Amusements.
MR CLARK'S LECTURE
It is not contemplated here to criticise the"Eev Mr Clark's lecture on "The Tower of London ; '.'• but simply to speak of it, and in doing so, much will necessarily be left unsaid that might be mentioned. It was a moat brilliant discourse, worthy of the man who delivered it, and it enchained the attention of the audience from the preamble to an effective peroration. In choosing a subject so vast in its proportions and of such inexhaustible resource, most speakers would be considered highly adventurous and somewhat unwise; and, no. doubt, there were many readers of history who speculated upon the manner in which Mr Clark would treat his subject. Imprimis, he prepared his audience for what was to follow by speaking of the associations in connection with the grand old edifice, an hour's contemplation of which serves to recall the varied scenes of ages now buried in the past, and of which, in time present, nothing but "memory remains." The Tower of London was the tree which bore the fruit of his discourse; or, like the stream of eternity, it was brought forward, not so much to be made prominent itself, as to tell of the changing centuries which had swept over it, and the undying interest attaching to each. If Mr Clark had entered into a detailed account of the Tower, of its innumerable compartments, and the peculiarities attaching to each particular -one, his lecture would hare
approached the length of a Chinese play, and would to the ordinary hearer have been about as interesting. A study of '• Old Humphrey's Walks in London," or some other such work, taken up at leisure, would be found to command greater interest; and persons who have the fortune—or misfortune, as the case maybe—to be in London, can see all" that there is to be seen in tbo Tower for the very reasonable consideration 6f sixpence. Mr Clark gave us a grind panorama of the history of England 1 from the time of William the Conqueror up to the present reign. Under the magic power of his eloquent descriptive faculty, the attentive listener saw pass in life-like review all those personage» of historical prominence who either suffered or triumphed—whose names have been handed down by the pens of historians by reason of their virtues or their baseness—glory or misery. Old Time ceased raking for a spell, to look backward> and, for the nonce, the inmates of the Academy mingled freely with kings and other noteworthy persons, arid derived therefrom much satisfaction. The lecture was interspersed with excellent quotations, some of considerable length. Clarence's dream was recited in a manner which called forth heartfelt applause. Mr Clark's reading of Shakespeare was exceedingly fine, the Duke's fearful dream being pictured with a vividness that could not fail to enthral the most unimaginative. There was, however, a fair balance of humor in the lecture/ Mr Clark gave an exceeding funny des-. cription of the Bishop of Durham's escape from the Tower, and of his successor in the experiment. His pour.trayal of Sir Walter Raleigh's character was also a masterpiece of word-painting. But the excellencies of the lecture were 100 many to be detailed in space so short, and some persons may have had the pleasure of hearing Mr Clark before. To those who have not, we are pleased to be in a position to state that he will give another entertainment this evening, when he will be assisted by Miss Christian, the talented and accomphished contralto, who has recently travelled through the principal towns of New Zealand with such eminent success. The Hero does not leave so soon as was anticipated, and Mr Clark will, therefore, have time enough at his disposal to appear once more before a Thames audience. A glance at the programme, which appears in another column will be sufficient to recommend it.
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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1970, 28 April 1875, Page 2
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645Amusements. Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1970, 28 April 1875, Page 2
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