THE REV. MR. INGLIS AT MILTON.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1078, 14 January 1879, Page 5

THE REV. MR. INGLIS AT MILTON.

Gn Fiidhy evening the Rev Mr Inglis, of Ballarat. delivered liis popular lectuie on the " Son^s and Music of .Scotland," in >'t. George's Hall, Milton. Owing to tbe weather having set in very wet duiiugthe evening, the attendance was not so largo as could have been desired, and was confined principally to the rougher sex, among whom Scotchmen .•-omewhat predominated. Notwithstanding the disappointment experienced un the score of attendance, the lecturer, on introducing himself, very quickly found his way to the htarts of bis audience, by convincing tnem tbat whatever other qualifications he possessed, he had at all events that very useful one " aguid Scotch tongue in his bead." It was also very soon apparent that whatever deficiency there might be in numbers was more than com pensated for by the heary enthusiasm and keen oppreciation of the good things, evinced by those who were foitunatc enough to be preseut. The subject of the lecture on Friday night was one which, while seldom treated in a similar manner, has peculiar charms, from the tender associations and recolectious to which it gives birth, for an audience hailing principally from the " land o' cakes and blither *~cots." Mr. Inglis' qualifications for lecturing on such a subject tire of the highest order. Possessing a rich fund of humor and a keen enjoyment cf tbe drolleries of the Scottish dialect, together with an almost perfect grasp aud command of the peculiarities of its pronunciation, the lecture from beginning to end was undoubtedly an intellectual treat such as his heaimrs have seldom if ever had the opportunity of enjoy: mg elsewhere. That Mr Inglis lectures should i»e exceedingly popular with those of his own countrymen who have been fortunate enough r,o bear bim, is only what might be expected ; that they are heartily and eagerly appreciated by natives of the two sister kingdoms is also a well-known fact; aud we are assured that oven tho white natives of the Australian Colonies, who are neither fish, flesh, nor i-ood red herring — neither Irish, English, nor ■Scotch — but a happy and spontaneous combination of all throe — find in these lectures something to call forth their applause in a manner at once demonstrative and intelligent, Bhowing conclusively that they enjoy their excellencies quite aa much as those who belong to " the land of the mountain and the flood." In delineating the songs aud music of Scotland, Mr Jntilis displays considerable knowledge of the origin and history of these delightful compositions. His reading of the old songs is indeed admirable. His veruacu-

lar is replete with the rich and racy humour and wit of the South of Scotland, tbe land of Scott, tho Ettrick Shepherd, the Tweed and the Yarrow. His fund of Scotch stories is practically inexhaustible, and ifc is no small praise to say. that in relating them, he iv not even surpasaed by Kennedy th-* vocalist, hitherto considered the very beau ideal of Scotch storytellers. Mr Inglis 1 reading of the old song ''Hame cam our guideman," waß irresistibly amusing, while the wellknown song " the Barrin o, our door " was read in a way which vividly depicted the whole comedy, trom the opening scena where the puddings were getting under way in "the pan o! " and the wind blew *" cauld frae north to south," to the closing picture, where the guidman gets up in a rage and "an angry man was he o ! " to onquire whether the intruders meant to kiss his wife before his face, and scald him " wi' puddin' bree o ! " while the old lady takes three skips over the fl 'or, and t umphantly exclaims, " Gudeman ye've, spake the foremost word, get up and bar the door o!" The readings of " Auld Robin Gray ;" " Lucy's Flitting ;" and the "Lind of the Leal 1 ' were master pieces of pathos and tenderness ; and ' Scots wha' hae' wi' Wallace bled " as rendered by Mr Inglis was simplj* grand, and well j calculated to rouse in his hearers veins, " The patriotic tide that streamed through Wallace's undaunted heart." Besides being an unrivalled reader and delineator of all that, is numerous, witty, tender, pathetic, and soul-stirring in Scottish song, Mr Inglis is an orator and public speaker of the very foremost rank. The conclusion of bis lecture was indeed a magnificent display of eloquence ar_d elocution. Ascending the heights of prophecy, he forecast-* tbe future id the colonies and the world, In the words of Tennyson — He 1 ioked into tho future i'ar as human eye could see, Saw a Vision of the world, and all the woudir that will be, and, with " thot^hts that breathe and words tbat burn," gave a glowing and impassioned description of the happy future in store foi the Australian Colonies, aud tbe world at large. On Thursday night Mr Inglis hat consented to appear again m Milton, and deliver hi* lecture on Burns, when, we have no doubt fiom the popular nature of the subject, and tho extraordinary talent of the lecturer, it very larg.r audience will assemble to hear hiui.