MR CLAPCOTT'S LECTURE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume X, Issue 2730, 15 March 1876, Page 2

MR CLAPCOTT' S LECTURE.

Mr Clapcott made his second appearance in the Odd Fellows' Hall last (Tuesday) night as the exponent of the insurance System of the New Zealand Government. Tie entered into his subject with more than his usual lucidity of illustration and eloquence of expression, and again represented the advantages to be derived from insuring under this scheme, and which we lately fully produced. He considered it as being almost criminal on the part of the father of a family to neglect to anticipate his demise, by making provision for his wife and family in the way advocated by the. lecturer, while at the same time he demonstrated the facility with which this result could be accomplished, at a very small personal sacrifice. He also showed that the Government were determined to afford the most liberal assistance to insurers, and would even where possible, assume the trouble of ascertaining their ages for a merely nominal sum. Throwing off his official garb as a Government servant, he, in an eloquent peroration, made a powerful appeal to his audience based on the highest considerations, to recognise their responsibilities to those dependent on them by -making future provision for them, and not indulging in a selfish procrastination till the dark hour came, when the possibility of making that provision ceased to exist. The lecturer concluded his address amidst deafening applause. Any information can be obtained at the Post Office.

.After a slight interval, during which a lady played some selections on the piano, which were repeated every now and then, Mr Clapcott commenced his readings, and throughout maintained the reputation which has so long been associated with his name in this direction. He commenced with a selection, "Edinburgh after the Battle of Flodden " from the late Professor Ayton's, Lays of Ancient Scottish Cavaliers, in which he succeeded in arousing the sympathies of his audience with the personal and patriotic grief — the mourning of a whole city — which predominated on the news of the adverse tide of battle being received. But perhaps where the emotions were most affected was in his selection from Tennyson's "Enoch Arden." He chose the part when Enoch returns from his Crusoe — like existence after a number of years, and finds his wife married and himself unrecoguised. With an unselfish devot'on to the interests of those he loved he does not disclose himself to them, and it is only on his d«ath-bed that he reveals his name to old v Miriam." who had known him in childhood. The whole scene is very touching and pathetic, and Mr Clapcott certainly invested it with its characteristics. He did equal justice to other pieces, alternating from " grave to guy, from lively to serene," and sent his audience ho\ae in merry mood, as he wound up with the " Frenchman's Toast."' The public are not only indebted to this gentleman for the intellectual treat he dispensed, but for the assistance he rendered to the funds of so excellent an institution as the Benevolent Society.