ART OF ORATORY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17702, 31 January 1918, Page 6

ART OF ORATORY.

PROFESSOR TRUEBLOOD’S LECTURE. “MARK TWAIN.” There was a full concert .hall at t'Jie) Young Men’s Christian Association rooms last night on the occasion of Professor Trueblood’s first lecture and recital in this city. Mr T. C. Field presided, and in introducing Professor Trueblood, extended a hearty welcome to him as the representative of our noble Ally, the United States. Professor Trueblood, who was received with hearty applause, thanked his audience for the compliment paid to the country ho came from, which would send the whole of its man power, if necessary, to suppress the demon of autocracy who wanted to dominate the world. The speaker announced that the author ho was to deal with that night was “ Mark Twain,” and to that writer he paid a high compliment for the works he had given to tho world. Professor Trueblood gave a. very interesting account of Mark Twain’s life, in the course of which ho told many interesting anecdotes. The novelist" s works had been translated into all tho languages of the civilised peoples in the world, “and also into German (laughter)—and even the Chinese were blessed with translations of these admirable stories. In dealing with Mark Twain’s travels, the lecturer told amusing stories about the guides who lend their aid to those who require them (and who pay for them) and his imitations of their stereotyped descriptions caused hearty laughter, .as also did his funny instances of the failures of tho guides to understand American humour. Ho then gave some enjoyable selections from tho “Tramp Abroad Seldom, indeed, has an audieno* had such an opportunity of listening to a speaker who, in, ’as it were, the winking of an eve, can rise to the sublime or descend to the ridiculous, carrying his hearers with him. For nearly an hour he. kept his audience simmering with amusement or bursting into loud and prolonged laughter, with tho stones he told, but told as not one other man in many thousands could toll them. “ An Encounter with an Interviewer was dealt with at some length, and proved a. source of great amusement, not a word being lost of the wliolo rceital and not a point missed of the stream of humour that rolled out under tho heading of that “ interview.” After a brief interval Professor Trueblood gave another sample of oratory in his recital of “Uncle Dan’l,” and again got at tho hearts of his hearers, first by his interpretation of his hero’s earnest talk and then bv his fun. Professor Trueblood’s last recital was from “ Huckleberry Finn,” and in this quaint work he was equally enjoyable. Professor Trueblood has a handsome presence, an excellent voice that can bo distinctly heard all over the hall, and a masterful memory that requires no notes to refresh it, and though a pronounced American, that fact is not forced upon his hearers by any "Yankeeisms” in his talk. unless these are necessary in his stories. . His recital was a remarkable proof in itself of what can bo achieved by “trained” oratory. In tho interval a collection was taken up'in aid of the association’s war fund, which Mr Field said the association hoped would reach from £75,000 to £IOO,OOO. During the evening songs were sung by Miss Gwen Thompson, and were heartily applauded. At the conclusion of his address Professor Trueblood was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

Professor Trueblood will give another recital this evening, taking “ Hamlet” for his subject.