Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-13
4 CRITICISM OF COUGH.
PecuIiaritIes and Power Of the Great
temperance Lecturer.
pritish MaiI. oetober IS.

North British Mail, October IS.
When John B. Cough stepped for
ward last night to address the nearly
1000 persons who we're assembled to.
hear " the greatest histrionic orator"
of the day, to those who had neither
seen nor heard him before he must
have been, both in appearance and
style, a little disappointing. Noportly
figure, no specially prepOssessing face,
no melodious voice greeted them. In
place of these we have a man who is
sixty-one years of age-and who looks
tia somewhat clumsy figure. with
no p~retensions to fashionable costume,
a face of rather sallow complexion,
high cheek bones, small eyes slightly
sunken, broad under lip, with thick
flowing white hair and beard, the
slightest perceptible lisp, a little ten
dency to a burrish dialect, a voice a
trihe husky from wear and tear
favored with the New Highlander
nasal twang. As he comes forward
easily, with his hands imbedded in
his trousers pockets, you rather
fancy he is a bon viyant than a
temperance lecturer "a thoroughly
downright, plain-spOken, honest-heart-
ed fellow, who will grasp your hand,
slap you on the back, and show you
all the hospitality his house will
afford. There Is not a bit Of the pol
ished orator about him. For some
times your impression will be in anx-
iety for the blessedness Of those who
expect nothing For at least a quar-
ter Of an hour his style seems to scare
~ soar beyond that of refund stump
Oratory. He declaims vehemently with
; angular gestures, shouts and seems in
clinedtO tear his passion to tatters.
This slight defect really never wears
of, and at the close Of his hour and
a half grafton last evening one rose
with the conviction that his appeals,
denunciations aud e%xhortatiOns were,
though the strongest as far as lung
and gesture we're concerned, the weak
est portion of his Oratory. Mr.. Cough
has been spoken Ofas a born orator.
Without doubt he is a born orator.
The instant his descriptions begin you
feel you are listening to one who ha,
"smolt the footlights," but you fee
|, not the less the greatness ofthe speak.
Or. Although his pronunciation i,
faulty, you do not MAS a syllable. Hi
most collOquial portions, though
scarcely above a "parlor' tone, pene.
? trated the furthest recesses Of Tn,
stupendOus hall. You feel the poweI
and vigOr ofhis imagination. Itseem,
to act en- rapport. Every man, wo
; man, child, object or act rising to hi
e brain is embodied in his tone and fea
a lures. Al seemed to rise simulta
q %neously in the mind eye of his au
ditOry, as it was seer by him. Tn,
power of his art is seen especially il
Q his mimiery. Mimicry, however.
y scarcely the word. He reproduce.
a the drunken man-the moderat
drlnker-the actor who was neve
druDk-the comic singer at the Cit
Hall who made him laugh so that h
could scarcely close his Jaws. w,
0 venture to say that no man living ca
q tell a comic story like Mr.. Cough,
fact due, doubtless, to his having O
= more than one occasion smclt the foot
lights as a low comedian-whieh pro
fession he appeared last evening I
have had the good sense not to decry
,.ISubtie, however, as is his humor. it
far exceeded by his more seriou
u efforts. Not his patilesfor there. /
our thinking, he is c~omparafiyel
weak-but in the terrible, the awfuI
he is simply grand No other wor
I will describe it-althovgh playgoei
may better understand IL when W
c compare his picture of a man in dc
b lirium trcmens 10 one of those marve
Y GUS touches Of intensity and impa.
stoned realism given i~atteTiy by Risto
Of which the tragedy Of the lat
n Frederick Robson was the reflex, I
d see the mar who an instant before ha
/ been eonvulsing his audience WIT
i laughter, 80 changed, his eyes diiata,
g his body half bent, his hands clenche,
u in a word, the incarnation for III
le nonce Of madness, the effect w
y most appalling. All this, hoyeye
is the result Of study. To q
Experienced eye the tricks Of ii
T" orators trade are at times apparcll
No one who heard aud saw la