Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-14
INcERsoLL's LECTURE LAST NIGHT.
A Fine Audience Hears His rhetorical
Discourse on the Bard of Avon.

Discourse on the bdru VI HN""'
Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll. the pro
nounced inhdel, gifted lawyer ana pol
isbed lecturer. had a fine audience at the
Academy of Music last night 10 hear his
discourse on Shakespeare. The mousse was
vou filed. and the gathering was repre-
sentative of the society, literary. and sci
enti0c circles of Richmond.
The lecture was brilliant rhetoricai
EFFORT and greatly pleased the bulk OF
those who heard II. Colonel lngersoii'
though perfectly at ease on the platform,
docs not affect what we or the South can
oratory. His delivery is more In the ma
ture of a hurried recitation, and frequent
,I,pces are given his small pages OF manu-
lint He aid not give time for the APP
,lonse that his hearers were inclined 10
occasionally bestow upon nm.
His language was polished, and at tunes
s,,hlina and his logic forceiui ana con-
,.incing Though the subject was one tha'
ala not IN any way embrace rehgious
principles, Colonel lngersoil several ,iIhVs
made Sly and good-natured nut ehtlIeH
unnecessary hits at the Christian ialth.
"' n,, one occasion. speaking of prosperity
- ,,s Influences on men. how II engen-
- courageous thought and made
-, ,rue to himself the renowned atheist
ia that a man eating crust soiteEsu
-, tis own tears would cast up ms eyes
~ ,Il,,,o,, and thank God for II; but when
y, -, all the fruits of prosperity COM
,''o'nti, stroking his well-filled ana pur-
,io.clothed body would congratulate MN
self. ,e. 80 Sbokesneare.
Coionel Ingersoll said that NIUE nS'
known beyond the dates Vi u.' va 49,
.,,,os,e and death. that might not NC
maj li"s'' ,n In ten lines. He was or
suiil, n'o origin. his rank being beneath
~, ~ a servant, and his personal peeu'
,,nrt,ins we're nil. Paying touchihs III.
- e, chakespeare's mother, II was, said
- ,No,,,rar from Mary Arden that the
- ~ 20 ,yon received his gifted magma
H. ,ras horn at the time that Europe
N,,,.re,cd from the darkness Oh the hi'"uie
oi'lV, ,ha time when England began To
49,, ,ol.,,srous and 20 lay the foundations
~ -. yaet colonies and Industries, ana
sircs prosperous nations produce sio"'
IN n was to this fact that the iectuier
attrihuted the accident OF the oir,n o'
such genius as onan',p 49,,
brandt. Mozart, Corneiiie' VINO W. ~.
temporary with Shahesi'
as other instances -. A. paco,tan
,heory colonel Ingersoll disposed OF IL
in most satisfactory way by quoting
extensively e from Lord Baeon's works ,s. t., to
show that he was not only meh,aii n,eY W.
canabie Of evolving the unspeakapiy.c'.Ne'
S,a,,,as and noems attributed to Shakes
~ ue are, but was also entirely ignorant OF
theories and discoveries extant at that
lime, which sre alluded to In those ara
The lecturer stirred his auditors to ~
,,ah Mich of enthusiasm with his wit ana
e,e a, as he continued TO instance
some Of the gems of thought from sha ,s,,s
peare. and concluded his lecture rs w"
a Sublime panegyric OF the poets genus
co,oneI Ingersoll IL only making Two
weeks lecture tour. and during that time
win visit the larger cities OF Tennessee
and Mississippi. 1t IL probable INA. a &c
viii appear on the lecture platform IN
mis- city next autumn. when he VIII ae-
liver his celebrated lecture, enu'eu'
Man, Woman. and Child.