Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-07

Signs Of preparations for another lecture sea-
son are becoming very manifest; not, indeed,
among the societies and other organizations &C.
customed to provide and pay for lectures, but
among those who expect to be employed in
what is called the ''lecture field" This, that,
and the other Literary gentleman" manages
cleverly to have it mentioned In the papers that
he is preparing one or two lectures on named
subjects; several known Englisbmen consent TO
have it mentioned that they are disposed TO
visit this country and be employed as lecturers:
and the agencies called Lecture Bureaux"
contriye to make themselves heard of, from time
to time, in quiet news items. Moreover, there
is great number Of unknown or unfit persons
who aspire TO become lecturers, hoping the bust
ness will yield them money aud reputation.
These can not so easily get their names into the
newspapers; but many of their names, with
hopeful assertions of their greatness and power
will be on the 'bureau" catalogues, with profit
to the agencies If not to themselves.
ln many places, we believe, lyceums and
committees did not find the lecture business as
prosperous, last year, as it had been in previous
years. Audiences and receipts were not as
large; popular interest in the matter appeared
to be somewhat less eager and active. How 1t
will be this year can not be predicted; but, OF
one thing We may be sure: the supply OF such
lecturers as great majority Of those who stand
ready to offer their services will be much great
er than the demand. We may be sure, also,
that if any considerable number of the unfit
aspirants should get employment to much ex-
~ fail ~
receipts would become more distinct than ii
was, last year, and there would be q greater
falling off Of popular interest in the matter
Too many Of these unsuitable men have already
found their way into the business; men who
can neither instruct nor wholesomely entertain
the audiences drawn out TO hear them; and
something would be done to revive public inter.
est and secure success. if those most directly
concerned should adopt policy which would
exclude lecturers of this character from the
possibility OF making engagements. let none
OF their names appear in the next announce
ments, and those who arrange courses of lee
lures may reasonably expect better audiences
and greater success in all respects.
Itwould be assuming too much, doubtless, to
complain because lecture committees deem II
good policy to provide a larger proportion of
what the many will find attractive and enter
tanning, than of really valuable knowledge, or
OF effective Indictment to thought and culture
So long as third and fourth rate fiction, in liter.
allure, shall ''pay" better than the rarest reyela
tions OF science or the richest treasures ofknowl
edge in any department of inquiry, il will be
necessary to take proper account of the mental
conditions which make this difference. in sue.
cess with the public, between what is very poor
and what is very good. Nevertheless one is
strongly inclined to quarrel with estimates of
the popular taste which make it Incapable OF
approaching anything higher than stories.
jokes,i threadbare commonplace and eapti-
waiting elocution, and assumes that all
entertainment provided for it in public
lectures, must be wholly superficial, and
always run Rlittering like a brook" AT
any rate, a course Of public lectures should aim
to educate the popular taste and train it to an.
preciate the highest and best forms of knowl.
edge and thought This aim seems to us wholly
lost sight OF when it is assumed, in arranging a
course OF lectures, that Josh Billings" or
MARX Twain" Is Of more value in the lecture
room than Professor Agasss or Professor Dana
or Professor Young.
Some OF the Englishmen who propose 10
visit this country as lecturers, are knowp'to NC
only ss third rate writers Of fiction. What
capacity they have for other intellectual work
we arc unable to say. Thaekeray was admir-.
sOie as a lecturer; but these men are not Thack.
erays any more than frefies arc stars. Tbev
VIII come here chiefly TO make money, expect.
ing the Americans to regard them as very great
lions, royal creatures, who must have Soremos,
places and be struggled for desperately BY
lyceum committees. OF course, they will have
some attraction as novelties but this will no,
be very great, for we are getting past the time
when such English novelties could be fresh md
sensational. We can NOT persuade ourselves that
they will prove TO be worth much in lecture rooms
There are Englishmen whose appearance here
as lecturers would be deserved to be hailed with
lively satisfaction. Such lectures as we could
nave from men like Professors Huxley, Tyndall.
Ioekyer, Mr.. Proctor and Mr.. Mivart, would be
worth hearing, and could not fail 10 promote
taste for something higher and better than rnucb
Of that TO which our lecture rooms have lately
been accustomed.
The lecture system, wisely MANAGED undo,
the supervision Of organized association. coz
be means Of great usefulness Therefore ,yo
should be very sorry to see il fail apvwhero
through lack Of popular favor. There need he
no failure, and, in our view, will be none pro
vided those who manage 1t shall take pains IL
understand clearly all its possibilities. Will,
considering carefully what will be attracsv,
now, Jet them not underate the popular taste
nor forget to inquire what present arrangement
otleclufes viii do most 10 raise the standard o
interest and make higher topics attractive
There Is among our people more intelligence
mental activity, and earnestinquiry, than lecture
committees sometimes take account Of. Their
are important topics which this Intellectual 40
ayliy has mode live topics 10 very considcrabl,