MR. BRACKEN'S LECTURE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 317, 28 April 1877, Page 2

MR. BRACKEN'S LECTURE.

The unpropilious state of the elements last evening militated greatly against the financial success of the lecture, "An Evening with Samuel Lover," given last evening by Mr. Bracken, in aid of the Mechanics' Insiuute. It was not to be expected that people would leave their comfortable firesides to tramp through the wet and dirty streets in a drizzling rain such as was experienced last evening. It was therefore surprising to see the hall so well filled as it was, and it is not saying too much to assert that had the weather proved fine the hall would have been crowded. Those who were present appeared thoroughly to enjoy the lecture, a fact which was testified to by the frequent bursts of applause and roars of laughter which greeted the lecturer alternately, according to whether he was dealing with some of the pathetic writings of the Irish author, or some racy passages from his humorous works. Owing to the absence in Dunedin of the President of the Institute (Mr. Hislop), the chair was occupied by Mr. Smnpter, who briefly introduced the lscturer. We have not space at our command to give any resume' of the lecture itself, and shall, therefore, content ourselves with stating that it was highly interesting, and showed that the lecturer had carefully studied his subject. During its delivery, the lecture was freely sprinkled with quotations from Lover's works. These were given in capital style, the touching pathos and mirth-provoking humor of the author's writings being e<;ch treated in a style which can only be achieved by a inastar-hand. _ Of t>" n.0.-e pathetic qui ta';ionF, " The An e '., Whisper," "Like the Snow," and ' Sogsrarth Aroon," were the most successful. These were rendered with the feeling of a true poet, and were listened to with rapt attention, and greeted with loud applause on their conclusion. The racy items, " Handy .Andy and the Soda Wather," " What's Your Religion ?" and " Tom Connor's Cat," were each given with an amount of humor which convulsed the audience with laughter. But perhaps the most successful of the whole of the readings was that of " Father Phil's Subscription List," which was given with a keen sense of the meaning of the author. Mr. Bracken is to be highly complimented upon the manner in which this was rendered, and the audience were not slow to appreciate his efforts. The lecture concluded with the recitation of a memoriam poem on fthe death of Samuel Lover, written by Mr. Bracken, and which was rendered in a feeling manner. On the proposition of the Chairman, an unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer, who intimated his willingness to visit Oamaru on some future. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the' proceedings.