The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-10-03 00:00:00

Vaal &mutt' expren.

DORCHESTER, OCTOBER llnt 1882.

Mr. Berjeant Tindal•Atkinson, the witty and agree-
able Judge of County Court, had a gratifying reception
at the Town Hall on Thursday night. An amusing
subject, • clever lecturer, and an appreciative audience,
conetituted one of the best evenings which the Dor.
cluster Lecture Society has ever had. This Society
which be admirably conducted, with Mr. G. A. George
as Hon. Secretary, and Mr. Henry Symonds, as Hon.
Treseurer, has now obtained • firm footing iii this
tows, and its entertainments are now hailed with
'Menet by large numbers of townefoik. The last
Ilieldoo was more recusant than any of its pre-
date:moors, and we are glad to hear the ensuieg term
promises to be even more attractive. As was
remarked on Thursday by the her. linseell•Wright,
who takes a prominent part in the Society, the
committee appear now to have gauged the taste of
Dorchester audiences. It is not always agreeable to
have ones tastes openly estimated, and the result of
the experience of the Dorohester Lecture Society is
almost sad, though it is certainly not • novel
axperionoti. In these volatile days, science, pure and
wisdultersted,does not possess of itself sufficient beauty
to attract • large house, and the committee of the
Lecture Society know fel well, and nobody knows
better, thst • " Miiiinunmer Night's Drum " or an
"Hour with English Wits and finmouriete " Pompom'
Infinitely more attraction for Dorchester than some
deeply-learned, scientific subject, though it may be far
1110111 profitable, which I. provided for them. So we
suppose we must console ourselves with the idea we are
not cereals, but only ordinary mortals, who
prefer to enjoy a laugh, rather than sit at the feet of
emu Gamaliel who may favour us with his opinions
on entente generally, priceless though his opinions be.

While on this sobjezt of local institutions. we are
pleased to sos the sister ow's., is cc may mot it so,
the Dorchester Debatiog Society, commencer its
mound session t,morrow, whoa the annual meeting
takes place at the ,kliogtan Hall. Rsordrod with out.
adorable favour during Lost session, it promises to be
ognally popular. In proof of the rapid spread of those
useful institutions, we boar iii. Fropossd to inaugurate
cos similar to our own in the neighboaring town of
Woymouw.

By the disastrous explosion in Cairo, whioh inter.
vaned between the close of the campaign and the
triumphant review of Saturday last people have been
reminded of the familiar saying that "accidents will
happen even in the beet twisted establishments ;" for
there le* manifest disinclination to believe that this
catastrophe was the result of malevolent design. It
would be too discouraging to suppowl the Egyptian
conspirators hid learnt the tactics of the O'Donovan
Bosse Grew, and were so little cowed by British victory
en already to venture upon such an outrage. It is easier
to believe that in this matter "some one has blundered,"
as ritual, though it may be very doubtful whether we
shill ever learn definitely who that one It But, of
course, this accident does not materially affect
either oar military triumph for the past, or our
diplomatic difficulties now looming in the future. If
the Government satisfactorily dkipute of thwie by the
time Parliament meets on the Nth, and Ireland c in-
itial*" to calm down, there ought not to be much
difficulty about the Procedure licsoiutioni.
We have not had a great deal of extra parliamentary
eloquence this autumn, compared with the ordinary
amount in former years. The deficiency of orator! may
be in some measure accounted for by the assumption
that both hllsaisterialets and Oppositionists have felt
that it was not becoming to indulge In party disput
salon while the country was engaged in a delicate, if
not difficult, military enterprise. Such discroat reserve
would be creditable to both polit'cal parties, and we
Should like to believe that it his been the &Witting
motive for silence to a greater exteut than we suppose.
But we thick there can be no doubt tbat the long and
arduous Labours of this remlon, which were merely
Interrupted in August, to be resumed this month, had
considerable effect In promoting a trace of judicious
retinues. However, the E3yptlan Campaign lase now
been completely close], so that silence on that
.objet is no longer felt as a patriotic duty; while our
rhetorical legislators have had sufficient time to reins!'
their voices, and recruit their mental energies. It is
not surprising, therefore, to fin I a few prominent
politician' airing their oratory at public meetings.