ENTERTAINMENTS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4636, 4 July 1872, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

Two entertainments, "wide as the poles asunder," were given last night at the same time, at opposite parts of the city. One of these was a lecture, given in the upper room of the Young Men's Christian Association, by Mr. J. Blaokman, author of " Home Scenes," and who waa at one time secretary of the London Southwark Institute. The subject of Mr. Blackman's lecture waa " Interviews with Eminent Authors ;" and, in a reading occupying something over an hour, his audience were placed face to face with many eminent literary men of the last half-century, not a few of whom have gone to that bourne from whence, at the great bard tells as, no traveller returns. Others still live, ripe of years and full of literary honours. We were introduced to Captain Marryatt, a man who," we are told, entered on board a man-of-war at the, hawse-hole, and came out of the stern cabin ports. In other words he went ,to sea as an ordinary sailor-boy, and rose to the rank of post-captain, Captain Marryatt— as most of us know — wu a man of infinite wit and humour : yet (says Mr. Blackman) he was never seen once in his life to laugh. He was absent of mind ; wore hit hat much on one 1 side of his head; was at one time in pecuniary difficulties, 'and ended with an income, from- his literary labours; of" about £2,000 ayear. Then thofaudienxjejWjM introduced to Lover (we d* not give name or--'- Mr." to such literary heroes); and Lover, we are told wai a poet,' painter, and novelist;, generally very hard . up,, but , the harder » was up the ./more, diffionlt. ,,it wm, to keep hi» spirit* down. The lecturer proceeded to > give hi> heater* the peculiar traits .and characteristic*, the looks, , dress, ; appearanoe, .manners, . and habits of Douglas Jerrold, Charles Dickens, Kingtley, Miss Mi tford,; Martin Tupper, tfir John TjoT^g, and; othe^H The lecture was" "Very iut^r«ttihff,.,r;beinB< olererly written but- not remarkably well delivered,,. , r/ . t ,. . , M , r . The • 7 otW J entertainment W by DK Guthrie Carr, held at>tbe, JPrince of Wales Theatre, which was crowded in stalls and pit, the dress » circle a being . {airly <. represented; • We propose to take [another occasion to •peak of thiii entertainment at greater ■length." Dr. Carr jgaye an .exceedingly, pleatant lecture upon cert#4 n J *-j m8nt *l phenomena coming under jfcie.heaii .of mesmwism and electro, biology, of whwh the <^oetpr U, a professor. to TObtaifc to>tt* Jtietnieii«^)i v6Win';6t pi6& ducing -oomiu ;f;71 WtoUt W • ttiW^hlS ! W^ ■aoooMfol^ and in fhf o^hfr si^ fe« cither

failed or only partially succeeded. The four under Dr. Carr's "influence" did his bidding, and in doing so caused the most uproarious merriment it almost passible to conceive. The entertainment, or seance, or exhibition of odic forces, or whatever name this most modern of sciences may be called was highly curious, and, if nothing much was to be gained by way of instruction, it had at least the merit of bi>ing very amusing. The concluding portion of the entertainment was the inhaling, by several persons who oame forward on the stage, of the laughing gas. The nomenclature would be more perfect if it were called "the jumping, dancing, mad-galloping, laughing, singing, and fighting gas," for it makes the inhaler of this subtle vapour do one or other or all, and sometimes more of all herein mentioned. Dr. Oarr gives another entertainment this evening, and it is one well worth witnessing. Entertainmbnt in Aid of All Saints' Church. — A very successful entertainment was given in the Spring Villa School-room last evening, in aid of All Saints' Church. The following was the programme :— Duet, Mrs. A. and Miss Holloway; song, Mr. Armstrong ; song, Mr. Addey ; selection, Mrs. Addey ; song, Mr. McDennott ; aong, Signora Coligny ; song, Mr. W. Leys ; hornpipe, Mr. Addey ; vocal duet, Mr. R. Bree and Miss Harrison j S'»ng, Mr. ii. Bree. Then followed the sparkling comedy of " All that Glitters is not Gold," with a song by Master N. Forder during the interval between the acts.