MR. BATHGATE'S LECTURE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 370, 30 June 1877, Page 2

MR. BATHGATE'S LECTURE.

A lecture was delivered by John Batl gate, Esq., on " Scottish Poets " last cvei ing in the Volunteer Hall, in aid of tl funds of the Oamaru Mechanics' Institut and we regret to have to chronicle it, bi the attendance reflected no credit on tli lovers of sound literature in Oaman Putting aside the object for which it m delivered, there is no doubt that the lei ture merited a far better house than a] peared last night. If an entertainmoii takes place in Oamaru, as a rule, for tli benefit of any local institution, it is a vol strange thing that it meets with very littl success, no matter how good it may he but should a company of small degro come here with a flourish of trumpet! they go away grateful (if not, they ougl to be) for the favours bestowed upn them by an indulgent public. The objuc for which the lecture was delivere should in itself have ensured a fu house. ' The way in which the Mechanic Institute is supported in Oamaru canno be a source of gratilication to tli mechanics, or the general rcadiii public. We believe that the committe and the majority of the members, are no the people for whoso benefit such insti tutes were designed, and though tli managei-s work hard and endeavour t' increase the list of members and revenii they are not backed up at all to the el tent they should be. Mr. Hislop, M.H.R., presided, and ii a few approprite remarks introduced tin lecturer.

Mr. Bathgate began by remarking thai he was a Scotchman, and proud of hii country, a country which, with the ex ception of Judca, had produced tin greatest number of patriots, poet* statesmen, and divines the world hail ever seen.

Confining himself to three poets, Burnß Scott, and the ,: Ettriek Shepherd," In proceeded to descant lirst of all on tin merits of the first-mentioned. Of obsur birth, he had by dint of perseverano and the gift he possessed raised himsel to the first rank amongst the rural bard of Scotia ; apropos of the diet of men ii those days, the lecturer remarked that i the men of New Zealand were to live in tin way of those of Scotland in Burns' time it would be better. He also touched oi the fondness for animals—always a gooi trait displayed by the poet. His poetr] and prose having been referred to, Si Walter Scott was the next subject. Un like Burns, he belonged to a family i easy circumstances, his father being lawyer in Edinburgh, in which place h was born in 1771. Having passed hi childhood at Sandyknowe, he, in carl youth, wrote the "Lay of the Last Mir strel," a poem which at once stamped hit with fame. He, in common with Burni had a great love for dumb animals, an of everything lovely in field or fores A voluminous writer, there being n less than 74 tomes extant, besid< some unpullished, his name will alwa' be remembered as long as the Engli: language is spoken. Of Hogg—tl " Ettrick Shepherd"—Mr. Bathgate spol briefly, time not allowing him to do mor He spoke of his love of out-door sport and all kinds of manly games, o*, h

lowly position, and yet his beaxitiful, -.hough homely, language. During the evening a number of selections from his were read by Mr Bathgate, and received great applause. Tiie* evening concluded with a vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Mr. Forrester, and one to the Chairman, proposed by the Rev. A. B. Todd. In reply, Mr. Bathgate briefly thanked his audience for their patient attention.