These lectures have been contrived to call out our better, but busier citizens, who never attend political meetings.

A large part of the audience will consist of ladies." [Sidenote] Lincoln to McNeill, April 6, 1860.

Lamon, "Life of Lincoln." p.

441.
Lincoln, however, remained under the impression that the lecture was to be given in Brooklyn, and only learned after he reached New York to fulfill his engagement that he was to speak in the Cooper Institute.
When, on the evening of February 27, 1860, he stood before his audience, he saw not only a well-filled house, but an assemblage of listeners in which were many whom, by reason of his own modest estimate of himself, he would have been rather inclined to ask advice from than to offer instruction to.

William Cullen Bryant presided over the meeting; David Dudley Field escorted the speaker to the platform; ex-Governor John A.King, Horace Greeley, James W.Nye, James A.
Briggs, Cephas Brainerd, Charles C.Nott, Hiram Barney, and others sat among the invited guests.