ORATOR HENLEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1941, Page 7

ORATOR HENLEY

ILL-PLACED BUFFOONERY. . 111-placed buffoonery earned for Orator Henley the satirical verdict of Pope that he was “the preacher and zany of the age." He could easily have used his considerable powers of eloquence and his education in better ways, but his vanity induced him to seek popularity at any price. The son of a clergyman living at Melton Mowbray, John Henley was born in 1692 and died on October 13. 1753. Refusing a country living because of its obscurity, be exaggerated - his sty le of preaching so that although popular with the public it greatly annoyed the clergy. He attempted political writings. offering his services to the ministry. and when they were declined, he offered them to the opposition, who declined them also. Determined to draw an income from the public by his own power of eloquence he opened an Oratory in Newport Market. Here .»e preached on Sundays on theology and on Wednesdays on any popular topic. Politics and current events were treated with the vulgar levity I hat suited the locality—but from the financial point of view he was successful. Pope has immortalised his gaudy pulpit from which he poured forth his rhapsodies by calling it "Henley's gilt tub:" and there is a caricature of him as a clerical fox seated on his tub. a monkey acting as clerk. He once tricked a mob of shoemakers by inducing them to come and hear him describe a new method of making shoes quickly, the plan really being simply to cut off the tops of readymade boots. Despite his impudence and boldness. Henley found difficulty in his later years in keeping up the liveliness of his orations He was determined, however. to make himself heard till the very end. and when no one came to fill the empty benches, he allowed the doormen and other helpers to have free seats so that he might at least have a small audience.