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CITY ITEMS. Lecture by Dr. James M. Sommerville at Concert Hall Last Evening. A lecture was delivered at Concert Hall, last evening, by James M Sommerville, M. D., of this city, for the benefit of the Kingsessing Hospital Aid Society. His subject was, Pictures--Their Origin and Influence. The audience was small, but of a very respectable cha racter. The lecturer was introduced to the audience by Caleb Cope, Eia., who said that, some years ago, an institu tion had been inacurated in this city, entitled “The Philadelphia Art Union,” one of the advantages of which had been the annual delivery of a lecturers on the subject of the Fine Arts. Of late years, however, this custom had been neglected, and the Arts had had their lips sealed to the public car ever since. With a few highly complimentary remarks upon the lecturer’s compe tency to do justice to the subject he was about to discuss, Mr. Cope concluded his introduction, and Dr. Sommer ville commenced his lecture. The origin and the influence of pictures, he said in opening, were eminently peaceful. From the beginning of his existence it had been a trait in man to rescue me morable events from the destructive influence of time by some rude resort to art. In illustration of this, the means employed by the race in different countries and ages, for this purpose, were referred to, beginning with the commemorative stones set up by Jacob and Joshua, and the hieroglyphe of Egypt. The influence of the fine arts was to elevate and refine.They also linked different races of men in profitable intercourse. The Greeks—the most brave and refined of nations—had, he said, set as high an estimate upon their arts as had the Trojans upon their palladium. Upon a cursory inspection ,the fine arts might seem but instruments of amusement, but upon closer examination their value would be found “far higher and nobler. The influence of pictures upon individuals, from the little child ‘to the mightiest man, was almost magical. Nor was their influence even lost upon the lower ani mals, a few well-known historic instances in proof of which were given. In referring more especially to the influence of pictures upon children, the effect of school ade inatrations was quite effectively set forth. The were often as indelible as if, graven with a pen of steel, all in after years gave shape and character to their ine clinations and pursuits. The lecture, upon the whole, however, was not as well conceived as we had hoped it would be, as no theme is more worthy of popular treatment. Much of it was su perficial and desultory, and evidently dry to the au dience, their only outburst of applause having been elicited by a rather far-fetched allusion to the “stars and stripes’’——an effect certainly quite as compliment ary to the patriotism of the audience as to the taste of the lecturer.. Dr. Sommerville’s delivery is also susceptible of improvement, being rapid and frequently indistinct. As we understand that the public are likely to hear of him ,in this field of eloquence—the lecture platform—frequently in future, a little attention to the elocutionary defecta there referred to will be serviceable. His next lecture is to be given in the city of Buffalo. JONATHAN ON THE AMERICAN BEAGLE.— On top o’ that air highest peak of snow. Eternally a viewin’ things below. Sets your great bird, his awful eyea a flashin’. Waitin’ to see na gin the Saoutha thrashin’ ! Folka that have watched him say he ain't yelled yit. He won't do that till the fat batie’s fit! Then, if this nation don't hear suthin’ stunvin’, it’s cause their Jharin’ spilt with ao much gunnin' ! He won't stay there a freezin' hia crooked toes. Wishin’ he'd kot a suit o’ warmer clo’es; He’s o'er the ** Continental” slowly soar, Ani joyinl visit Stokes’s “one- price” stars. And when in uniform he gits arrayed With clo’es that fit, and well and cheaply made, He'll take hia roost ag’in as bright as pewter, ‘Cont... ted nocon, and hopeful of the futur’.
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia Press
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Jan 31, 1862
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Colleen F.
USA 11 Jul 2026
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