The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-27
The Next lecturer.
non. WILLIAM PARSONS.

Hon. William Parsons belongs to the an
cient house of Parsons, Earls of Rose, and
closely related to the well-known construc-
tor of the great telescope, the late Earl OF
Rose, President of the British Associ-
alton; whose name may be associated with
those of Franklin, Arago Humboldt, and
the great luminarics of the phlosophic
fields of science He was born at Clontarf,
near Dublin, and received his education at
the Academy of Edinburgh, under Will
lams, the famous lIomcric scholar, the
friend and associate of Sydney Smith, foun-
der of the Edinburgh RegieU. He gradu-
atcd at the University of Edinburgh, under
Prof Wilson, the christopher North of
Blackwood, and the eruditc Pillans, sub
scquently entering Lncoln's Inn, London,
to prepare for the bar. He was then en-
gagged on one of the leading metropolitan
newspapers; and on many occasions CON
tributed papers of eminent ability to the
magazine literature of the day.
Following the natural bent of his tastes
and talents, he devoted himself to the lee
ture platform of Great Britain and Ireland,
where he at once achieved Il signal success,
and became perhaps the most popular pub
lie lecturer in the United Kingdom. Mean
while, the national movement taking place
for an extension of the franchise, cventu-
nting in Mr. Dsraeli's bill for household
suffrage, Mr.. Parsons entered the political
arena; where he became staunch supper
cr of the peoples rights, and one Of the
most powerful advocates of the reform
Here he attracted the attention of the lead
ing men of the popular cause, and of its chief
inspirer, John Bright who was so struck
by the peculiar force and vivaclty OF his
style. as to emphatically declare that Mr.
Parsons oratory electrified his hearers
The Reform League considered him as by
far the most effective speaker, and always
placed him where they anticipated the
strongest opposition to their views. As an
evidence of the appreciation in which he
was held, he was earnestly solicited 10 put
himself in nomination as candidate for a
seat in the British Parliament, to represent
one OF the Yorkshire boroughs. At Brad
ford, England, he was held the champion
of the workingmen, who frequently tcsti-
fed their gratitude for his advocacy Of
their cause.
" There is n novel power and freshness
in his style eminently his own, which rem
dcrs it captivating to his hearers his sub
ject, whether literary or political, being
picturesque and lucid. He has keen sense
of humor. and "A poetic fancy, and. above
all, an earnest sincerity, pcryading the var
led graces of an accomplished speaker. IL
lustration and anecdotc are poured forth
with consummate skill throwing light and
shade upon the topic under consideration.
In the description Of natural scenery, he is
graphic in the extreme, in the close and an
alytc delineation of character, Mr.. Par
sons exhibits rare power, bringing out his
principal figures in manner liiclikc and
vivid The New York HerdW in its re-
port of his debut in the Cooper Institute.
says, Mr., Parsons spoke without notes or
manuscript, and with vigor, lluency, and
beauty of language that evoked repeated
rounds of applause. His peroration might
very well answer for classic model of
scholastic defamation.