Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-20
THINGS DRAMATIC.

grand concert Of the season Of 1994.6 last night.
 Seals' music hall, where the concert was given, was comfortably filled with select and appreciative audience, who thoroughly enjoyed the musical treat.
 The Mendelssohn society embraces in it's membership some of Birmingham's best musical talent, which, under the director ship of that accomplished musician, Prof. J. Morton Boyce, and his predecessors, has developed voices whose superiors ara not to be found in but few cities, and those playing instrumental music nave kept pace with the vocalists.
 The concert last night opened with beautiful cantata, 'The Lay of the Bell,o
 by Schiller, music by Andreas Romberg 1t had been arranged for solo voices, choruse5 and the orchestra. MT. W. E. Smith took the role of master and sang the parts allotted to him In most excellent manner. The solos by Mrs. R. A. Moseley and Miss Lottie Coffin were most charmingly rendered, and highly pleased the audience, who manifested thelr delight by recalling the fair singers.
 Messrs. Lyon, Arrico, Sheppard, Cart wright, Bradley and Roof came in for a fair share of the applause.
 Misses Lottie Coffin and Cornelia Meade and Messrs. Frank Arrico and Randolph Seymore sang a quartette that was highly pleasing.
 The second part was made up mostly of instrnmenial music, beginning sA with '.Audante Allegro" from "Grand Sym. orchestra, and ending with "Mendelssohn's Wedding March, ,'' from "Midsummer Nights Dreams.'
 Between the two instrumental selections Miss Loitie Coffin and Messrs. Lyon and Bradley sang, 70, Restless Sea. ''
 Misses Lucy Martin and Lizzie Hutton played the piano accompaDiments.
 The second concert oi the Mendelssohn society was a decided success and presages even greater successes for the future.
 SOCIAL MEETING.
 The third entertainment of the society will be held in their hall over the First National bank, First avenue and Twentieth street, next Monday night. The pro- gramme for that occasion will be as fol- lows:
 Reception from to S:45.
 Short musical programme from S;do to 9:30.
 Light refreshments.
 "sI PLUNKARD."
 fair audience witnessed the perform ance of ''Si Plunkard' at O'Brien's last night, which closed their engagement. Ths mirth- provoking yankee comedy, which so viyidly presents rural lie, brought forth many side-spltting bursts laugh, and they laughed, for the play is funny one. Yesterday afternoon parade was given, which was enjoyed by hundreds of people.
 Mir. J. O.. Lewis has made such hit with ''Si .Plunkard" that he has decided to go to England with it next season. INGERsOLL ON 1.-THE SEXEs.n Robert G. Ingersoll, who is to deliver his famous lecture on "Shakespeare' at O. Brien's opera house tonight, recently expressed himself on the question of the relative intellectual rank Of the sexes. He says:
 ''Shakespeare has been criticised on &C., count of the trial scene in 'The Merchant of Venice.' The critics pointed out that nothing could be more absurd than young fellow coming along and taking the place of the judge and proceeding to try case. All these objections to Portia, however, have been found to have no foundation. At that time 1t was the custom for students of the great law schools at Padua to assist | legal judges. Many of these judges knew nothing of the law, and when in doubt or trouble they sent to Padua asking that some one learned in the law might be sent. l And it was in accordance with this custom that Portia presided at the trial. Now if we had any women like Portia they would certainly make good lawyers. If we had any mon like Portia they certainly would make better lawyers than we have. Portia and consequently was equipped to shine in the zenith either as advocate or judge. Personally l have no objection to women lawyers. I would not like to try cases against them if they were handsome, and especially before an old judge, old men being easily fattered, nor before a young jury. It is very hard to compete with woman when she is plaintiff or de- fendant, and it would be equally as hard to defeat her as lawyer. But hardly think the native woman is very well adapted to the practice of law. It does not call into play the higher and better faculties. There is a good deal of cunning and pretense, a good deal that is along the lower lines of conduct; not much opportunity for gener- osity or nobility.
 ''Of course there are exceptions, but the trouble is that they are exceptions. l think woman has plenty of ability to un- derstand and practice law, out really think the profession would run little across her grain. l think she is better qualified for l there is not nobler profession than tho medical. A doctor is in partnership with | nature. He lessens pain and advances the | happiness of human life, and to do these l things is in exact accordance with the na- | ture of woman. 1 have always thought | that woman was the equal of man iDtel- | lectually, providing she had the same op. | portunities. In school the girls were al- ways ahead of the boys. They were al- | ways smart, and certainly they would re. | main so except for the fact that they get married, stop studying and become over. | whelmed with domestic drudgery and toil |, l and finally resign themselves to their fate l and let intellectual questions be settled by | their husbands and sons.
 | . "A great many men in this country inn