The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-12
INGERSOLL ON LINCOLN.
FAMOUS AGNOsTIC DELIGhIS
UAsHINGTON AUDIENCE
With His Observations OF the Dead rren-
dent-sk~fch of the Lecturers MAN.
ner of Lecturing.


and the law sets and the head is poised
when he sets forth thought that would
have led him to the scanold go years ago
Robert G.. ingersoil was the same man
&c he stood before an audience that hheH
the National last evening as the man VINO
has stood synonymous for over a quarter
Of a century with American free thought'
fierce I'm ,lenunciation, bold in assertion
boastfu I'm discourse. magnetic IN manner
logical in reasoning. unsparing IN cfiucIshi'
tender as q sumber song one moment.
relentless as a tiger the next, witty and
droll. pathetic and persuasive, now lam
pooning with pitiless sarcasm, now deity
inc with an eloquence that sways and
masters and carries men by its own force
10 his own convictions-he Is Pop Bob.
Time seems 10 do only one thing with
the great agnostic, aside from the slight
impress il has left upon his physicai sell
His face is n wonderful example or now
the Intellectual will dominate the material
There is. nothing of the grand about his
features. as there was In the countenance
OF Webster. is I'm that of Gladstone, as
shone from Napoleon's face, or IS seen TO
characterize and mark as distinctive the
faces OF history makers ard world rulers
I'm general. 1t has no great character pro
brows; no massively ambitious nose, no
majestic stamp Of sublime egotism or
power on the contrary, lis face In re-
pose IS as rotund as pumpkin-fed
schoOlboys, as rosy as an apple when ne
smiles. with no distinguishing feature eN-
cept-watch him closely, and YOU see the
liLes of thought that years of study nave
left look at him steadily for two minutes.
and his countenance seems to beam with
a light such as never radiates but from
those whose lives have been spent IN the
pursuit either OF high ideals or the de-
velopment Of the intellectual or spiritual
nature. En- PEASANT lis resemblance 70
ex-Speaker Reed is In many respects
striking.
IngersoH will live in American history
as one of the great thought creators. as
one Of the greaest Of American orators,
ard as a man whose hold uron the masses
and common people leads them 10 spe-'
cies. OF idolatry.
The audience OF last evening was an
immense one. Downstairs was the hrst
quorum OF Democratic congressman that
has assembled in a week. and many Of
the most distinguished people OF the city
stood patiently in the jamming line I'm
front in order to hear him But his true
wOrshpers were in the galleries. When
his familiar figure emerged from the wings
the galleries sent mp a shout which
drowned the glOye-deadened plaudits OF
the parqLette. He had scarcely finished
his first sentence-not a specially remark
able one-when the galleries again burst
forth. and so at every possible oppOs-
tunity.
The lecture Of last evening was better
than anything he has ever done. Better
in that its ideals arc higher. it's lessons /
noblcr its sentiments broader it's motives |
truer For once ingersoll IS not the icon /
oclast, but the builder; not seeking TO tear /
down. but 20 upbuild. II is lacking In the /
incisive sarcasm. the trenchant criticism. /
the free-lance thrusts that pierce and |
overthrow, which so distinguish his "Mis- /
takes OF Moses, "Voltaire." and kindred /
lectures. 1t il superior 10 his lecture /
on shakespeare" and his other critical 4
lectures from every standpoint unless IL |
be- purely literary one.
The lecture upon Lincoln Is some
what devoid OF what Mr.. Ingerson calls
his PHILOSOPHY" and replete with what |
he should be pleased TO term M. Inger- /
soils truths" 1t is not necessary TO dis /
agree with his theories in order 10 be /
OF the fact that In many OF his
utterances he sacrifices truth for effect |
logic for oratory ana philosophy for pic
turesque word painting. In his last he does /
did, honorable, quantity humorous, re- |
sOurcefhl brainy, farseeing, masterful
hero OF the great war is theme upon |
which the orators powers rise TO their
greatest heights.
He sketches his environments. tells of |
the character-moulding influences re-
counts the history OF his early life, synop- |
sizes in clear and striking manner the
historical conditions OF his day, analyzes
H.. h.. .Ifs
statesmen, and the masses OF that period /
~ draws with the hand that has no |
peer the story OF the first and greatest
real American.
In an audience composed largely OF !
southerners, he scathng'y denounced /
slavery and shareholders You know that |
he has the courage Of his convictions. and |
why he has battled against the greatest
force on earth. Christianity, for years.
when you see the impassiye. unpologetic /
serenity with which he did IT, lie called !
traitors" and worse. and l
mixed In few Of his famous home
thrusts on his old friend the Democratic
party lie dweit particularly upon the hui
NOR OF Lincoln. and told with powers I
which rival those OF the greatest OF story |
spInrers. the drOll, homely yarns. nov |
pathetic, now side-splitting
There is a great deal OF the same |
qudlliy ABOUT ROBERT q. lngerSOll that he |
so extolied In Lincoln. He still has be-
meath the polish and cultivation OF the /
scholar and savant the quality that as
ISOLATION with mother earth gives, The /
favor Of the commonplace in speech and /
accent. the homely straiSht-at-the-h heart |
phrase and idea; he drops the "g' in i
ing when he gets down TO confidential |
tax, ami drdwl5 out in "A sort Of Sam /
Joncsy way for "A minute or 50. Then 4
he leaps away. is chaste and elegant I'm |
dicticn. full rich aud resonant IN voice
lofty I'm thought. mighty in eloquence
Any attempt to give other than the !
briefest excerpts from his two-hour-and- !
ten-minute speech is useless. Following
however are few Of his thoughts:
Lincoln was candid. and with sandor
often deceived the decetful.
Humor Is the pilot 81 reason: humor
goes with good nature and good nature /
~ the climate OF reason.
Soiennity Is the mask put on by isno- |
rance or hypocrisy-ge generally by. both.
II you wish 10 be orator be natural: |
too much polish sugge SITS insincerlty.
between the lips OF a great orator
words bud and blossom.
The best book Is man.
Politicians work and scheme day and
night 10 see what people win 90 for them.
statesmen consider what they can do for
the people.
The average man Is afraid OF genius.
lie feels as does the ordinary man before
a s!eight-of-hand performer he fears but
respects him.
The central idea Of secession Il the
essence Of monarchy.
I'd rather belong to q nation, no matter