Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-03-14
DIR. MUNsErs LECTURE.

Wednesday night the spacious Hall
was filed with an audience eager to
hear this popular orator. In due time
the gifted man made his appearance.
His theme, or rather his themes, were,
The Ideal-Art-Musie, each of which
he discussed in his own peculiar, mas
terly manner. To the Ideal he gave
the credit of all the conveniences of
life. Common Sense was decidedly
below par, could not invent an axe, a
wheel, OF a pillow. From the rich foun-
tain of the Ideal flowed all these. In
the world of thought he exalted Bacon
and the Indnetive Method, while he
made mention Of Aristotle and his
method, setting him in strong contrast
with his chosen philosopher. This
theme was immensely suggestive and
the full discussion of it would have
been very agreeable to his audience.
In the discussion of Art, the orator
was equally felicitous, leading his
audience but little way into a most
beautiful garden from which he pluck
ed some rare and exquisite flowers.
There he stopped to describe the
beautiful in nature. To appreciate it
you must have heard it. The audience
seemed almost breathless while the
inimitable painter placed before their
delighted gaze his delicate and exquis-
lite picture. The orator then passed
to his third theme-Music-but treat
ed it too rapidly to do it justice. He
gave US enough to show us how he
would treat this divine art. He show
ed US that God had tuned all nature to
harmony. The sounds we hear about
us every day all have their place in the
music scale. The babbling of the
brook, the roar of old ocean, the howl
ing of the tempest, the tiny horn of
the insect, birds, animals, man, woman,
all carry their part in the grand or
chestra of nature. How we longed to
hear all of that lecture! One superb
little episode in this part of the lecture
cannot be forgotten. In speaking of
the music of animals he mentioned
the donkey with peculiar consideration.
In his matchless description he made
an impression that will not easily fade
away. Hearer, will you ever again see
a donkey without thinking of DR..
Munsey's incompatible sketch?
His manner is remarkably impress
i've. He talks more with his hands
than any man we have ever met. You
need but to gaze upon his tall, manly
form to feel that the weird mantle of
genius is upon him. He is not the
one-eyed Polypheme that Common
Sense would set up as its beau ideal of
genius, nor the wild, raving thing, like !
Byron or Bailey, that literature calls
the genius. But with clear head that |
could seize the solid philosophy of |
Bacon on which to base his literary in |
vestigations and warm heart to re-
ceive the grand principles of the COS
pei, he is true genius, not seeking TO !
dazzle the world by cratic scintilla-
tions, but choosing rather the religion
of Jesus he prefers to grapple with |
error at the very foundation of human
society.
One mistake we think he made.
Judging the audience by our individ-
ual feelings, they would have been de-
lighted to have heard either one of !
the three lectures entire. The orator
would have given us finished speci-
men of his skill We expect to see
him to better advantage tonight at
the Methodist Church. in a lecture on
Man"