The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-02-18
"Tna usss of .ue,iusss"

| Was the theme of the lecture delivered on
| Friday night of last week. at Central Hall, by
j. Dewitt Miller. The audience was large
and appreciative one, Notwithstanding the
unfayorable evening, and the fact that an
oyster festival for the benefit of one Of our
churches, was in progress, which was calcu-
lated to lessen the number in attendance, as
there are always those in every community
who will give oysters the preference over eio-
| ouence The lecturer was introduced by
| Prof. James A. Diffenbaugh, under whose
auspices the lecture was given. The subject
of the lecture itself suggested wit and humor,
and the contour of the lecturers physiognomy
was a further suggestion of the predominance
of these traits in the speakers character.
| And vet there was not an undue proportion
of either, Just enough to season it properly
and give to the lecture that variety which IS
! ''the spice of life that gives 1t all It's havor
| The speaker was fluent, sometimes rapid in
his delivery, gliding by easy gradations from
grave to gay, from lively to severe. The
l:Qontrasts between beauty and ugliness were
| suggestively but partially given, illustrating
the uses or influences of each upon the lives
of eminent persons, poets, orators andldivines
/ If the familiar quotGton-'Great genius is
70 madness sure alIied''-were paraphrased
and rendered-"Great genius is to ugliness
sure alliedn-the rythm might not be so well
preserved, but the truth would be subserved,
much better. Or BY the omission of the pc
nultima, both would be preserved. One of
our poets aptly aad truthfully says-'Beauti-
full women are apt to be vain. Men should
also be placed in the same category. Vanity
is sure 10 be q companion OF beauty OF person
/ in man or woman Ugliness is often COM
pensated by genius and the graces of mind
and heart Where beauty of person IS com.
oined with beauty OF mind, beauty OF the soul
or of the inner man, the acme OF human per.
lection is attained. Mirabeau, while one of
the most brilliant and brainiest of men, used
| 10 pride himself on being the ugliest man in
France. His preeminence in this respect was
not disputed. Great genius is rarely to be
/ found associated with beauty OF form and
| feature. Napoleon, who was good Judge oil
human nature, it is said always selected men
| of large noses for deeds Of daring and desper-
ate enterprises. And if the prominent nose
1 is attended by high cheek bones, wide mouth,
ample chin, and firmly set jaws, SO much the
better. Such features are not the concoml-
/ tants of beauty, but they are the induces OF
| genius and strength of character. The uses
/ Of ugliness, in this respect, haze been OF the
I highest importance to rulers and leaders, III
times of imnortaur crises in the affairs of ma
| tons. 1t is by contrast OF ore thing with
another, that our ideas are formed oil beauty
or uginess. Suppose all men were Apollos,
| and all women were as beautiful as HeDe or
Venus. There would be no appreciation of
personal beauty, because it is only by contrast
with ugliness that beauty IS perceived. 90
of everything else. Take, for instance, the
seasons-contrast the clouds and gloom Of
winter. the baroness of field and forest, the
snow and sleet, the discomfort of its cold
| bleak winds, with the brightness and glory OF
I the snrinr and summer, with their verdure
and beauty. their birds and flowers, their balmy
sunshine, and the deep eerulean of the over
arching heavens. How our ideas are height
ened Of the gloom of the former and the glory
/ of the latter. Contrast is our most effective
teacher in the great university OF nature. II
il were all sunshine and no cloud, we should
not appreciate fine weather, .or 1t IS only by
contrast that our appreciation is assured.
The lecturer enlivened his subject by anec-
dotes and illusions to persons and things.
He gave graphic portraiture of Beecher, and
Talmadge, and analysed the style and sub
stance Of their peculiar oratory. He hurled
the lance of ridicule against fashionable fol-
lies. instancing the decoration of ladies' hats
with birds and the wings of birds, until the
nraetice nearly silenced the music of the
groves and desolated the forests; also the
grotesqueness-of Beauty and the Beast, as
seen perambulating the streets OF our cities
a beautiful woman with pug dog in arms or
in leash. What could be more ridiculous
Yet it was the fashion,
The lecture was not one Of continuous
thought, but medley of many things, com
prising wit and humor, narrative and anec-
dote, poetry and pathos, yet all in harmony
with the subject in hand, and greatly enjoyed
by an appreciative audience.
Prof Diffenbaugh announced that two other
entertainments might be expected, this win
ter, before the end of the series. Westmln-
ster NAV be relied upon to patronize that
which is good He very successfully catered
to the intellectual enjoyment of this commu-
nifty last winter, and so far, has been quite as
successful this, and is entitled to the appre-
citation of all persons of cultivated taste.