TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1709, 8 June 1866, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The Superintendence—The official declaration of the poll will be made this day at the Town Hall, at 1 p.m., at which liour the Superintendent elect becomes the Superintendent de jure. We believe that the ultimate result of the polling is as follows: Moorhouse, 1604; Lance, 881; Travera, 186. _ West Coast Road Traffic.—The following is a return of the number of persons who have passed Bealcy on their way to and from the West Canterbury Goldfields, and of the numbers of stock driven past it during the week ending June 2:-To the Goldfields, males 20; female lj horses 21; from the Goldfields, males 30; horses 15; residents at the Bealcy 7.

Spokting.—Mr. Barnard has just opened a new room attached to his Repository. It is a well-lighted, comfortably furnished apartment, and will he supplied with all the latest sporting periodicals, and books of reference respecting the affairs of the turf. The admission to the rooms, which is to he named " the Christchurch Tattersalls" will be strictly confined to subscribers. No doubt the room will be largely patronized by the sporting members of the community, and will also become a fashionable lounge, for those who are desirous of ascertaining the latest sporting intelligence.

Kaiapoi.—At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, before W. B. I'uuli, Esq., R.M., and C. Dudley, Esq., J.P., Cooke Reynnld wis charged by W. 11. Scarvell, siicep inspector, with being the owner of 2500 sheep infected witli scab, A fine of £ 125 was imposed, but will be remitted if a clean certificate be produced in six months. A man named Burns was charged with committing a violent assault upon Henry Cleaver. The case was adjourned until the 12th instant, for production of witnesses. The following civil cases were next dispased of, judgment being given for the plaintiff with cosls in each case ;-Ncwnham and Buddie v. Montague, £6 2s 7d; Cleaver v. Elder, claim ■£ls llsGd, judgment for ill 8s j Dudson v. Weston, £l9 3s 6d; Kaiapoi Municipal Council v. Miller, ios; Pashby v. Alexander, £7 los; Aslwood v. Barclay, 15s.

■ ,FoitKBTKUB.—On Wednesday evening last, the annual dinner of Court Albion, 3,976, took place at the Exchange Hotel, Kaiapol, About 40 brethren of the order, together with their friends, partook of the viands provided, which were served by Mr. l'errin, in: his best style, and fully dosorved the high encomiums passed on his catering, Brother Woodford, P.G.R., occupied the chair, with brother A. A, Dobbs, as vice chair, After dinner, the usual loyal and patriotic- toasts followed, and were succeeded l>y singing and reciting, which served to while away the hours until morning was pretty well advanced, when the proceedings were terminated by the health of the host and hostess being drank, during which the chairman paid them several compliments for the entertainment they had provided for the occasion, The room was very prettily decorated with the mottos and insignia of the order, and a number of Hags, evergreens, &c. Kowai Road Boaiid.—A meeting of this Road Board was held at Northport, at the Board office, on Monday last, the 4th inst, All the members were present except Mr. Cameron, The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter from 11. Claney was read, demanding sumo compensation for the delay in the payment due to him. It was moved by Mr. Maskell, " that Mr. Claney receive at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, for the balance of his account, paid on the 7th May." It was moved by Mr. Moore, as an amendment, " that the amount of interest granted be 12J per cent," The amendment was negatived and the original motion carried. Letters were received from Messrs. Laurence and Bachelor, and from Mr. C. H. Knowles. The Surveyor was directed to take a line of levels along the western boundary of Mr. Hood's section, to determine the fall of the water. It was moved by Mr. Moore and resolved "that the Surveyor be directed to report upon the road by sections 304G and 3047 ; and also on some works upon Marshman's road." It was moved by Mr. Maskell and resolved " that the Chairman be requested to communicate with the Government, as to the possibility of obtaining funds to enable the Beard to proceed with the works of the district. The meeting then adjourned to Monday, the 2nd July next. Theatre Royal.—Last night the pieces played were" The Miller of Derwent Water," "The Spectre Bridegroom," and "The Unfinished Gentleman." Owing to the indisposition of Mr. Dale, the last piece was substituted for "The Artful Dodge" which had been announced. The house was well attended. This evening "The Duel in the Snow," and " The Miller of Derwent Water," to be followed by a farce, will be produced. Literaby Society,—Last night this society debated the question "Whether is Wordsworth or Byron the greater poet ?" In advocating the claim of Byron to the distinction of being the greater, it was said that poetry may be defined to be the use of figurative language, in such a manner as to convey higher meanings than those conveyed by literal diction. The choice of appropriate subjects is also essential to poetry. In Byron these qualities are more apparent than in Wordsworth, Many of Wordsworth's subjects cannot be said to be poetical—the poetry consisting only in the treatment of them.; and in this there is a simplicity which does not urge his claim to be so great a poet as Byron. The style of Byron is so rich, so powerful in its effect on our imaginations, that it may be compared to Turner's pictures, we seem almost to live and breathe in the scene we are viewing. No doubt he has faults, but they are the ■ faults of a young man, they are faults belonging to youth. Wordsworth has .written on despondency, and spread his ideas over much space; but Byron has.expressed the whole subject in four lines; and he has depicted the horrors of the French revolution in one line; and by this compressed force of diction he manifests the greater poetic power. In his poem of "Cain, a Mystery," there are passages only equalled by Milton; and all his poetry was produced while he was yet a young man. Had Wordsworth died as young as Byron did, he would have left very little to be admired by posterity. It would be said that there was a moral tone about Wordsworth's poetry, which was absent in Byron; this was true, but it must be remembered that morality is not poetry. The temples of the ancients were very beautiful, although they were dedicated to paganism, and the excellence of poetry must be estimated without allowing any drawback for its want of morality. If a, bad man were to write a great poem, it could not be said that the poem was not great because its author was not good. The strength of Byron's imagination is equal to that of any poet, and the intensity of his passion is unequalled by any. A poem must be looked «n as a work of art, and if we look at the poems of these, two writers as such, we must conclude that Byron is the superior poet. In his works there are some characters that would not discredit Shakespeare; while Wordsworth has no dramatic power. The disciples of Wordsworth contended that the definition of poetry, given by the advocates of Byron's claim, was erroneous. Poetry was not the use of figurative language, as had been stated ; a poet could express poetry in ordinary language. And it was not true to say that any of Wordsworth's subjects were unpoetical; they were all poetical, even the ta'e of Peter Bell, the subject of which was, the meanest of all. Byron was deficient in dramatic power as well as Wordsworth; all his men and women are alike, animated by the same sentiments and passions, The mission of a poet was to improve as well as to delight. Byron had not fulfilled this mission; he had scarcely any aim; but Wordsworth 1 had striven to leave the world better than he had found it. Byron might be likened to a splendid meteor, but Wordsworth was a beautiful and enduring planet. Byron may be the most popular with the multitude, but thoughtful men reverence Wordsworth. Byron wanted sympathy with nature, but Wordsworth was full of it. Byron laughs at tbe highest mental endowments, and yet despises those who have them not. On a show of hands being taken, there was a majority of three for Wordsworth.