and Mrs. stowe as Readers
n Painter and observation-disclosures
ESise of RepubIicanism.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE

weeks. George W. Curtis opened the Parker
Fraternity course, in which he has lectured for
fifteen consecutive years, with his eulogy on
Grant ard the republican party. He was fresh
for the work, with untired voice, and only the
slight WEAKNESS offace which seems to belong
to him; as if he did not quite enjoy the rough
world with which he has to deal, but had re-
signed himself as a gentleman and a Christian
to the work ofimproving it. The lecture is, of
course, noble in tone, and not lacking in the
svbdued tints Of pathos and sentiment which
Mr.. Curtis uses freely, and almost always with
artistic effect; but which are are trif1e too
prominent III this lecture. Gen. Grant has done
plenty of heroic things, and it is well to recall
them now; but he is not a subject for soft or
gushing words, and Mr.. Curtis comes danger
ously near using them.
Rev. Mr. Murray comes this week with "My
Creed" an entirely new lecture; and admiring
Bostonians will perhaps have an opportunity TO
settle the hitherto openIquestion, what that creed
is-conservative or liberal2 belonging to the
past, the present, or the future2 the old aud
the new fused, or only pieced together and pull
ing apart at the seams?
George Macdonald is in town and has already
heard many of the popular speakers-Curtis,
Cough, &c-but does not lecture here until
next week. He begins his work in the neigh
boring towns. l think his first lecture will be
in Cambridge this week. James t. Fields APP
pears tonight with "Masters of the Situation"
| He can speak with feeling on that subject, after
the triumphant success of the opening of his
course, or what is commonly called his course,
| although it is advertised as Gree lectures to
women, on English literature" at the Institute
of Technology. The hall in which they take
place seats 900 persons The first lecture was
given last Saturday afternoon by Mrs E. D.
Cheney. Two hours before the doors were
opened a crowd of women had collected, which
by hall-past two O'Clock had increased TO :hou-
sands One thousand found places inside-nine
hundred on the seats, one hundred on the steps
and on the floor; and the other thousands scat
| tered, numbers going into the Natural History
rooms to see the wonders there. Many
of those unable to get in came from other towns,
on purpose to hear the lecture, and must have
been greatly disappointed. Some of the Sc
verely logical advocates of equal rights have
objected to these lectures, because men are eX-
Guided from them; but the objections seem n.y.
percritical, for there is an endless series OF
evening lectures which men can easily attend,
if they want to; indeed, they have no lack of
opportunities for amusement and instruction;
and this course is for the benefit of women who
cannot 90 to evening lectures. As W. F. says
in the Woman's Journal: cit is an effort to give
normal school teachers and scholars, and to
ID
this, their only half holiday, opportunity to I'M
| derstand what literature is, and what the
| higher education means. 1t is TO give them
room to make notes and to prepare themselves
for studies in English literature, prompted by
these lectures, and above all, to give opportu-
nifty for judgment, from observation of such an
audience, of the necessity for college in which
there shall be equal facilities for women to OBJ
tain an education such as the universities for
men at present only afford" The next lecture
is to be by L. P. Whipple, on English novel
writing and Charles Dickens. 1t is said that
Mr. Macdonald will give one of the course, al
though he is not advertised; and Miss Virginia
Vaughan will give the last lecture. She and Mrs
| Cheney are the only women on the list; the adj
vance and the rear guard of the innovation.
Miss Cushman is reading here often, and Bos-
ton is loyal to her. She is a very good reader.
To be sure, have only heard "The Young Gray
Head" and "Betsey and Are Out" but they
| showed that she is not theatrical upon the plat
form, that she makes marked difference be-
tween reading and acting, and she is admirable
in both. Her reading is clear, sympathetic and
effective, and she can be heard in every part of
Music hall without the least apparent straning
of her voice. Mrs. Stowe failed because she
| had no voice; or, rather, she had very little,
and could not do much with that in fremont
Temple. She is a capital reader of bright, hui
morous narrative, in small room, and is i'm
mensely popular, so that crowds go to her read
ing just to see her, and are contented if they
| hearsone word in ten.
fremont Temple is quite gay in its fresh coat
of paint fawn color, with black, gold and scar
let ornaments; with new organ front in the
| same colors, and oak chairs covered with red.
| Then some arrangement for ventilation has been
made, aud the hall is much more comfortable
than it used to be.
The artists are coming back from their sum-
mer wanderings, and their receptions are soon
to begin. Mr.. James W. Champney Champ
is at his old room in Studio building for the
winter. He has brought home some charming
sketches and small pictures of interiors, mostly
French or English cottages. They all have some
human interest, and are lovely in coloriug. He
has produced some wonderful and splendid
effects by bold treatment, light land an at
tempt to paint real sunshine. There is
| I,iV,rr
dents and unfinished Daniel Webster, at Will
| liams & Everetts, have received some elaborate
| criticism, or praise rather; but if they were not
Stuart's, and were not presidents, they would
not be admired. They are decidedly uninter-
esting portraits.
have just read an intensely interesting me-
moir OF Henri Regnault, young French paint
err who was killed in the late war. He is very
little known here; but, young as he was, he
stood in the front rank of French painters, and
| inspired besides the most ardent love and deyo-
tion in all who knew him. His biographer
| speaks Of him as belonging TO the class of
| great masters who were not only painters, but
architects, sculptors, poets, musicians, think
ers, and heroes, when herosm is needed" He
| '''S 'S' - ASiOJ anu hao a PaihbSi III MS NSIJ
bahyhood, when the only way to keep him quiet
was to give him pencil and paper, and he would
sit on the floor gravey and quietly making lit
tic sketches. His father was director of the fac
tory at Sevres, and there passed his youth. lie
had passion for ma nifcence and grandeur for
oriental luxury, and the most gorgeous colors
he would gladly have lived blaze of splendor,
He travelled in Spain, and established himself at
Ianger, where he studied and worked, prepar-
ing to paint some large historical pictures, show
ing the past greatness of the Moors. Henri
Cazalis, his friend and biographer, says that he
would have been known, had he lived, as the
painter Of light, he SO worshipped it, and
studied so TO paint clear sunshine. While at
Tangier, planning for a journey to India, the
news of the. war and the need of France reached
! him. He hurried home and enlisted, refusing a
commission, because he thought he was good
soldier, but should be poor officer. He was
killed. The story of his death is very
touching, but / can not give it here. 1t
is said that no other death, in the whole war;
brought so great loss TO France as his. His love
for arti and for his country was passionate; his