REV. CHARLES CLARK'S LECTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1621, 24 April 1875, Page 3

REV. CHARLES CLARK'S LECTURE.

Long before the opening of the doors of the Choral Hall last night, hundreds of persons had assembled without the walls eager for admittance, and as soon as the doors were opened, there was a general rush for tickets. At the hour of eight the hall was crowded in every part, by citizens anxious to hear the Rev Charles Clark's popular oration on the " Tower of London. We learn that numbers of persons who were in time to be behind, could not gain admittance, and were unfortunately obliged to return to their homes disappointed. The lecture itself was a splendidly condensed series of historical and biographical sketches of eminent persons who had suffered mental agony in the dungeon glooms of the Tower, and left records of their sufferings in the various towers. Mr Clark sketched the early history of the Tower as well as possible in accordance with facts and tradition which have come to us through the ages. Mr. Clark's two-fold object in his lecture was to amuse and instruct his audience ; hence, he often excites a burst of laughter by a sudden reflection of humor on soina passing event; or, as frequently last night, on the ladies, suggested by the heroic conduct of the countess, who aided sucessfully Lord Nithesdale's escape. Although, as expected, there were omissions in Mr. Clark's eloquent lecture, for it were impossible, in a discourse of two hours, to press every incident or memory into even a closely condensed sketch of a building of so much national importance as the "Tower of London." To deal fully with such an historical landmark would necessitate more than a dozen lectures The tableaux of the early history of the Tower embraced the main incidents and facts of its history prior to the time of Henry the VIII. The recital of " Clarence's Dream, " from Kichard 111., of the great English poet, was powerfully given, and received with acclamations of pleasure. The lecturer then sketched the character of Dr. John Fisher, the hero of the Belfry Tower, in a masterly manner, and, subsequently, his pathetic description of the last hours of Sir Thomas More, the Chancellor of England and the friend of the learned Erasmus, and the affectionate partings with his noble daughter, the lady Margaret, while on his way to the fatal block. This scene was touching in the extreme. Again the two visits of Anne Boleyn to- the Tower ; first, as the Queen of Henry, in the midst of gaiety, splendour, and the clashing of bells; and secoud, within the brief space of three year, dethroned, neglected, and a prisoner, baring her little neck to the dreadful instrument of death, thus exemplifying the truth of the old Hebrew axiom, "Put not your trust in princes." The execution and last hours of Lady Jane Grey, the innocent victim of Northumberland's ambition, was another picture of tender interest. Sir Walter Raleigh occupied a larger portion of the lecture than any other subject, and Mr Clark's description of the fashionable but

flf roic statesman and sailor, brought to mind *.c inimitable sketch of Rileigh, given by "Walter Scott in his fine romance of enilworth, which Jevery young person should read who desires to be acquainted with the age of Elisabeth. The patriot Algernon Sydney'^ character and end were pictured with artistic skill. The descendants of the Sydneys, whose names are watchwords of liberty and progress, still occupy the family seat of Penshurst, near Tunbridge Wells, and its pleasant shades have attractions in summer time for thousands of visitors by road and rail. The lecturer wound up with a splendid peroration on our modern liberties in comparison with the usages of the bad old times, and included the beautiful poem of Tennyson, on " The Golden Year." Mr Clark announced at the close of his lecture, that, on Monday evening, he would give readings from Dickens, Tennyson^ and other popular writers, and that Miss Christian, the much admired songstress, would sing several new songs in the course of the evening.