New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-11
TIE LECTURE-ROOM.
THE HON. $. 8. cox on IRISH HUMoR.

THE hon. =. 3. cox ON IRISH HuMOR.
If the audience which gathered at Cooper
Institute last evening hear the Hon. $. Cox lecture
ON &" Irish wit and Humor" was not large as some
which ne has addressed from the same platform when
political absorbed the public attention, yet
IL was more than respectable In size. aud pleasantly Nat
tering its appreciation Of the lecturers treatment OF
his subject Mr.. Cox frankly Acknowledged that the
title of his essay was almost misnomer,
for he Thought that properly, wit had lees TO
do with the Irish character than humor,
which was genial and the ougushing OF Irish
free hearedness while WIT recognized among its ngre-
dents Of malice. In tho mosaic OF the American
people which all nationalities are blended, the EDer
aid Is omitted. and in the various humors whch
belong people the Irish element bears prominent
position. And these humors bear the distinctive marx
OF nationality and expose 1T. Americans are indebted
for te exaggerated form OF humor the Irish hyper
hole The Irish are disposed 10 talk pretty largely
because they came from the Orient as II can be proved
and our American humor has received largely OF mat
We cannot possibly get rid OF the American IDEA OF
equality We say among one another we are all equal
hn the Irn CLEAN comes In when Teddy says. Every
man is good as any other man. ana Roou ueai
The sneaker in Illustrating the different kinds OF
bnDor alluded 10 the class particularly prominent IN
America lust now, OF which Mark Twain Is an example.
where the point only suggested and the rest left 10
the IMAGINATION as In the OF the Missouri girl who,
IN American fashion. washed all day made supper OIL
hard eggs, and danced all highland the funeral
was half a mile long, The Irish huinOr would have been
Inherent the gap would have been lled by comical
sketch tho Ot the eggs. Mr. Cox did not, how
ever limit analysis Of Irish humor 10 America. but
carried his hearers the home OF the Irshm0r on ms
native soil and begged them 10 examine lreands gen
ealogv and view her wOndrOus yicssitudes Of find
ing N that history and in the bewdeing contrast Of
her society the source OF nearly all her fun. Eyon Eng
land gained her best humor from Ireland Irish tera
ture particularly logical, although II shows
great degree Of aeuteness ana the speaker proved
from the work OF Carleton Edgeworth Burke Sherdap
Goldsmith, and steele.
The Keen sense OF Irish humor which lay IN the
mon people illustrated In way most appropriate
llgE nf
ent. by anecdotes nnumerable, some OF them well
known for their pungcDcy while diners were new aud
amusing Neither did Mr. Cox dlsdain 10 cultivate for
the evening very respectable brogue. which added the
last necessary touch 10 his recital OF Irish tests.
lecture on, such - subject would shave been incOm-
plete If DOnny brook Far-cOnnccted in American As
well as Irish minds with fun of the purely Celtic
type-had not been allowed its due portion
Of comment, and this led naturally To
dseussOn "A the factions OF Ireland which mark that
countrys entire history and without which feature she
becomes uuc'aractertIc. These the occasion OF
other drOll anecdotes Illustrative OF irish tastes
and temperaments than a column OF anay sis In his
nding sentences he touched for moment upon the
humor peculiar the which consists In adroitly
telling The TRUTH and quoted Walter SCOTS experience
with Young suppicant 10 whom lac gave a siKpeuce,
telling him ne now IN hls debt slApeuce. God
bless your Honor" the reply, and may you I've
Til | pay IT," Laughter j.