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Press, Volume V, Issue 582, 10 September 1864, Page 2

Lecture at St. Albans. —A lecture was delivered on Thursday night, at the school-room, St. A 1 bans, under the "auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, by the Rev. J. W. Hnhens, the subject eho-en was " Water." J. Lewis, Esq., occupied the chair. A very large number of people attended, many coming from Christchurch for the purpose. In the course of the lecture Mr. Habene entered into an explanation of the component pnrts of water, and made reference to the various uses to which it was put. and the wants it supplied. The lecturer called attention to the many waye in which it was used as symbols in the Scriptures by our Saviour. At the conclusion of the lecture a vote of thanks was given to the Chairman, and the doxology having been the meeting broke up. Diorama. —This evening the moving diorama of the principal scenes in Burke and Wills's ill-fati'd expedition in Australia will be exhibited in the Town Hall. The subject is a very interesting one to a great number of our population, and we have no doubt that it will be well attended ; the views are taken from the drawings by the artist to the ex- j pedition, and the diorama will be prefaced by a lecture on the various Australian explorers since the discovery of the continent to the present one. illustrated by a map, on which the separate routes will be laid down. PitijrcEsa' TriEATRE. — The theatre was very crowded last night, and seats for a very largo portion of the attendance were not to be found. We congratulate Mr. Batson upon the success in evenway of his benefit. The Lady of Lyons is well known to the frequenters of the theatre as the bost of Bui wer Lytton's dramas, and also as the piece in which Miss Aitkcn assumes one of her most, successful characters. This lady very kindly consented to appear once again last night, and her delineation of the character of Pauline DeschapelU-s was as ably represented as on pa<t occasions. The part of Claude Melnotte was taken by Mr. A. T. Bradwell, an amateur, who acted in a very creditable manner throughout; except, perhaps, at the part where hiseparation from Pauline takes place when about to enter the army, and where, instead of passionate grief, the words seems to imply that the manner of the actor should be calm in the extreme. We must not forget Mr. Shicls, who, as Colonel Dumas, could not have succeeded better ; the sarcastio and dis paraging remarks to the fair sex in which the old olficer on every possible occasion indu'ge3, drew roars of laughter from the audk'u c. After the first piece was concluded Mr. Batson sung ' Let Mc Like a Soldier Fall," from Maritana ; and the evening's amusement concluded with Bombastes Fu r ioso, Mr. Carey nppearing as General Bombastes in lieu of Mr. Hall, whose name was entered for that character on the play-bill, but who disappointed his audience by his non-appearance without any reason whatever being assigned for the change taking place.