DUNEDIN CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 7, 10 June 1887, Page 18

DUNEDIN CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

The above Society held their usual weekly meeting in the Christian Brothers' schoolroom, Battray street, on Wednesday, June 1. Mr R. A. Dunne, Vice-president, occupied the chair, and there was an excellent attendance of members, lhe evening was devoted to Dickens, the great English novelist and humourist, and was pro- ™ c mucb P 16 * 81 " 6 and instruction to those present. Mr. P. Oarolin read a very meritorious paper on « Dickens " 2? al ' n » Principally with the author's life. Commencing with his bnth, Mr. Carohn traced his subject's career to the period when, in his own words, " I have lounged about the street insufficiently and unsatisfactorily fed, and but for the mercy of God, I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a little vagabond ; and thence through his adversities to his successful reporterehip in the House of Commons, concluding with the period when he was yet a young author, but had for established himself an imperishable name |in the annals of English literature. In Dickens' life we had a powerful lesson of the supporting hand of Providence, of self-help, of perseverance ; and the many beautiful traits in his character could not but excite admiration. An apt quotation from a 8 ?^ xu f ProfeßßOr Wilson, of •' Tales of the Borders " fame, concluded the paper : " Dickens has not been deterred by the aspect of vice and wickedness from seeking a spirit of good in evil things, but has endeavoured by the might of genius to transmute what was base into what is precious as the beaten gold. How kind and good a man be is, I need not say; nor what strength of genius he has acquired by that profound sympathy with his fellow -creatures, whether in prosperity or overwhelmed with unfortunate circumstances, but who yet do not sink under their miseries, but trust to their own strength of endurance— to that principle of truth, honour, and integrity, which is no stranger to the uncultivated bosom, and which is found in the lowest abodes in as great strength as in the halls of nobles and palaces of kings." Mr. J. B. Dundon read what was pronounced to be an excellent paper entitled » A Half-hour with Dickens," in which be treated of some.of the author's works. He endeavoured to convey to his hearers some idea of Dickens' writings- their truthfulness, in the main, to nature ; their abundant humour, their pathos, their happy phraseology, their benevolence and charity, their effect upon society, its fads and indifferences to suffering humanity. In so doing he treated of the "Sketches by Boz " (Dickens' first contribution .*> literature), "Pickwick Papers," "Nicholas Nickleby," " OIiJRTwist, " David Copparfield,*' and " The Old Curiosity Shop,"— those ware only a few out of the many productions of Dickens, but they were a mirror m which could be teen the wonderful genius of the man, and the characteristics which Mr. Dundon in the beginning of the paper said he would endeavour to point out. Dickens had wished for no other monument than his writings, and the essayist could not conceive a monument which would be capable of shedding more honour or more lustre on so brilliant a man. In one little couplet was concentrated the whole man:— wujuw, " Howe'er it be, it seems to me, 'Tis only noble to do good." Both papers were criticised in favourable terms by Messrs, Deehan, Hayes, J. Eager, J. G. McKelvey, and Cantwell, and votes of thanks awarded. Readings from Dickens, all of which were humorous, were given by Messrs. J. G. McKelvey, J.J.Dunne, and F. Cantwell. The readings were well delivered and very amusing, and votes of thanks were accorded. The njual compliment to tht obairman terminated the meeting.