Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-24
THE LECTURE ROSTRUM.
Col. John C.. Burch ON the Life and
Times Of Edmund Burke.

/ Ilmc8 0I G0AAtUMG AuEke.
From the Pulaski Citizen, April "a. aa
Col. John @. Burch, of Nashville lee.
tured at the Presbyterian Church, il
Pulaski, last Friday night upon the
Life and Times Of Edmund Burke. H
was introduced to the audienceby Gov.
Jno. G. Brown in a few appropriate re-
marks, and Immediately began his era
ton. He said the reign of George III
of England comprised the most impor-
tant period In the worlds history; the
infant republic of America was born,
but while England lost her colonies she
gained In other parts of the world; Po-
land attempted to release herself from
expressions, but unfortunately failed;
the great French revolution, the occa-
sion of the most diabolical massacres,
perfdious craftsmanship, and wonder
full military achievements that history
records. He introduced, as closely al
lied to the subject under consideration
on account of their associations with
MIR. Burke, the two great commoners
Pitt and Fox. He drew a word por-
trait of Burke as he appeared with fea-
lures blunted by the use of glasses
used on account of being near-sighted,
and then he presented him to the audi
nee In the act of delivering his maid
en- speech In Parliament in favor of the
repeal Of the odious stamp act, the
cause of the revolutionary war. Ed
mund O'Burke was born in Dublin,
and although an Irishman upon En-
glish soil is not to be envied the
respect he receives, yet this man by
successive and successful steps
soon took the lead and appear
ed head and shoulders above his
fellows. To Edmund Burke has been
attributed the authorship Of the Juni-
us Letters, the most bitter, vindictive,
Sarcastic and d~enunciatory illusions
that had ever before appeared in print,
but Col. Burch stated that a citizen of
Nashville has recently proven that he
was not entitled to the credit Of writing
them, but that Horace Walpole was
the author. Burke was all genius and
work, having no model as a lawyer, re-
sembling no man and bowling to none,
but on the contrary the weighty truths
that made up his wonderful produc-
tons In prose, poetry, political essays
and public speeches, characterized him
superior to any man who had ever at
tempted the role in which he was so
faultless. either In ancient or modern
times. Mecaulay pronounces Burke
the greatest man Of any age.
We cannot say that we fully agree
with Col. Burch in the estimate he
places upon the talents Of Nh. Burke,
but VI do consider him among the first
men of that age. We do not believe
that if the celebrated lawyer was now
upon the stage of life with the same
development of talent that he would
rank with some of our public men of
to-day. But this aside.
We cannot better express our appre-
citation of the lecture than to use the
language of the lecturer himself when
referring to Mccaulay's description of
Burke, that it was the most beautiful
word-painting we ever listened to. In
deed, Col. Burch's manner, diction, ex.
preston, and matter were faultless.
After the lecture had concluded, Gov.
Brown rendered to Col. Burch the
thanks of the ladies of the Church in
his Familiarity happy style.