INTRODUCTION. 



The original ideas on which these lectures 

 were founded, entered my mind when I was 

 barely seventeen, and during their gradual 

 development the major portion of both of the 

 lectures were committed to paper in the course 

 of the past six years. The first public deliv- 

 ery of either occurred in Boston about two 

 years ago, it was, however, almost impossible 

 to obtain a hearing for them so bitterly hos- 

 tile did the audiences (assemblies little better 

 than savages) prove themselves to be, and so 

 persistently did they interrupt, and endeavor 

 to overawe, the lecturer. 



Such being the condition of society, and as 

 the press of this city, influenced by certain 

 clergymen, have not seen fit to acquaint the 

 public either with the substance of the ideas 

 set forth or with the facts relating to the at- 

 tempts to deliver the lectures containing them, 

 I decided to put these subjects to print ; as 

 being the only way open to secure attention 

 from the many fair and noble minds among 

 our citizens who undoubtedly have Common 

 Sense. 



