The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-04-10
MR.. WlTTERSON,S LEOTURE.

Henry watterson's prelude to his lecture
on Abraham Lincoln is an exceedingly fine
piece of chafaCteriz alton. The statesmen Of
the revolut onary period W ,re graphically
presented AS stately gentlemen in wigs and
knee breeches, the generals in their cock
AIDES and uniforms of blue and buff. Dig
nifty and decorum prevailed in personal in.
tercourse and in discussion One by one
the worthies OF the period were summoned
up and passed in review with phrase OF
eulogy that W " model of vivid and pictur.
esque diction Suddenly the scene changes,
the era of courtly behavior in public life
vanishes, the intense, aggressive, strident
times Of the slavery contest begin, and at
the elimination of this period, when the
strongest passions of the human heart were
raging like the flash and roar OF elemental
warfare, Lincoln makes his dramatic entry
upon the turbulent scene. IL was very eff
fective bit of oratorcal action and was re-
ceived with an appreciative round of APP
plause. The review of the life career and
death "of Lincoln which folio we'd was made
from point of view that gave interest and
significance to every utterance. We look for
eulogy of the great martyr from the sym.
pathetic lips of Northern speaker, who is
likely to be a compatriot in the cause Tor
which the martyrs blood was shed. Mr..
Watterson is Southern man and was a
soldier of the " lost cause" The words OF
pentent sinner, with big heart and a
genius for eloquent confession, surpass in
power, appreciation and pithos even the
most fervent utterances OF one who has
- watched his duty straight and true
An tried to do 1t well;
Part of the time kept heaven in view,
An part steered clear o. hell"
Upon MIR. Watterson had shone the light
that streamed upon Saul OF Tarsus. Lin
coln was revealed to him in all his glory OF
gentleness and manhood, in his genius for
great affairs and the mastery of men, in the
heroism of his great SOUL in the splendor OF
his Chsrac er and achievements. So, with d
masters power, he portrayed him to his
listeners, and the appreciative listener sat
sp al bound as the Great Enancipator and
the savior of the Union was TRANSPORTED be-
fore him. The lecture is discursive. The
nearer is now and then suffered, Ant9us-
like, to touch his toes to the earth, while
the lecturer reads an extract from letter
or a speech that illustrates point or throws
strong side light upon the subject OF the
discourse. Then the stream OF apostrophe
and Characterization, OF wonderful an
ally sis and calculation, resumes its flow
quiet, trencbant, eloquent, al ways just and
satisfying, though not overlooking, full"
Inspired of God " is Mr.. Watterson's en-
phatic Judgment in accounting for the mar
velous wis ION and prophetic vision Of this
man of hu mble life. Born in rude cabin
Graded in the hardships of pioneer life, un'
skilled and untaught in the arts OF state
craft where, queried the orator, did this
man get his grasp of great affairs, his power
to control men, his quality of speech that was
not of the schools but was more than mortal!
"Where did Shakespeare get his geniusi
Where did Mozart get his music?" Touched
upon at various times during his discourse
around this conception of the divinity Of
Lincoln's mission the orator wove his las
impressive periods. With fine fervor with
diction of uns passed wealth and expires
siveness, with an earnestness and sincerity
that were born Of full and unquestioninl
belief in the esseu tial greatness of Mr.. Lin
coin, and the liveliest appreciation o
every element of that greatness, Mr.. Wat
terson concluded his lecture Its final pas
sages were burdened with a deep and elo
quent sense of the fact discovered too late
that Lincoln was the truest friend tht
South had in thai mighty conflict of passions
and selfish interests. With all the pathos o
this development and his subjects close ant
cons ant acquaintance with grief, culminat
ing in the tragedy of his taking off, thu
lecturer exemplified the earthly ending o
an immortal career.