The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-11-19

The first lecture and second entertainment
of the Army and Navy course came off at City
Hall last evening. There was an excellent at
tendance considering the state of the weather,
the hall being well filled.
Mr.. Dougterty is man of commanding
height and elegant figure, who wears the whis-
kers of an Englishman and carries himself with
the air of prince. Dark hair and blue eyes,
the common Celtic type, are his while his pro-
nounced and slightly naughty features are re-
lieved by very handsome chin, Of his ad-
vantages of face and figure he is thoroughly
conscious, and as he advanced to the front of
the stage and placed his manuscript, scarcely
glanced at during the delivery of the lecture,
upon the reading desk, he stood silent for a
moment and gave his audience full opportunity
to note him, before he commenced as his SUBJ
ject Orators aud Oratory"
The lecture was magnificent defamation
OF an hours length, polished to the finest, rs b
in humor, and pathetic to tearfulness. The
voice of the orator, sweet, son0rous and flexi-
BILE, though slightly marred by a perceptible
nasal twang, was at times full of.laughing sig
ni6cance and anon deep with pathos. Mr..
Dougherty is the best raconteur save Cough, on
the lecture platform and his marvellous powers
as story-teller are only surpassed by his art
in lofty and sustained eloquence. He owes
quite as much to his dramatic feavor and his
superb command of gesture as he does to his
silvery voice and ornate dictum. His range of
facial expression is great and the wide, mobile,
sensitive mouth gives AN emphasis to the clean
cut sentences which is effective to high de-
gree.
The lecture began by disquisition on orato-
ry, its aims and its range, enriched by wealth
of illustration and anecdote. The characters
tics of the born orator were dwelt upon, and
the conditions necessary to his success detailed.
No history of oratory, no even sketch, was at
tempted, Though continual reference was made
to those of worldwide fame. Pictures, ludi-
crous in the extreme, were given of the would
be eloquent men who address the cabbages in
their gardens or practice the tricks of the play
actor before their mirrors. The decadence of
oratory was acknowledged, and a strong
contrast drawn between the eloquence
Of Daniel O'Connell and the stammering hest
tating all-awkward manner of the leading
members of the House of Commons to-day.
The oratory of the forum, the bar and the pull
pit were described and illustrated examples
given of each. In the opinion OF the speaker
the pulpit furnishes to-day the grandest oppor-
tuniry for the display of eloqueuce,an opportu-
nifty sadly neglected. In vivid and picturesque
language the admirable opening for the exhi-
bition of the reasoning powers, and the emo
tons of fear, hope, and the sublimest faith af
forded by sacred themes and consideration of
the highest and hottest interests of mankind,
were depicted. The affectations and short
comings of many clergymen were treated with
fine raillery, and the evtravagances and bias
phemies of the sensational school denounced
with bitter scorn. .,5..r-r
Oratory died, the speaker said, when the
printing press became power. Where the
voice Of the orator reached the ears of thou
sands the pages of the newspaper greets the
a speaker were now less intended for his audi
ence of an evening than for the much greater
audience reached by the newspaper of the fol-
lowing morning. Mr.. Dougherty closed by
lofty and impassioned appeal to the press not
to neglect its grand opportunities nor degrade
its great office Of public instructor and moral
ist.
The lecture was one of the finest ever deliver
ed in this city. and the large audience testified
its appreciation by the closest attention and BY
frequent applause. We certainly owe thanks
to the committee of the Army and Navy I'm
ion for introducing to Portland audience SO
eloquent and able lecturer, whom we all want
to hear again.