Count de Sana's Lecture.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2908, 11 June 1878, Page 2

Count de Sana's Lecture.

(Reuteb's SpeciA to Pbess Agency.)

Count de Zaba delivered a most interesting lecture at the Academy of Music last night in aid of the funds of the Hospital. The subject of the lecture was " The Study of Universal History," in introducing which the Count referred to the importance of the study and the necessity for classification and association of ideas in perfecting the study. The lecturer, by means of a large chart containing twenty squares, these again being sub-divided by lines into still smaller squares, showed how the events of the past 20 centuries could be fixed on the mind. As aids to memory the small squares are colored in some instances, representing different episodes. After explaining the system in lucid and well chosen terms, the lecturer invited a boy named John Breea, aged nine years, on to the st.^e to show how successfully the system could be applied. The small boy gave rerdy answers to" questions put to him by the Count, pointing out the squares indicating different events, ard deal;ng with names and dates with tli3 greatest apparent ease. Count de Zata stated that the boy had only received a few kssons, so tbat the value of tha system could readily be estimated. The lecture was not only a very interesting discourse, but quite a brilliant oratorical display, the language being particularly well chosen, and eliciting frequent applause. Mr John Frater, President of the Ho^pi'al Committee occupied the chair, and a very choice programme of vocal music was gone through, Mr B. A. R. Owen playing the accompaniments. The principal items of the concert programme were a song by Mr W. Stewart, very well rendered. Then Miss Luura Wiseman sang " Sunny Memories," with characteristic sweetness. Being her .first appearance since her return from the South, she was very warmly greeted. Mr Airey followed with " The Spout," which he I rendered in excellent style. Mrs W. H. Reed (Miss Leaf) sang with accustomed ability " Thy Face" and was encored, when she sang anothe? very preUy song. The duet " Sainted Mother," by Mesdames Kilgour and Stannier, was most correctly rendered, and pleased tha audience so well that it was ie-demanded and partially repeated. The musical portion of the entertainment was brought to a conclusion hy the efforts of Mr W. H. Heed in two of his local compositions, with alternate guitar and banjo ac-

companiments. Count de Zaba received a warm vote of thanks, in acknowledging which he intimated that he would meet any ladies and gentlemen who might wish to pursue the study of history according to his plan at the Pacific Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, at" half-past three o'clock, but as he intended leaving for Europe by the next outward mail he scarcely hoped to be able to appear again in public as a lecturer here. The attendance last night was very good.