New-York tribune., 1875-01-15
THE DRAMA.
sIEiYwAY HALL-M2 W. r. GiLL's LECTURE AND
READING.

sIEiNWAY HALL-M2. W. r. GiLLS LECTURE AND
READING.
Last night at Steinway Hall, in the presence
OF an assembage that filed about ne-third of tho
house, Mr. William f. Cl, Sf Boston, delivered Lee
ture Reading. aud interspersed this with dramatic
reoitstions. Mr. gill understood TO say. In sub
stance that Reading Is tine art and ought TO be so o0n-
sidered that persons who give readings 10 public
show themselves INCOMPETENT 10 read that these Dre'
tenders bring the art into contempt that the public veWs
these preteniers with apathetc liberation that even
good readers often mako nju cious selections; that
voice and magnetic power are need attributes 10
make good reader: that these come by nature. when
they come at all. and that they cannot be acqured
that the pulpit the bar. aud the reidngcesk are ham
pered n their efficiency by bad readers that IL there
were good readers there would be more good
reading that II there good reading the are
would be ia better reputs and tile public temper aud
taste better condon; that he himself was not the
advocate OF any system OF readne. but beloved In
nature and a reader should make his selections con
form TO his temperament and peculiar powers, md only
read what he could read we'll These observations Mr.
Gill offered with much feryOr aud loud, clear rcband
resonant tones. He then reced narrative poem en-
Tilted gdaena." by J. f. Waller. "TLe Pilots Story.
by W. d. HOwells; ballad called "Curew Must NOT
Ring Tonight" humorous passage from the writings
Of Mark Twain. "Tbe Yagsbonds," by Mr. j. l. Tr0w-
bridge and q humorous passage from the writings OF
"The Danbury News Man" Mr.. Gill Is slender dark
haired. browneyed person, whose demeanor Is franz
ana easy whose gestures graceful and whose voice.
face and conduct upon the stage eynco sympathy sen
sibility and refinement His lecture was thin In sub
stance aud duse and tne,egant In style but 1t told
obvious truths in spirit OF earnest conylcOn and on
that ground it may be set down as a good discourse
one or two comic anecdotes aud two quotations
from Hamlet" whchE contains, told well upon ths
audience; and, iu a general way, Mr.. Gill was kindly re-
ceyed As q reader he 10 chlofg remarkable for tho
power OF his voice. and for his skfu use Of light and
shade in its employment. Tie voice Is not exception
ally flexible however aud the variety Of its tones Is
limited. The nature behind the reading manifested
spontaneous and strong affiliations with melo-drama
romance, and humor; but not with tragedy, and not
with pathos SensDilay and nervOustremor were abun
dant; but depth. whether OF thought feeling was
not denoted. The capacity to apprehend character
and state OF emotion was seen to be ample-and
to be ampler than the capacity TO convey them. Ar
Gill; as an actor would perfectly conceive the ideal OF
Don Cesar he would mperfeotly utter It, For tho
fundamental power OF genius in him-the power to
thrill mold the emotions. and to trans6gure intel
ectual ideals imaginative realitestae observer
looked in vain. Mr. Gill, however Is apt exponent
Of his principles announced in his discourse He 10
interesting, sincere, brilliant, attractive and by tem
permanent physical endowments. and culture reader
OF distinctive ability His lecture could be omitted
without loss his readings will ind pOpuarlty