The Bobbin Boy | Page 3

American statesman--Canning, the English statesman--and Henry Clay--interesting account of a similar society in Boston 183-195
CHAPTER XIX.
COMING AND GOING.
Ben Drake's visit--the welcome of Frank--Mrs. Martin's questions--surprise at learning that Ben is a Christian--going to the prayer-meeting--Frank surprised to hear Ben speak--goes to tell Nat the next morning--their conversation--Ben calls around--announcement that Webster would speak in Boston--Nat's resolve to hear him--the walk to Boston--the speech--Nat's observation and remarks--power of the human voice--hearing Edward Everett--walks to hear other speakers--learned much of the use of language and oratory by observation--so with Robert Bloomfield--the charm of the voice 196-205
CHAPTER XX.
GOSSIP.
Talk which Nat created--scene in the sewing circle--use of spare moments--boys who read their leisure moments not get into mischief--old Mrs. Lane on education--her ideas about his going to hear Webster and Everett and the book in his pocket--how much time he saves a day for reading--wants more boys like Nat--his going to the party--sympathy for the slighted--explanation of the scene--waiting upon the slighted girls--the effect of it--Nat's decision, independence, and kind-hearted nature enabled him to do it--like Robert Burns in this respect 206-213
CHAPTER XXI.
GOING TO THE THEATRE.
Nat's desire to witness a tragedy played--resolve to go and hear Booth--talk with his companions--what would be said--the evening of his visit--the play--after conversation with his companions--the bar--why vices connected with theatres--can they be severed from it--Nat wants to hear more--at home at one o'clock--outside remarks afterwards--his course criticized--went a number of times thereafter--his object in going good--yet it was not safe---the Roman youth at the amphitheatre--so with theatre-goers--theatres always been schools of vice--acts of Congress against--vain attempt to make theatres respectable in Boston--the legend of Tertullian--the actor Macready exposed the vice of theatres--Judge Bulstrode's charge--Sir Matthew Hale's experience in boyhood--opinion of the infidel Rousseau 214-225
CHAPTER XXII.
THE DRAMATIC SOCIETY.
The proposition--how it was met--they undertake it--how the theatre creates love of such amusement--the nephew who became an actor by hearing--playing Macbeth--make their own scenery--Nat wrote constitution--evening of the organization--evening of the first play--a success--remarks of Mr Graves adverse to such performances--talk in the village--remarks of old Mrs. Lane--why Nat does it--conversation with Charlie--Nat opposed to being an actor--desire to be a statesman 226-234
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE SURPRISE.
The news--discussion in the town lyceum--occasioned by the dramatic society--the question "Are dramatical exhibitions beneficial to society?"--the evening of the debate--Nat goes--Mr. Bryant's remarks on the low origin of theatres--remarks of another on the immorality of actors--of another on the profane and vulgar parts of plays--seven thousand indecent sentences in English plays--King James the First--Addison's view--the class of persons who patronize theatres--Nat's excitement--Frank's question--Nat's attention--rises to speak--the surprise of the audience--his argument and eloquence astonished all--remark of Dr. Holt--reminds us of Patrick Henry--description of his first plea--his triumph--Charlie's view--Nat's argument changed no one's view--his eloquence they admired--invited to join town lyceum--the dramatic society dead 235-250
CHAPTER XXIV.
ANOTHER STEP.
Making a new study--conversation with Charlie--Nat's new plans--study furniture--manual labor--Charlie's opinion--excessive reading bad--using what is learned--Coleridge's description of readers--difference between Nat and Charlie--Burke's Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful--a bit of humor--using the library of Harvard College--his walks thither--power of concentrating thoughts--Hugh Miller fighting imaginary battles with shells--Cary made a missionary by reading voyages of Captain Cook--Nat's invincible purpose 251-259
CHAPTER XXV.
EULOGY BY JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
Working on the mill-dam--news of the eulogy on Madison--how much he would sacrifice to hear him--general regard for personal appearance--goes in his workshop dress--a view of him in the crowd--talk in the machine-shop--Nat back again--his views of the eulogy--conversation--his leading traits of character seen here 260-265
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.
Beginning of the total abstinence movement--Nat espouses the cause--talk with his companions about forming a society--James Cole opposes--making a beast of one's self--the gutter theory--customary for youth to drink then--drinking usages--the decision to organize a society--preparations--evening of the organization--Nat's speech and presentation of constitution--the choice of officers--Frank Martin president, and Charlie Stone secretary--important event for that time--sensation in the village--scene in a grog-shop--signing away liberty--Nat invited to give a lecture before the society--the decision and firmness required then to advocate total abstinence 266-276
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE TEMPERANCE LECTURE.
News of the lecture flies--scene in Miles's grog-shop--the rumseller resolves to go--a crowd to hear the lecture--"The Fifteen Gallon Law" was his subject--portrayed the evils of intemperance--showed that the proposed law would remove the evil among the poor--showed that it introduced no new principle of legislation--discussed other topics--the lecture gained him much applause--the rumseller Miles was reached and resolved to quit selling liquor--Johnson his customer attacking him next morning--their battle of words--the result--delivered the lecture in neighboring towns--delivered others at home 277-286
CHAPTER XXVIII.
SPEECH-MAKING.
Nat's position--worked for it--bobbin boy father of the orator--so with other men--Sir James Mackintosh--Audubon--Benjamin West--Eli Whitney, and what his sister said--poem of Longfellow--interest in politics--urged to address political bodies--conversation with Charlie--decides to speak--does so at home and abroad--the adventure of a political committee, and a good joke--Nat's speech and their arrangement 287-297
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE EARLY VICTIM.
News that James Cole is frozen--Frank's version