DUNEDIN CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 3 August 1894, Page 19

DUNEDIN CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

At the meeting held on Wednesday last Messrs W. Connor and Blanchard were tlecttd members of the Society.

At the suggestion of Mr Marlow a debate between the junior members of the Society was arranged for August 22nd, tbe subject selected being "Is cricket or football the better sport " ; sides to be chosen by T. Hugsey and A. Ooatelloe.

A paper entitled " A short sketch of Snaksspeare," was read by Mr J. Bodgers. After giving a brief outline of his life, he said he did ■ot intend to set out his works in chronological order, but merely to treat of him as a dramatiat. The question often arises, he said, as to whether there sver was such a person as Shakespeare, but we have his plays, and they mast have been written by someone. Some attributs them to Bacon, but the man who wrote the " Novum Organnm," and " The Advancement of Learning " was by nature and characteristics totally different to him who wrote " King Lear " or " Hamlet." We have as much reason to doubt the reality of Chaucer, Spencer, or, indeed, of Bacon himself as Shakespeare. Ha went on to speak of some ot his principal efforts, and pointed out that fidelity to nature and truth in hit description and delineation of character which stamp him as kiog of dramatists. He referred to the mingling of tragedy and comedy which is seen in his works and whioh, thougb he cnoßß tbe dark side of life, lacks the intensity and heaviness of the old Greek tiagedians, whose works cannot touch in the same manner the hearts of tbe hearers, and afford bnt little pleasure to the modern reader. Mr Bodgers was complimented on the excellence of his paper, which was very well written, the composition being good, and the whole evidently the result of considerable study. The critics were Messrs East, J. Drumm, Eagar, Palkner, McCormack, and J. Marlow, and a vote of thanks was accorded him oa the motion of the first named.

Mr J. Eager read a paper on his Chinese experiences, which was an account of an imaginary trip to China made by that gentleman, and was tbe source of considerable amusement, bis hearers being kept in a continual state of merriment from start to finish.

A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Talkner, who congratulated Mr Eager on the success of hiß paper from a humorous point of view, bat said he would rather have beard him go into the matter seriously and give some idea of the manners and castome.reiigion, education, etc, of the Chinese. Messrs Griffan, Marlow, Hesford, Wilson, Castelloe, Bernech, and O'Bourke, also endorsed the vote of thank*, which was carried.

As two members who were to have given items were absent, the chairman called on Messrs Marlow and Falkner for impromptu ■peecbes.

Mr Marlow, who wae asked to discuss the desirability or otherwise of having ladies at the ordinary mcc ings of the Society, said it was a subject that might well occupy their attention. He bad not tbe slightest doubt that there would be advantiges molting from thair presencs, but he was not certain that the restraint put npon the members would be counterbalanced by the benefits that might accrue. His idea was to invite them to be present three or four times during the session, as their presence wonld be an incitement to be at their best, and it would alpo cause the ladies to take an interest in tbe Society which could not bat be beneficial to it,

Mr Falknsr gave an outline of his trip to the West Coat, dwelling Lon the different points of inteiest on the road. He described the 'principal coal and gold fields which he had seen, and gave a very interesting account of the processes of sluicing and quartz mining. One of the great drawbacks, he said, to gold mining was tha cost of water, and the want of funds for prospecting. He thonght the Government ought to do something for tbe miners require rapport

quite as much as the farmers for whom all the good thing! seem to be provided. In speaking of Hokitika he mentioned the Very B«v Dean Man in, to whom he paid a very graceful compliment, styling him tb« veteran of tht Coast. The miners there, and the people generally, he Mid, were the moit sociabls ptople in the world ; they were free and easy and made any one welcome, irrespective of creed and nat ionality. The rev president complimented Mr Palkner on hii ipeeob, and a vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting.