Article #35 - Blessed are they who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed?

 Every person who has become great in the eyes of the world had his or her time of beginning, to write letters, essays, addresses etc. and as I feel that there is about three inches of rust to be scaled off befor[e] I can scrape up a idea above a whipperwill [sic].

            It is said that practice makes perfect so I suppose my imperfections will be excusable on the score of inexperience.

            It is not often that I attend Lyceums or literary associations, not because I do not approve of them at all, but simply because I never was trained to any thing of the kind in my younger day, and to come out befor[e] such a body of intelligent persons as attend your meetings, I feer [sic] would be entirely to[o] great an undertaking. This thing of breaking the ice is not what is cracked up to be, yet I fear if I should attempt it, I might fall through an air hole and lose myself forever. So I will write a few lines knowing that I will not read it, if I can get your editor or cor[r]esponding secretary to read it for me, and moreover I shall rest perfectly easy for I feel well assured that there will be but one who ever know[s] from whence it originated.

            Criticism has ever been a source of pleasure though it is but seldom that the results pass my lips or are written on paper. The object of my criticism at present is an artacle [sic] or rather artacles that were read at your last Lyceum. All appeared to go smoothly along until all the programme was gone through with when a gentleman or something in the shape of a man asked permission to read an essay as I suppose he would call as a burlesque on your association but at present I am at a loss to know his object.

            The second artacle which was upon toadology clearly evinced that it[s] author was one of our greatest naturalists as he undoubtadly [sic] must have spent some days and nights in making observations upon the remarkable animal. Though he no doubt possesses a fair portion of origionality [sic], it is very singular how he describe[s] it in the language of naturalists who lived

ages ago. It does me good to laugh at some times but I never befor[e] heard such an artacle read before such an intelligent audience as was present or such applauding as immediately succeeded it. It would do for a bar room or a theater but not for an association whose object is mental improvement.

            Now as I feel an interest for both the author and your association, I feel that I would be

speaking the sentiments of a number of my sex if I should ask that gentleman to either bring something better or not say any thing at all.

            His artacle on love courtship and marriage which was read some months ago was but little els[e] but one quotation after another, from Fowlers publications, and with which the most of the ladies of course are familiar but if he thinks he can give us any new ideas upon these subjects we would feel quite thankful, but I would ask him to please to not tare [tear?] the old ones entirely to tatters which are already worn threadbare.

            More when I think it in demand.

                        A Critic