CHAUTAUQUA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17838, 21 January 1920, Page 4

CHAUTAUQUA.

OPENING OF DUNEDIN SEASON,

A SUCCESSFUL BEGINNING,

Chautauqua., mystic ajid unpronouncablo to tins uumitiate, has pitched_ its tor.t on tile Oval, and commenced its lirst Dunedin season. Aiming at " something different," tho orgajiisation seeks to provide entertainment and instruction in tho happiept of combinations* and during tho remainder of tlio weolc the public of Dunedin will liavo an opportunity of listening to a coterio of musicians, orators, entertainers, and educationalists who liavo come to Dunedin, oach credited with a high reputation in his own particular sphere. Yesterday afternoon was bright and sunny, and tho tent pile lied on. Uie greeai tjrass of the Oval proved a source of attraction to many, the att<eridanco at tho opening session being highly satisfactory. Tho programme consisted ot a concert by tho members of the Lyrio Quartet, of Auckland, who instantly achieved success by pussenting as pleasing an entertainment of the drawing-room varioty as lias probably ever been given in Dunedin. But it should bo said at tlio outsot that tho site chosen for the Chautauqua tent is not a particularly fortunate oik, for timo and again tho performers found themselves contending, not always with the happiest results, against tho rumble of a pacing tramcar or tlio shrieking of an engine whistle at no great distance. Despite this handicap, however, tho quartet made good, and their remaining programmes will no doubt be looked forward to with pleasurable anticipations. 'ihe Lyric Four consist of Messrs Arthur Ripley (first tenor,, 11. Richards (second tenor), A. M'Elwain (baritone company sketch entertainer), and Mr John Ryan (bass). In their concerted numbers, which were unaccompanied,. the quartet disclosed a per feet blending of tho voices, rare unison in harmonising, and an excellent balance of the parts when light and shade wore required. As a combination they sang "Tho Mulligan Musketeers," "Fishing," a beautiful four-part arnwigsihent of " A Perfect Day," "Cos I'd Nothing Else To Do," "Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son." "Tho Two Fiies," and, tho "Soldier's Farowell," tho last-named item providing a spWßdid cLLtigx t,o a most enjoyable .concert. Individually the nu'iribexs of the party possess high qualifications as entertainers. Mr Ryan, whoso fine flexible baas voico lends volume to tiro eonoarted numbers, sajig the Cornish dialect ballad "Cabblin.'," and foliowcd tiiis up by a rendering of " The Little Irish Girl." which was warmly applauded. In association with Mr Ripley, who may bo described as a lyric tenor, ho also sang a rather taxing duet entitled " The Ballad Singers," the humour of which was fully brougnt 'out. Mr M'Elwain is a most versr.tilo performer, 'but it is as the comedian of the party that ho achieves tho greatest success, his dry humour never failing to sooro heavily. Evans's .Dawg Hospital," a Cockney dialect recitation, with its piquant nnd intimate Application at tho close, was a fine elocutionary effort, and the character sketch of " Mrs Brown at tho Play" fairly convulsed the audience. His other contributions were x " A SceneShifter's Account _of Ilamlet," and ' The Bassoon," a solo in which ho introduced a number of clever and most amusing mimetic effects. Mr H. Richards, who is not unknown to Dunedin audiences, possesses a rich tenor voico of pleasing ouality, which he used with nice restraint and control in Bruhn's setting of "Inviotus," and in a delicato little encore number entitled "My Heart's Desire." Mrs Ripley played the accompaniments tastefully and skilfully. THE EVENING SESSION.

In tho evening:, when the tent held a very large audience, the Chautauqua party was officially welcomed to Dunedin by tho Mayor (Mr W : . Bog.?), who expressed tho hope that the Dunedin stuson would bo a highly successful one, and would be recalled with pleasure by ;,11 the visiting members of the party—(Applause.) Mr M'Fadden, tile superintendent, briefly replied. A ah.xt, but delightful entertainment by tho Lyric Forur followed, in which theso talented performers gave of their best. Tho offering consisted of light and sentimental songs, and in ©very case tho most harmonious results were obtained, no one voice obtruding from th<> full chord. Tho concerted numbers included: "The G-obble-uns Ml Git You," "Roywrics," "Old Mothfcr Hubbard," an exquisite four-part arrangement of "Annie Lxurie," and "A'sottin' Eoun' the Fire." Mr Richards wing 1 "A Sccret" and "I Passed By Your Window" very acceptably, and Mr M'Ehvain again delighted with, his character comedy numbers, especially "The Village Fire Brigade.'' Mr Ryan (assisted by good facial expression and an expansive smile) gave a fine rendering of "Corporal John Bartllolomy," a tvpe of song wh'ch evidently suits him, and as an encore number the dialect song "Because I Were Shy." Mrs Ridley again played the occompan imente. Mrs M. C Reed put in a plea for tho children s work in connection with Chautauqua, and urged parents to send along their children, so that they could take part in the pageant on tho concluding day. WORLDS IN THE MAKING. The leinsunaer of toe evening was devoted to a popular astronomical lecture entitled "Worlds iu too Making," by Doctor A D. Carpenter. Astronomy, the science of the heavenly bodice, appeals strongly to Uw popular imagination,. 'Ill© reason tor tilids appeal is foamed, no doubt, on the curiosity oi man respecting his origin; and the science oi astronomy, which opens up immeasurable vistas of tho past and casta faint gleam# of light on the mystery ot or cation, lascinates by reason oi*»Ui» attadowy mining wluoii it supplies to tho secrets of iniinity and eternicy. And when the facts and discoveries of the astronomer arc brought down to the level o£ popular language, as was done by Dr Carpenter, the attention is readily sustained. The large gathering eoan became deeply absorbed in Dr Carpenter's deft and racy narration of tho romance of "Worlds in the Making"; as he presented tho history of the ages in clear-cut oameo form, with the more prominent featured sharply outlined against a background of interesting generalities, those present listened with an unflagging degree of interest. Going back to the dim afid misty ages of the '"world's pale primra" ho told now the primitive people oi tliose ages believed the world to be flat, and considered that it a, man walked xar enough he would fall over tho edgo into space. Then in tho second century came Ptolemy of Alexandria, wtio made a greet advance bv putting forward tho theory, held for several oonturies, that the world waa round and stationary. The actual fact was, said the lecturer, that tho earth was once a hot, gaseous star which, in its whirling through space, had gradually oooled on until a crust was formed, upon which vegetation and animal life eventually grew and finally ir«an developed. From thU cooling earth gases had been squelched out which formed our atmosphere, and the whole was held together by tho wonderful forces of gravitation. The speaker touched upon tlw helio centric theory of Copernicus in the 15bh century, and recounted the trials and tribulations of Galileo, the owner of the first tolescone the world had ovor seen. Ho stated that Sir William Herschol, the groat Knglish scientist of the eighteenth century, and the father of sidereal astronomy, had discovered tho existence of double, treble, and multiple stars, and had discovered the globular cluster of Hercules containing 30,000 suns, many of them Larger tlian our sun, and each centre of a system of rotating worlds, possibly having a higher state of civilisation than wo possessed. Dr Carpenter sought to convey to his hearers some idea, of the magnitude of tho cosmos or space, and the infinitesimal size of tho earth in the great scheme of things divine, by stating that if ho could transport his hearers to mighty Jupiter, and there provide them with a powerful telescope, they would not bo ablo to discern this earth at all. He spoke of the millions upon millions of stars scattered through epnoc, and revoakd only by the most powerful teleswpo, and of the ordered movements of the heavenly bodies under tho direotion and guidanco of a Divine will which alone could account for their being, light, ho reminded his hearers, travelled at tho rate of 186,090 miles a pcoond; but so distant was Alpha Centauri (the lower of the two pointers to tho Southern Cross) that it was four and one-third light years away from this earth. And yet it was the nearest of our stars! Hie average distanco of stars of jlie first magnitude was 30 light years, and tho light which was now visible from other stars hadi left its source 5000 years before the erection of tho great Pyramids of Egypt —or 10.000 years ago* Again, there were rtr.rs so distant that it took their light SOO.OOO years to reach the earth. The lecturer spoke of spiral nebula;, of the birth of new ■worlds from a pieoo of whirling meteoric rook, and of the clash of situs, dead and alive, and their piecing together again to formi fresh units in the great drama of infinity. Incidentally he paid a striking tribute to tho work of Dr A. W. Biokertoi, formerly of Christchurcli, and the author of tho jartial impact theory. 'Hits earth he stated, was travelling towards the globular cluster of .Tupiter at the rate of 26 miles a second, and one day, he believed, tho end of tho world would come in A cataclysmic cbDisioa with anfither Star.

"But," ho added to allay any incipient feelings of alarm, "the impact will bo so great that you will never know what has hit) you.'' Dr Carpenter also spoke with enthusiasm of ilio wondora of the Milky Way and of the oxistenco of countless other eimiliir galaxioa of stars and nebulte just aa extensive and wonderful. In the amcludinjy portion of his address he dwelt upon hia belief in file Deity m revealed in. the marvellous works of His hand, and stated that in comparison with those the jealousies and Hquablxinga of nations, the blemish of raco hatreds, and tiro petty distinctions of class awl crcod paled into utter and pitiahla insignificance.

At tho clor'C of his address, which, though deeply interesting, woe porhaps a trifle extended by discursions, Dr Carpenter was warmly applauded, and on his suggestion tho gathering terminated with tho National Anthem. TODAY'S PROGRAMME. Tho Lyric Quartet will contribute new) programmes this afternoon and evening. In the afternoon '>r Carpenter will speak on ''Celestial Ale<Uianicu,"_ a topic full of in-t/,;r->;t, and in tho ovening Judge Alden will Siva an address on "Tlio Needs of tba tour."