Temperance > Autobiography and personal recollections of John B. Gough

132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP JOHN B. GOUGH.
in view of speaking in Boston, for I had heard it spoken
of as the modern Athens, and knew that, as to intelli¬
gence, it stood very high among the cities of the Union.
It was of no use to look back, for I was engaged to speak,
though I really felt half inclined to run away; but I de¬
termined to pluck up courage. The hall was about half
filled. I had frequently faced larger audiences, but I had
never experienced so much hesitation and nervous sensi¬
bility as then. My courage, like that of “Bob Acres,”
seemed to be oozing out at my finger ends, and my heart
palpitated with apprehension. But I managed to get
through the ordeal—for such in reality it was—without
my trepidation having been much observed. Since that
time I have delivered three hundred and twenty-one
public lectures in Boston, besides addresses to children at
various times; and I have been ever treated with the
greatest kindness and liberality by the Boston press and
people, with very few exceptions.
On the four following days I spoke in Boxbury, and on
the 21st I spoke again in Boston. On the next two even¬
ings I spoke in Marlboro Chapel. Although I had heard
much of temperance meetings being frequently held in
that famous hall, I had never seen them. On the first night
it was about half full, and on the next theaudiencefilled the
building. I then left Boston, and travelled through the
various towns in the vicinity, delivering addresses, until
the following 3d of November, when I returned to the
city, and spoke three or four times at Marlboro Chapel,
and on five or six occasions at the Odeon. I felt some
diffidence about speaking at the latter place, fearing it
was too large for me; but, to my surprise, on Sunday night
it was very full; and on the Monday evening, crowded to
excess. This reception encouraged me, and I continued
to give addresses in Boston, with very few exceptions, till