The Bobbin Boy | Page 3

174-182
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE DEBATING SOCIETY.
Plans carried out--its object--how it must be conducted--the
organization--rule to make it respectable--his desire to make all things
respectable--the fire company reformed--the first discussion--the
question--an evening without a question--how they got over it--Nat's
speech--curiosity to hear--tremendous compliments--Nat wards them
off--contends that a man may become what he wants to be--this the
view of Buxton and others--influence of the debating society on Nat--a
similar society influenced Curran, the Irish orator--and a living
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