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LECTURE.

Mr J. P. Armstrong, who is now on a short visit to Temuka, kindly gave a lecture in tile Volunteer Hall, (Dr Hayes in the Chair) on Wednesday evening, in aid of the Mechanic’s Institute. The attendance was fair, but a marked feature was the absence of ladies, who doubtless felt the keenness of a frosty night, which rather acted as a deterrent. It is, however, notorious that ladies are difficult to arouse to take an interest in anything not of a sensational character. Had it been a devorce suit, or a breach of promise case, a cold night or a regular downpour would not have prevented them from putting in an appearance. The subject ,of lecture, —“An Irish lad’s first travels in America,” was ably handled by Mr Armstrong, who seemed brimful of anecdotes, keeping the audience in remarkable good humor. The lecturer’s quaint sayings, sometimes in severe home-thrusts at the ruling powers in the various Sates, at other times his searcastic representations of the inconsistencies of the clerical parties of the several predomiaent religious bodies, who take a leading part in the management of American affairs, provoked outbursts of applause from the audience. The lawyers, too, and the politician, came in for their full share of the withering exposures of their selfishness autl want of patriotism. A vivid view of the cities, visited by the traveller, was a most interesting feature iij the lecture. The manners and customs prevailing in Salt Lake City were also very truthfully-pour-trayed. His account of the Joe Smith family, and his first interview with Brigam Young’s first wife, her favor f-r polygamy, until she herself got married, autl her bitter opposition to the second wife’s capabilities discovered a ruling propensity in the female portion of the community for monopolising one man, called forth bursts of laughter, Mr Armstrong has the happy-'knack of making all end well, first the grave and then the gay- He finished his remarks on this point by lemarking that any husband who was a happy “ possessor of two wives ” could certify to the fact of the case. On slavery the lecturer was happy in his remarks. Clergymen crying down slavery, but willing to take slaves for a bad debt was a cutting caracature. Catholicism, Presbyterianism, Wesleyanism, all rec eived a severe but humorous-criticism. Legislators also came in for a share of exposure for their selfishness. New Zealand, like ' America, must have all her legislators great men, or men that t link themselves so. During the lecture Hie manners and customs of our American cousins were minutely described. The cheapness of travelling, their free and easy life, readiness to help each other, grandness of their institutions, the many chances a man has for rising in the

world, equality of classes, the honor paid to labor. In short Mi' Armstrong left bis hearers perfectly enraptured with America. One could almost imagine himself sailing lin orie of their steamers up and down her beautiful rivals. His description of the scenery, names, or rather numbers of the streets, (first street, second street and so on,) was ho said a contrast with our Hew Zealand streets, Lord so and so street, William street, "Hall street, and so on, each man being weak enough to like his name plastered on every coiner. The hurried manner of living in America was also described, and the haste with which, they gulped up their meals. The want of restraint in their indulgence of any ambitious project and the haste to make rich, detracted from the perfection of the picture. Nevertheless the lecturer gave it as his opinion that in a hundred years America would be (if not already), the largest, most powerful, grandest and noblest country in the world, speaking the English language handed down to her from her first great men, such as Washington, Lincoln, and m»ny others, who had done much to make her great. It gives us. pleasure to state that Mr Armstrong’s lecture was a great success, instructive,and provocative of mirth. Mr Armstrong is a true Irishman, and seems justly proud of Ins country, and her many great men, At tho close of the lecture, Mr Julius Mendelsou proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, in a brief but neat speech. Mr Armstrong in fresl flashes of wit 0 1 proposed a vote of thanks to Dr Hayes for his able management in the (Jhair, and to tho Press'for the friendly way that it had drawn attention to the lecture, after which the meeting closed with a hope of soon again having (he pleasure of hearing another lecture from the same gentlcm.-in before ho leaves us. Mr Armstrong did not fail to x’emi id us that he is a dentist and would have great pleasure in using his arm-strong in extracting the teeth of any one who may be a sufferer from the pangs springing from rotten ivory, and he will only be too glad to place new teeth in the human cog-wheel.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TEML18800717.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Temuka Leader, Issue 271, 17 July 1880, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
831

LECTURE. Temuka Leader, Issue 271, 17 July 1880, Page 2

LECTURE. Temuka Leader, Issue 271, 17 July 1880, Page 2

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