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Show GEORGE FRANCIS TRAIN. Georgo Francis Train, on April 17, delivered a lecture at Lincoln Hall. Being without a title no clue was given tho spectators as to his subject. At first it appeared to bo on "Physical Strength," and ho spent somo time trying to convince tho people that he "ought to be dead." Tlio most of them agreed with him at once; but as time wore on ho spoke two hours and three-quarters the feeling was changed to one of regret that such a brilliant mind and wonderful dramatic powers should be so poorly directed. George Francis Train is a man of commanding height, as supple in body as he is voluble vol-uble in speech. His features, without being handsome, possess a mobility that alone would have made the fame of Kean or Maeready as it did of Gar-riek Gar-riek and Foote. The majority of people incline to think that Train is but one remove from a madman; he may be in a political polit-ical Jpoiut of view, but if he would cease howling for the Presidency, and go on the stage, there would be no actor to compare with him, lie has the most startling versatility passing from the broadly humorous to the most touchingly pathetic with tho rapidity ra-pidity of lightning in a fierce storm. His wit is as quick and vivid that its brilliancy blinds like lightning, and the blackness which succeeds is needed to restore the sight. He is a thorough master of oratory, managing man-aging his voice, and "making" his "points" with a skill that does not fall to the lot of old actors after a lifetime of hard study, because they have neither the originality nor the genius of Train. It is true Forrest can play Lear, and Clarke Toodles, but the former cannot play the latter, nor the latter the former. Fancy Forrest as Toodles, and Clarke as Lear 1 yet Train could act them both equally well. Jefferson can act but one part, likewise like-wise Miss Bateman; our lecturers have their individuality so inwrought that they are always tho same old lecturers. Train is ever changing. Anna Dickinson, Dickin-son, "Injun Meal," Susan B. Anthony, Sumner, Parton, Taylor, Phillips, Kate Field, Edgarton, and all the rest of them, put in one mortar and pestled together, could not make up the multifarious mul-tifarious gifts of George Francis Train. On the platform people laugh at him, on the stage they would worship him. His manner on the platform, like his language, is not unexceptionable. His gesticulation is somewhat muscular; he slaps his thighs till the noise resounds throughout the length'and breadth of the hall. He drags himself almost on all fours from corner to corner; then knuckles himself, so to speak, back to the reading-desk, which he falls upon as if he would shiver it in pieces and then eat them. He double-shuffles and stamps on the floor till the uprising dust obscures him; he beats his breast, clenches his fist, clutches his hair, plays ball with the furniture, fur-niture, outhowls the roaring elements, steams with perspiration, foams at the mouth, paces up and down till he looks like a lion in a cage, lashing his tail; and yet he is not happy, no, he wants to be President; probably to get that dog, the only gift, he said, his Excellency declined to accept because it was sent C. 0. D. Collect on Dog. Perhaps his most remarkable power is that of abuse. He has the gift of turning everybody into ridicule, and it is done so well that their best friends must join in the laugh. He recited some verses in a thrilling manner, well calculated to arouse indignation against his enemies real or supposed. The chaste and elegant refrain of these verses was, "Ye lie, ye villains ! ye thieves, ye lie !" And such a mimic is he that when he placed a chair in the centre of the platform, and kept trotting around it to show how certain old fogies revolve in the same everlasting orbit, he actually actu-ally resembled a dog trying to make time against his disappearing tail. Imitative art can go no further. Let George write a play for himself with himself, of course, for hero let it be short, like his lectures say a thousand or so acts, a few million tableaux, and Train, the much abused and persecuted, persecu-ted, will touch bottom at last. UWt-ington UWt-ington Capital. |