Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-02

The Second Lecture in the University
Extension Course--The Professors Re
markabfe Powers,

day afternoon. About 800 persons,
ladies largely predominating, were pre-
sent. There were probably not less than
100 of the city school teachers in attend
ance.
On taking ones seat among the audi
ence the visitor is Immediately affected
by the feeling of wrapt worship which
pervades the silent engrossed audience
as it sits watching with the intensest in
terest every word, every slightest gest-
ure, each tone and voice meditation of
the speaker. In itself the audience and
the lecturer formed a curious study. 1t
called to mind the worship of the
ancient Pythagorean students who sat
for 80 patient years at the outside cur
tain of til Greek teachers academy
glad to pick up by dint of sharp listen
ing the stray words of wisdom borne by
favoring winds over the curtain top to
their waiting hungry ears.
The reporter, of less reverent suscepti-
bility, and more Grant de-
termined upon the more practical mission
of watching the great English teacher for
the purpose of making a list of the
pronunciations, quantities and accents
he made, which might sound strange to
kltltilCdll tdib vi ulNCIEt
from the usage as laid down by Worces-
ter and Webster
1t was remembered that the audience
was seated before speaker whose
linguistic usage so far as any purely
English geographically speaking)
authority goes is indisputable. The
professor is an Oxford "don" which,
the reporter, taking the stories of
Thackeray, Trollope, Mrs. Ward and
others as his guide, took to be the
synonym for all that is proper form in
the most rigidly correct English. Here
is literary standard from the oldets
English University, school exactly
1000 years old, offered ready to hand
where if it exists anywhere the "foun-
tain pure Of English undefiledn is dis
coverable. 1t was just the opportunity
desired for comparative test of Ameri-
can and English pronunciation.
The result was most remarkable.
Throughout the entire hour of close
watching for what an American would
call "English solecisms" not a single
strange accentuatiun or novel pronunci-
alton was heard. At one moment when
the word relaxation" was used the list
ener thought he detected an undue
elongation of the vowel in the first sylla-
BILE. But, to the reporters surprise and
utter disgust with himself, he found on
reference to Webster that the great
American photographer agrees with the
Englishman and the first sc" is long.
Worcester however gives the short
sound of 'e.n
Otherwise there were some interest
ing revelations, which distinctly upset
vulgar ideas in regard to the pronuncia-
ton of British ''swelldom," Prof.
Moulton did not say "dawncen for
dance; nor did he say dance, as in the
fiat pronunciation of the vowel "a, = as
we find it in the names "Danby,n
"Canby," &c. He did, however, pro-
nounce dance as if it were pronounced
''dahnce," giving to the vowel the "ah'
sound. This also is strictly Websterian.
While Professor Moulton's pronuncia-
ton is so agreeable to the disciples Of
Webster and Worcester the speakers
enunciation is far from beyond criti-
cism. He has the peculiar head notes
or tones, as vocalist would call them,
which one hears so often in English
platform and especially pulpit speakers.
The American contrast is that here
words it is the old story that the average
American speaker is much more thor
oughly educated in the technicalities of
1t will be remembered that the general
charge against the latter is that he in
vades the forum thoroughly accoutred
in intellectual forces but too often with
utter disregard to elecutionary require
e. hoo, l.
such mistake. On the contrary he
too often makes much sound with but
paucity of ideas when he appears on the
platform.
1t should be stated in justice to Pro-
fessor Moulton that he did, on certain
occasion, use chest tones. Those were
moments of delightful relief to the
audience. He used it in dialogue, espec-
tally to illustrate the jolly Hercules
buffo tones. And on occasion King
Admetus, usually a kind Of hybrid
soprano, dropped into basso when con
versing with his wife Alcestis. The
point contested, however, is that the
lecturers normal tones were the So
prano or head notes in presence of the
fact that the more recurring characters
were males, the King Of Thessaly and
Hercules; the only female interlocutor
being Alcestis.
Throughout the dialogue the vocal
antiphonal of the professor was simply
delightful.
Probably in all the annals Of public
lecturing in Wilmington no such de-
lightful intellectual feast as that of Sat
urday afternoon has been experienced.
II was revelation Of the wonderful
Gull Of the Grecian mind. The lecturer
in the most enhancing story style, de-
scribed the setting Of the Greek play.
He showed the use of the chorus. A
graphic description of the vast hill-en-
circled, open air amphitheatre, seating
perhaps 10000 people was given. A
valuable point in the lecture was Prof.
Moulton's reference to the philosophical
intents of the Greek dramatist. In adj
dition he remarked that it must be re-
membered that all classical poetry is
plagiaristic. II is an echo of what has
been already sung.
Nothing more exquisitely beautiful
could be imagined than Mr.. Moulton's
rendering Of the closing Euripidean
chorus. From descriptive talk he sud
denly broke into rounded Dryden-like
measure. The effect was electric. The
audience was entranced as the rhythmic
lines dropped in poetic ardor from the
speakers lips.
The listeners were wildly reminded
of the song
The isles of Greecel the isles of Greece
Where burning Sappho lovd and sung.
Norcross' Strange story.
The prisoner NorcroSs who was taken to
New Castleiaii yesterday week convicted Of
robbing Greenville post-office, has been