THE PENNY READINGS.

Southland Times, Issue 965, 8 June 1868, Page 2

THE PENNY READINGS.

♦ The third of the series of popular entertainments provided by the Pennj Beading Society took place at the Ex change Building, Dee-street, on Friday evening. The attendance was decidedlj the largest that we have yet seen, including his Honor the Superintendent and 'many of the leading business men of the town. The programme was well selected, and good taste was shown by the readers in the reducing of the readings to a reasonable length. The success that has been achieved by Society at its beginning promises for it a long course of usefulness. It will supply a want that has been much felt for a long time. Its object is to induce the public to appreciate the advantages arising from periodical re-unions of every class of the community ; and if the support that has hitherto been given is sustained, we may bespeak for it a long and prosperous career. It is not the province of journalists to minutely criticise amateur entertainments ; therefore we confine our remarks to a simple notice of the entertainment. The prologue read by Mr Irvine, and written by Mr J. G-. Smith, is a production of considerable merit. The instrumental music was unexceptionable, and the thanks of the Society and the public are due to Mrs Stewart for the valuable aid she has given it by presiding at the piano. The readings tvere well selected and faithfully rendered, md the vocal and instrumental pieces well executed. Still there was a short;oming; but only one that amateurs are ilmost certain to display. In the renderng of the " Cottar's Saturday Night," he reader, while displaying elocutionary tbility, failed occasionally to render his eading distinct in some parts of the Louse. The same may be said of the ocalists, who sang with marked precision -time and tune — duets and trios. On he whole, the entertainment was creditble to all who took part in it, and we (

hope that the Society may meet with in creasing support. Th 6 following is the prologue to which we have alluded : — A pboiogtob say you — well, Til try my hand To write you something all may understand, Of the ethereal spasmodic stuff This age abounds in, we've had quantum guff. We do not want those miracles of art, Tbat miss the warm vibrations of the heart, And strike the lyre with melodies sublime, To move the feelings of a far off time j When men will angels be, and will aspire To sing the anthems of the heavenly choir, Forgetting 'tis the highest power of art, To hit the pocket and to move the heart. What care we for ideal G-eraldinea, Ideal .empires, and ideal queens, Ideal lovers, and ideal snobs, Ideal railways and prospective jobs j We've got a suvfeit of the pure ideal And all our strivings are for something Keal men, and women too, who play the parts, With thinking heads and sympathising hearts ;

Whose rank, tho lowly may be higher far Than theirs who wear a ribbon and a star. Kings, Governors, and Supers — what are they ? The paltry baubles of a passing day. Announce a rank more ancient, if you can, And higher than the brotherhood of man. Of man, of every clime and every hue, Whose soul aspires to what is real and true, Whose badge is love to brother — love to all The Father's creatures, be they great or small. This is our badge, this is the rightful aim Our stated meetings here can justly claim, To foster union, and to cast aside j The chains of clique, of rivalry and pride, To draw more closely yet the ties which bind The heart to heart, the deathless mind to mind To break down prejudice, to drive away The ghost of error with the beams of day ; To strengthen reason, fancy to adorn, The wrong and folly point with hate and scorn ; To amuse the young, the aged to improve, And cast o'er all the blessedness of love ; To converse hold with men of wit and lore, And all the sages of the days of yore, Who mirror nature, teach us truths sublime, And leave the impress on " the sands of time." These are our aims — no caste, no class we know— Our readings are for all, the high, the low, The wise, the foolish, old and young — our plan Is wide as is the brotherhood of man. There was a time, now haply passed away, When Ign'rance held o'er all her despot sway, When man, degraded from his high estate, Obsequious bowed before the titled great, His rights ignored, his freedom bought and sold, His value measured by his worth in gold Like other " goods and chattels" of the soil j His only privilege — the leave to toil. To feed, to labor, die, and be forgot, Filled up the pages of the " common lot." How changed the seene — the shadows fled awayj The dawn of knowledge brightens into day ; The mind of man, emancipate and free, Soars, like an eagle, to its destiny. We're brothers all j we have one common sire ; And to one common destiny aspire ; One common mission ours — to lead the van Of upward progress with our brother man. Ye men of Invercargill, we invite Tour presence at our feast each Friday night; We'll guarantee a value for your pence, In poetry, plain truth, and common sense; We'll introduce you to the great and high, Who lived and wrote in ages long gone by ; We'll make your close acquaintanceship with those Our brightest stars in poetry and prose, Historians you will mcct — Maculay's page Will charm the old and young of every ago j Poets, from Chaucer to the ethereal one Who wears the Laureate wreath — famed Tennyson; Sages and patriots, heroes of renown, And nobles of all time — and Heaven will crown Our efforts with success, and bles s our plan To elevate the Beotheehoob op Mak.