GORE LITTERARY & DEBATING SOCIETY.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 353, 2 May 1884, Page 2

GO RE LITTERARY & DEBATING SOCIETY.

» j THE OPENING MEETING. . The first meefcing^of the ■secondiisesiion of . the Gore Literary find Debating. 'Society was held in the dining ikom of Mr Grant's Hotel pn Wednesday evening. There was a'fair attendance both of ladies and gentlemen,;, and jthe proceeding! were appropriately com- . inahced by a pianoforte aoid ; - /excellently rendered by Mr Hqbbs, wife of the Preiifient. \ The Rev. J. Hobbs then delivered a lengthy^ address, in the cowrie -qi which he^ said-: &.t this opening of , the second session of the • Gore Literary and ; X)ebating priioh, I desire primarily to 'express to th© ; members my ! ap- ■' (prebiation of -the confidence- uhewn in nayjslection /to the Presidency ; and. to" assure them that, so, £ ar as my, ' abiitie§' ; ViU ; allows* that 1 confidence shall not be misplaced. I have also to record my thankfulness to - the Committee who hare, in deference to. my convenience, deferred the- commencement of ' )<ilier seßshMijg, s^SQme.tv&at ;^ite 'data,;/ j£?i~ j ; vantage- h&S-iaeettiiaifoxi t>f. tQii'deiay '.£"q^F"fc?H= ; up for your approval a programme \at the 1 Twork for the-whoie session. , The tusk which ] '5 have set to iny»iil£in thisaddrees ie, to ex''amiue'what I conceirc^to ihs 'the f UAciipi&otbur Society j • to' review l th'ei past ieraibn^with ! a view to profiting by i^' experience. ; and to make iu'ch Veflecfiorir ad itfay : conduce "to Wr prosperity in. the future. The functions !of our Society are thus, defined by its constitution : "The Association i» formed^for -the [purpose of fostering free enquiry into}matter» jof art and subjects' of scieuce,promdting the .acquisition and diffusion of knowledge generally, cultivating literary tastea, and for social harmony and intercourse." Unfortunately there are so many associations formed for a -simitar ' purpose and ; with go many degrees of merit and. directions of enquiry, that, without further explanation, the exact position occupied by ourselves may be somewhat vague. The highest forms of literary societies are these where scientific men assemble scientifically to discuss scientific subjects ; the lowest condition of literary debate is probably that of the " 'Society of Moral Philosophers," described by Goldsmith in his essay on "Various Clubs." Among the rulea were the following : "All them who brings a new argument against {religion and who, being a philosopher, and a -man of learniug, as the rest of us is, shall be jadmitted to the freedom of the Society, upon ipaying sixpence only, to be spent in punch. No member may get drunk before 9 of the clock, upon pain of forfeiting threepence, to be spent by the company in punch." The which we may hope to occupy will be about half way between these extremes ; not having among us men of extraordinary scientific attainments, or even ambition we need not *' Strive to wind ourselves too high For mortal man beneath the sty," tnough we need not, and I venture to. prophesy will not, sink to the level of Gold,smith's "Moral Philosophers." The ambition of our members I trust will be to devote the moderate talents with which they may be possessed and a portion of the moderate time which they may have at their disposal to the . study of such subjects and literature as may ; tend to elevate their minds or instruct them ,in the current topics of conversation and . : practical matters of every day life. With 'your permission I will recount some of the : ; ways in which our Society may fulfil its i miision of profit and pleasure, 1. To the ; j studious among us it may prove an incite- ,' ; ment to study. Very small experience in any • department o£ life is sufficient to prove the ; • difficulty and inutility of! aimless labor. Our Society supplies an object for study. , Anyone who will choose a subject, read upon ; at, think upon it, write upon it; and submit | his thoughts to friendly discussion and critiI cism will soon discover a development in fyis. feasonimg powers ; but without Being trained ; into a defined line submitted to paper and compared with the opinions of others, the thoughts even of the studious must remain crude and vague. 2. It is an axiom of life : that the labors of one prove heneficial to. the 1 many, aud this is the power of institutions ' like ours. Not only is the information ] gathered by one from other minds diffused 1 among the hearers, but also the discussion 1 ;of his ideas sets their minds at in a 1 manner which would otherwise l}e improb- ] able, Few subjects could be intelligently 1 : discuf-sod at a moment's nbtiee,even by those i whoso previous attention had been given to t them, but the reading of a pa.per and the ex* J prosslon of varying opinions serve to raise in J the minds of the thoughtful ideas hitherto s dormant or non-existent, but which like seed sown will henceforth grow and develop. 3. Th*vo are books whioh overyane should read * who wo'ild obtain an insight into hu.man ? nature, a high ideal of virtue and morality, T A distinguishing appreciation of humor arid } ! aatiro, a refinement of his mind and language. j Snoh books nro the standard works of fiction, I biography, and poetry, for which our nation * iis famous. The choice of extracts from the a most famous authors for reading in public or j fl tytf ore thp member^ p£ such a Society this *• iuvolves a respqnsibility w-hjeh. I trust our ; s members will appreciate, a keen sense of i 8 discrimination, and an amount of readiug > c bo vastly ia excess of the portions selected, ? n that it oannot do otherwise than direct the 1 E student's attention to a fuller perusal of their | * pages. 4. Ladies and gentlemen/ however S.-? ambitious the prophesy may seem, yet it may« «

not be false, that some future Prime Minister of New Zealand or somt leading member of the Dunedin bar will be proud to assert that he received his first Itssons in the art of elocution and debate in the rooms of the Gore Literary and Debating Society. There is an ancient Latin proverb which asserts that "The poet is born; the speaker is made ;" and countless writers tell us that the machinery by which they are manufactured is that of literary and debating societies. Even though the prorerb^be not -■--'V correct, and rhetoric be sometimes •• • .jot even natural talent requires caro aua education ; untrained oratory will not better thrive than an untrained rose, and eloquence may be as easily strangled in infancy at a future king. None of us knows what he can do till he try, and the opportunity to try is here offered. 5. Considerable exception was taken' to a statement made by me towards the close ofthe last session, that " this society existed for the purpose pE'encouraging young men to make fools of themselves." However undignified su«h an object may seem, and however unclassical such language may appear in the lips of one of my position, yet I regret, that, <upon Jmature deliberation, I am unabl* to modify the one or correct the other. There is a disease as prevalent among public speakers as the hooping cough ia among humanity at large, known technically by the name of " facing the audience." Its symptoms' appear in a stuttering, hesitating, shaking, downcast nervousness without j and a collapse of th* heart within. The outward aspect and in-' ward suffering can aptly be expressed by one word only— " foolish." Some few public men escape its horrors, but their caet«iron nerves prevent them from excelling in the art of oratory. The best suffer andi excel.; A. specific vaccination for this disease ha« not yet been discovered, but by a species of inoculation its violence may .be (mitigated. Better suffer before friendly physicians and fellow patients than hereafter in the "presence of unsympathising critics and hard opponents. My duty is to warn the younger and more timid members of this Saoie^jy^hat, sooner or later, they must confront singlehanded an army of faces ; and according to their bravery they will conquer or die. You may be shareholders in * company '/legislators in an assembly, members of a .friendly sjocir e< ?y» agitators in some political question, , lawyers, preachers, or lecturers j m 'almost any sphere of life you are liable to^be called upon suddenly to influence the r populace to I your views or to action with the only weapon lof your power of voice^ If you exhibit ner^ [ vousnesa yon are conquered ; 'howeW righ| your position, however cogent your arg"u* ments, both will forsake you in your hour of ! heed, and you will simply look foolish unless you have learnt to " face jour audience.'^- jsp To face your audience ia the march to victory, but yet another lesson must be learnt, which also can only be . taught by practice. " Order ia Heaven's first law," and nothing disorderly can' succeed. You must learn 'ttf' arrange your .thoughts, jyonr-, sentences,; andyour words as neatly as the garments in your •mother'! press. O,i deliver^us' fromyfthe jumbling speaker, who forgets his grammar, (disregards his logic, and mixes his arguments flike the ingredients in ... an Indian curry iiWords^w^rje to r clothe ? thqughts,.and ? nothing shows beauty #0 aucniaairanitage atf [appropriate dress. Your thoughts, gentle/men, will always be"jpure""»nd beautiful, and ' jdeserye' to •; fcfinear. appropriate wpJbareM^ jTfie art of tailoring, literal andme&paoricar,' frpquires an apprenticeship ; and in this So-. Hety. you ; can . q§ryj*vy i qui^time,v ?■> .from silver to gold, silence as, well as Bpeaaa jis inculcated •ifi'sTstfcie'ty bf debatlra. 00 Com:" i moil • rtcourte' syJ oidemands r.-K-briefnefeirj t whenst |others are waiting, .and prolonged talking Ibegets • weariness. , A speech, like a heiigV IsHoiild «?bH«Kspfe»«^ll* itriiram'el.:* W\i# lessoW ito 1 be learned is thought — thought deep, tote y ob - ' -Tv • • ivtra . tb>' speak' dn ce. »; - • $$<i ;raucb f .^han, ic-Sf ;tha benefit'- m'. ca^ed- tq b^ t .•derived from -fAembersMp in-'ourViiVtera^y'."' ;R.pa. r l>ebatipg ; . -■§^ciei^;t>l^^ife.A^fett^v^M|(er? iliLeratmJs' tecdlriilieSded fogtKe I'eifuta'ihoaic^, ■the theory' of putlic;. oratory "tanght dudits_ •practice devslopod. ToLord Bacon Is attribu- . itsichei.sayihg "itiiati j'j^dipg vmakja jriiian, writing , makes «k correct ,manj and (talking makes a ready- -man." To "product men full of reading, accurate in expression; larid^eadyl e ijf 4'*^A s |>riisei|or^ •ambition of our society^ But pleasurable 'profit 13 an essential element in, oar Bocietyj socldl h^ixibjiyand intefcclurße' form: 5 an^ai tegral .part> dfTouT', weekly, programme.' «35iiii. i part of' pur work ,has a. beneficial; relation to,; the other, and an intrinsic x merit of it'sownl As", l have' already '■'■ said, even the studious* require sonjie incentive, to s^udy and without^ it the less industrious, are in danger of be;coming careless; A ' society v,uk^ dura migrn^ anticipate a certain success upon, its educarj* tional merits alone, but the majority. of its members have not, and do not . pretend/ to have, the search of knowledge and practice of debate as their sole or even their primary attraction.- They'wiJl be collected only by sociability, by comfort, and by musio, combined with the heavier pastime of debate. What they want, what we all want; isnotfa" weekly night school, but a " Winter evening Amusement Society." It is neoessary, therefore, for the .well being; ;of' the Association, that some lighter element should be introduced. The intrinsic merit of the musical and social harmony of our meetings I venture to regard as one "o£ the noblest among many other aspirations. In "a small community like ours we .require to- be brought together from time to time in something approaching to family, .'life,, and to bejfupplied with material for conversation apart from the petty affairs' of township life. "Here we meet upon common ground many j to. whom otherwise year r-' after year we should' remain strangers only' because kept apart by accident, and the subjects of debate form an antidote against gossip; 2. Ag&in, our Society is composed of v men; mostlyfof young men, oocupied continually in the affaire of trade or business, and in many cases cut off from home society. Man without some elevating influences is in gr|at danger of sinking, even before he is ( aware of it, in his self-respect!; 'and* courteoua£aemeanour ; orj else j his -whole better., nature craves witnfan indescribable longing for an occasionalevieningi of social refinement, and this laudable thirst it is. within the ; proyin'ce of our Association to quench^ Subject to the prerogative of the preMding'bdJcer to exclude any visitor whose presence -may ; prove objectionable, members are at liberty to iuteoduce as many -friends as Tjwillj accept^he Society's invitation. I desire to take this opportunity of removing the fear of intrusion which I believe kept some - away last year, %nd in the name of the Society to invite everyone who oan find a member willing to take the responsibility of an introduction. To those ladies who frequented,, our mee'tings last session I accord' the hearty tb.an.ks of the Society, and most sineere, invitation-to all the meetings of the ooming year. Ladies, your kindly presence will " stimulate dur efforts to excel, and will prove a wholesome restriction-to our behaviour, while we venture to Ipok for your valuable assistance in the musical portion of each evening's entertainment. Ladies and gentlemen, I b#ve aow completed the first part of my task, and have examined what I conceive to be the functions our Society : namely the combination oi profit and pleasure in such a way as To inakeprofit pleasurable and pleasure profitable rhe President proceeded to review the pa»fe ieasion; the amount of benefit derived from vhich. it was impossible to gauge because it Rras impossible for any individual, or collecionfof individuals, to compare his intellectual, noral, or social condition with, what it vould have been under .other circumstancea. But it was possible to out in what lirection benefit was derivable. I 1 .; The Society afforded a common ground of meetng, one member becoming acquainted wath mother to their mutual advantage. ,2, 'The idvantages of study and essay writing dermible from uiioti with the Society weHriot' mail. 3. JJofc only were, they unable to fauge the benefit, but it, was . impossible^ to slaim for the society results which ihey night have been a* 'least partially instiruV aental iu effecting. By the public at large heir name would not be connected either J 1 i nth the Qore Football Uni,on or the swings ji ( , u the school j playground, yet 'neither clubfl'

or swings existed a year ago. They. dMCtiWted -'■ '■ both, pfonounct<Tboth dmimbl*, »md boil ; had come into existence 1 But the pert w« principally valuable as affording an insight iuto mistakes which might be avoided ia the future. He considered the partial nonsae- -' cess of last year's session due— -1. To tke change of locality of meetiag. J. Tke attempt to do too much, 3. The length of the session. 4. Petty garrulousness and peevish bickering on the part of one or two 1 \ members. He should this year expect uniTersal support in the exercise 61 discipline upon insubordinate and especially apoa ; inebriated individual!'. The practical resales The year; 1883 gaye to them their Sooiejy, \ taught them by itV operations what attfadtagesit.ww.intendedj^confer^ittj^^ through a series of ,experiencti. wkick remained for their instruction. Passing no# out of its early infancy the Society was in 1 all respects in a flourishing condition, and on them the responsibility lay that tkeir, succeßßors. ( £ound it further developed and ; not less healthj. The «paxk#r - prpcteaii|fes make BQChVr*fieclion» as &&WsUi«RlheL ,ducarfry fm-fm^m^m^iSSSS^ tive,'room had b«on secured for meeting*, m£f;'-~ should any tender conscience feekdelieatelr - about the character of Ihr kaildi^hi wo*ld , ' i suggest that his scruples were Ware lllfounded. " Speaking as on* most deeply -far" the question, he asserted that* tlhiieSpeM '■■ ance like any other reform, *as better car. ried on positively .thanl negi|ti*«ly ; it wasi I easy io a sweeping manner to condemn all ; ■ alike who held the Government Means© to still. ; intoxicants.but the surest way to increase the ' ! ! number of bad, hotels was to refuse to coma. ,j tenahce the ;go«d* 1 Siace l«|#»essiQn sonjjf j important alterations had been made in their i constitution and ralßs r and lubacripHba • had been reduced to the' small sum of hfttf-a* . j crown. The committee had arranged • '*&-' "" ' ; ' j sional programme, extending orer tare* mpnths f ,and4ttA44itipnto theitepjs namaLJ therein; m'ttsifef tfoth ■iMlkm^#i^|Bp» < was intended to form a prominent future at this year's meetings. -In%hia most pleasing .'•- portion of their meetings, they might hose for the asaisifcamjeof Ueiriair-TSifeMßUeml '-■ Society was essentially art improvement society, and although-it -was impossible for man to add anything to woman's powers of , -. pursuasion th« opportunities. offered for obtaining confluence 1 atid l! pra&iit in singing' could not with impunity be neglected, fie> had fall confidence that tk« ebnduet|bf men\-- ! bersin debate would be characterised by gentlemanly \bearing; and in ■- conclusionfeaid that with regard to the general influjnce of the Society's efforts upon themselrw kd msk &£ u \mi *m the result* which had been set forth -in t£e«arly part of his ad£resiQ*mld bs realistd jin a greater or;iess degree. He; did'not desire ' po appear too sanguto«rimt if, they learnt to, ' " kn a forebearing andfpjdiJeni*nner-~if they grew more sympathetic with the oiiniqnp H larid.^diffiettltie*., Of ffmJ^erß-^a^e^gSitKiPlll v (pleasantly, by, he .thought "■flSfcHftLV ;aeß6ndfteisi6S^f thk^s&te&ffin&^m& ' - I Mr Douglas, in criticising tb.9 add?es», •aid the 1 members of the Society should b« , jand /lacid paper. Wit^Jha genorji,teno7ol> , ' -' it most of Jhof? 'we»Bi^wo^d^fordially [agree, and^he°6Mry $ OTfis flft^llined & J jßinglq put for exception , were v j£hoM in • He 'fAougkt the President nao peeu g^uftyroi/- <, [gome inconsistency, amt-thathe^ .intghV hare : ) jus^d^apgMia^^J^i^E^k^^l^quD^ •' people making^fools of themselves. Tutlier *- wera they/Kerijos. .: ,'. ' ;-. • ; " ' ■ ..-■ ' . ;...• . "„ -.;■; 1. .* ■;', : " c x - : Mr-^rM^cQibboti l 'tnhr''ikurQ}4 of :ihaska)io the B?esida*ntlyr Ms. afidxaM-r^® hogdL- - ;m^b«^;^oia^4 rofl * l#iee>.aJ»p "-.■ M$ receiver?.,.- >Me ■£ -gresi- deaf of - - ife^^^^idtfei^jgslr^tioij^ re^ajd«. >Ijthe:eiJ^Wo^m;V^a^ he was vj^itifie^ iff uifttg^fceißMr^dtfrthai- >3 ,|the tame- time, he considered , it jras a pluck/ " V I thing £or:^ny young; and' inexperienced man p^faJa^m4o^^ u ' iJ^^^ lf™ •-; , i The suggwted prx^r&mme f6r/1814 was V. : , Ithen considered and adopted.. Amongst the f *p4persfaiieiitidned%ere these i ' Buttle, "TkaPnlpit: its. placcand influenoo ' '-*'••■- --in society;" by Mr J. Macaibbphj "Tko ■'<.• * Natwna^te|o^t^d3Mah|iby Mr ' . Arch. Fletcher,' '^The , LocaJ Press/' ■ Mr '3 .Dolamore suggest Mia»p ! a«febilitjp'>tliat he - 'would wad a paper on t* The Local Bar/' -i: ; : After > an instrumental 9610 f. tgr.^'. i|jp -■ V jltacpharsQik n 1 - »r. r^A "i^-f'fV^ 'A" ; ' ■ 1 • The'p^oceeaftiga WrminWdf^ f^.V-«* --V