The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-06-26
The Boy Orator.

The subject of his notice, i Harry shan
non, j. he first born son Of j. H. and Helen
q. Shannon. H,>hrth pa'ri, " ashineton
ID. c., and hiHnalal day the ID al May, 1859.
His neither is a scion of one al the old fam
lilies of lower Maryland, and heiress OF an
cestral estates long III her family. His
fathers blood is Irish, but his family is one
of those long settled in the districts of the
PatuXent and the Potomac. The boy, there
t2fore, represents in his lineage such best ele-
ments of American influence and history as
might be expected 10 issue in fine and eX-
ceptional developments OF genius and pow
er.
But no calculation or expectation could
forecast or account for The actual Spleudor of
his genius and surprising graces and mag
netiSm of his person. Nothing in the an
nails of prccncity furnishes any parallel to
the pcculiarlties of his power. From ten
,lerest years-even before babyhood could
be said 10 have departed-he las exhibited,
rs it We're, two distinct natures: one that of
the pure child filled with the gleeful uncon-
seriousness OF that privileged age, Il creature
of frolic and fun: and another that OF the
magnificent delamatory interpreter of the
finest poetry and oratory. AS 4 little Great
ure he would pass from his toys, transform
ed rs by Il sudden flash, to the very presence
and person of one of those rhapsodists who,
before printing was, fired multitudeS by the
recitations of heroic verse, or one of those
supreme orators who have Swayed senates
and tribunals, and with their burning words
determined the fate of nations. And to
these imperSonatons-for such they are,
rather than mere declamations-not
has been wanting. The little frame shakes
with all the nervous energy of maturity,
while all the gestures of the boy orator.
every movement from head to foot, all the
verbal parts Of his incompatible perform
ance represent an almost ideal combination
of grace, fire and force, so that taste and
judgment, the most refined and critical, are
satisfied, while enthusiasm is evoked in Il
measure scarcely ever attained save by Il
Forrest, a Webster, Clay, \ Chatham, or
a Pitt.
The boy has now appeared before delight
ed audiences for four years in nearly every
part of the United States; and, while all
these characteristics were pronounced and
positive even ut the earliest date it is graft
flying to be able to say that this progress in
creases with advancing years, atfording the
strongest promise that this wonderful boy
hood will, not as is often with prococity,
issue in abortive manhood, but in il career of
eminencc in some of the great walks Of for
ensic life; promise well supported by 4
physique amply endowed with health and
strength, rs it is adorned by beauty and
grace.
We had,t the pleasure of listening to this
wonderful orator in the hall, on WedneS-
day evening" and confess our inability to
find language to properly express our appre-
citation Of his surprising eloquence. Suffice
1t to say that while we have listened to
Murdoch, Cough and Daniel Doughcrty
with ineXpressible delight their eloquence
failed to thrill us Us did that of the juvenile
orator, whose physioynomy reminds us of
the portrait of Henry Clay, whose best for
ensic efforts are said to be fully equalled by
lHoSc vi tulS iuo'tcIH lpTOulSS Lie agent
announced before the entertainment COM
menced, that if any orator or elocutonist
desired to compete with the lad they could
do SO, and if the audience decided that they
eXceled him in any particular, they would
be entitled to 4 certified check upon a New
York bank for $1,000. No one took up the
gauntlet, and at the conclusion of the even
ing's entertainment the agent announced
that the lad would givea free entertainment
i'll the hall on Thursday afternoon, at which
time any member of the BAR or any one
else, were invited to participate i'll Il dis
cussion with him upon any of the political
questions of the day.
Owing to the smallness of the audience,
on Wednesday night, and the belief that it
would not be any larger Oh Thursday after
noon, the agent concluded not to give the
free exhibition at that time and left in the
i o'clock train for Port Deposit.