ENPages
p.3
fundamental truth advanced by the lecturer and enforced both by history and observation, was that in all countries where woman has been most nearly elevated to an equality with man, civilization, morality and general happiness prevail, while in those countries where woman occupies an inferior position, vice, brutality and barbarism abound. --Lancaster (P.a) Intelligencer, December 9, 1877.
Miss Emily J. Bryant last night delivered a lecture in the Clarendon street church, on "The Sultan and His City." The lecture was a sketch of travels made in the East a few years since. The wonderful mosque of St. Sophia was very pleasingly described, and the superstition and selfishness of the Ottoman religion and government touched upon. The prevalence of dogs in the street, and the manner in which they make night hideous, was comically told. The hippodrome, the public baths, the minarets and towers of Constantinople, and all the salient points of attraction, which present themselves to the notice of an observant traveler, were told in an easy conversational manner that pleased the audience. --Boston (Mass.) Daily Advertiser, Nov. 23, 1876.
The first lecture of the course of four, by Miss Bryant, was delivered last evening in the First Presbyterian Church. The lecturer displayed excellent descriptive powers, and kept the attention of her audience closely with her, while she gave her word pictures of what she saw in the "City of the Sultan." The description of the general appearance of the city, its three hundred mosques, seraglios, palaces, streets, mausoleums, etc., was poetic and explicit. A lovely picture of the Bosphorus, with its European and Asiatic shores, was drawn. The lecturer, in closing, spoke of the corruption of the Ottoman church. Miss B. occupied about an hour and a half in the delivery of her lecture, and Rev. G. T. Cain, at its conclusion, spoke of its excellence.----The theme last night, "Rambles in Egypt," was not only a fruitful and entertaining one, but seemed to be very congenial to the lady by whom it was discussed. It afforded her the opportunity for delivering some eloquent passages, and displaying to advantage her rare command of language. She gave points from the wonderful career of Mehemet Ali, who slew the Mamelukes, Miss B. having been in the court where the terrible massacre was committed. The mud villages were interestingly described. Miss B. sketched the wonderful career of Mohammed, and the peculiarities of the system he originated as they are still observed. She related a most beautiful romance connected with Egypt, showing, by contrast, the benefits that come through Bible influences. At the close of her admirable lecture she exhibited various objects of interest, including fragments of the pyramid of Cheops and the Sphynx, a drinking-cup, an ink-horn, etc. Miss B. is a lady of rare gifts and intelligence. Her lectures are beautifully written, filled with valuable information, and delivered with most attractive ease and grace.----The lecture (Malta as it Was, and Is) contained a large amount of historical information and descriptive matter, the whole being given in very choice language. In addition to the historical and descriptive features, the lecture contained frequent passages of profound thought and glowing rhetoric. Miss Bryant visited the island under the protection of the English chaplain, and hence enjoyed the very best advantages for obtaining thorough information. She dwelt enthusiastically upon the climate. The lady gave a concise but interesting sketch of the Knights to the time of their obtaining Malta, and their subsequent severe experience. Her references to the places associated with the name of St. Paul, were deeply interesting.----Previous to the commencement of her remarks, the lady exhibited the street costume of the Syrian women. The lecture on "Woman's Opportunity," which then followed, occupying almost an hour and a half in its delivery, was far from being a stereotyped scold, which is usually expected, when this subject is to be discussed. She started out, and continued, on a high plane, and directed her discourse to the advocacy of a loftier purpose in the life of woman than ordinarily inspires it. She made liberal use of the information gathered in her extensive travels, for the purposes of illustration. She dwelt in a lofty strain upon the duty of living with proper purposes in life. With great fluency and earnestness she advised keeping the eyes looking earnestly forward.--Report of Course of Four Lectures, Williamsport (Pa.) Daily Gazette and Bulletin, Feb. 8-16, 1878.
