The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-19
FREE LANC1NG.
Lectures and Lecturers-COlonel John
Hay ON 'sThe Heroic Age In Washing


Lectures and Lecturers-ColoneI John
Hay ON ssThe Heroic Age In Washing
tOn.,'
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
To an educated person the ordinary lecture is |
an insurerable BORE 1t Is an exceedingly lazy |
method OF getting at nothing instituted, perhaps,
for the benefit Of country lads and asses that they
may have q not too loud accompaniment to the |
whlsperings Of their hearts. Yet, though the |
world moves, though we are all supposed to be |
much nearer the millennium than the people of
yesterday, it really seems If ordinary lecturers
had broken out in q more virulent form than ever
before. Not only are we deluged with the drive Of
our own gifted land of gab but England is sending
us all the mediocrity she can conveniently spare.
Why do people lecturer Because they have some
thing to say' BY no means. Because lectur-
ing pays and literature does not am
aware that Mr. Emerson declares the word
pay to be immoral, but, when sorey tempted even
tine thrifty Sage OF Concord scorns to play the evan
gelical peacock Pecuniary considered, literature
Is but means to an end. 1t makes that bubble
reputation, whereby an author becomes a curios
ity-a grand moral elephant to public that will
pay more to look at him than to read his books
When England sent us Charles Dickens she sent,
not only her greatest novelist but her cleverest
actor As II to spite US for the decision of the
Geneva Conference and San Juan Boundary ques-
ton, and to prove how exceptional was Dickens
many-sided genius she has recently exported lee
turers OF a calibre calculated to produce sof-
tening OF the brain II taken in large guam
titles. This is hard, for we do not need
to leave beloved country to find as
much intellectual mush the average mind can
conveniently wade through. But ecturing pays,
and II we are Tools enough to go and hear nobody
is to blame but ourselves. OF Indigenous mush
there Is no end The third or fourth rate decayed
clergyman who, unknown in large cities, travels
from town to town delivering himself OF platitudes
that would put Upper out Of countenance, makes
more money during the year than the majority Of
first class writer's Glow much money did you
realize on your Nasty paperss" asked lady of d.
r. Locke 'NOt one cent, saving in reputation
and in the increased circulation OF the Toledo
Rade,n was the reply. But the Reverend Petro-
leum Nasty writes lecture, entitled "Cussed BE
Canaan" and in short time accumulates
thousands Of dollars Had the reverend
IN his favorite corner grocery at Con-
federate Roads, he might have gone down to even
adrunkard's grave before his patriotic eyes would
have gaZed upon a like amount OF money. So diff
ferent is the standard Of literary excelencies that
not tenth part OF the lectures delivered by the
most popular speakers would be printed in our
magazines for either love or money. Compare
lively speaking. the writer has all work and no pay
es M na1 sn a no 20 Oe
that the rejected addresses Of literary asplrants
should find their way from the EDITORS waste.bas-
lieve in lecturing when it is not taken. in
vain. There are those who cannot fulfil
Wat Woaa become wendell 1hef pn lbs
without the power OF speechP There are others
who while , writing Wen, lend SO much grace to
utterance as TO confer favor by their personal
presence Such lecturers are benefactors, for
truths are most surely driven home when reason is
inspired by eloguence. Eyes are excellent; but If
we can have both eyes and ears, who win refuse
So thought / last Monday night upon hearing
Colonel John Hay deliver his new lecture on "The
Heroic Age in Washington" Not because Colonel
his own fault II he does not become
one. To noby sway an audience is
some reasonable excuse for being alive. Colonel
Hay can do this in time If he Will He has a clear
violin is always the same VIOLIN but it is only the
skilled musician who brings out its tone and
makes beautiful music. The human voice is a far
more exquisite instrument, yet how many: even
half the care that a stupid school girl gives
With 9 practiceyoy u which do not p mean
acquiring. wretched Evolutionary, mannerisms,
OF the art how not to be natural-Coionel Hay will
sound the gamut OF passion, for the notes are in
his voice Now ne Is monotonous, falling TO- pro,
his discourse. MOdulations are uninterrupted by
him. He makes constant use OF the loud pedal,
hands TO his ears, crying piano, pianissime."
The fault is good one, because It denotes that
a great fault for all that. C'est nagnlaQue, mas
ce NEST pas Tart. Then Colonel Hay, who should
be easy in action, is somewhat std owing, should
sell on the barren platform of the lyceum,
yet complete absorption is downright
make his audience feel. It is not just, however,
to demand all things OF young speaker. Minerva
sprang full grown from the head OF Jove; but this
genius, and Minerva is myth. Possession being
nine points Of success, and Colonel Hay possessing
humOr sentiment, passion earnestness and lungs,
we have right to ask that he acquire those subtle
arts by which the light and shade or his picturesque
thought shall best be seen OF men.
Colonel Hays lecture on "rhe Heroic Age in
Washington" teens with suggestion. There is not
an naigestble line in It, though from its lack Of
The material could not be better; the cooking
admits Of Improvement. Colonel Hay is an
of this lecture the colossal figure Of Lin
and grouping together his soldiers ana
under the title that now embraces too much and
too little. No one is more competent to treat both
subjects than LncOin'S private secretary, the
quickness of whose apprehension will, sooner or
later force him to pay fitting tribute to his great
chief.
Fate has been kind to Colonel Hay. I envy the
man who as a student read law in an office adjoin
ing thae 81 AoTan sra M envy nm ne
brought in contact with great, rugged nature,
that sheds the shans OF the world as Flemish ga
bes shed rain, is almost equal to q liberal educa-
tion. Uncompromising integrity OF character is the
grandest attribute OF man. UncOmpromIsing integ
rity was the keynote OF LincOln's dumbly Homeric
life; therefore envy the clever young journalist
who knew our martyred President wisely and well
who can say of him, with much truth as elo-
quence, che belonged to no church. vet he was the
uncancniZed saint of all churches. He never
uttered prayer in public, yet prayers for him
fastened our cause daily with golden chains
around the feet OF God. He cold and migrate
full to his friends, as republics are; and yet men
who never saw him thronged at mis- bidding the
road of death as to festival do not wish to
make 1aultess monster OF him; but he comes
nearer than any man ever knew or imagined 20
being type OF democratic republicanism incar-
nate.r The man who can say this OF Lincoln can
say more, for note how clear his Judgment
'There never was President who so little as Lin
..l.4 49, i.l. In