The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-02-28 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

SOCIETY "OR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONG
THEJI{WS.—On Sunday, two sermons were preached
in Blandforcl Church on behalf of the above society
by the Rev. W. Ayerst. The rev.' gentleman
selected as his morning's text—Hosea xiv., 5,
—ln the course of an admirable sermon he
gave a brief outline of the persecutions which the
Jews had suffered both in England and foreign
countries, their reverence for the law of God, their
liberality in his cause and on behalf of their poorer !
brethren, the great drawback to their prosperity,
and the cause of their dispereion over the whole
world.—He then dwelt on the promise in the text,
and showed how clearly it pointed out their present
state, and the means whereby they should ultimately
be raised again.—The dew falls in the night—it was
silent in its working—it was very abundant—it was
a blessing which man could neither procure or
preven—it was indispensable. In all these points
he traced as analogy between the way God works in
the natural, moral and spiritual world.
PENNY READING% —These popular entertainments
were brought to a close on Friday evening, when
the Corn Exchange was again crowded to excess,
many parties being unable to find seats. Mr.
Eyer's champion brass band discoursed some very
excellent music previous to the commencement of
the programme, which called forth loud cheers. The
chair was taken by T. H. Bastard, Req., of Charlton
Marshall, a warm and devoted friend to the club,
who expressed the satisfaction he felt in assisting
in any way so exoellent an institution, and more
especially in presiding on such an occasion. He
considered that the present movement was one of
the brightest signs of the times ; it showed that if
cheap end pleasant intellectual amusement was
provided, the working classes Were only too glad to
avail themselves of it. It was not his intention to
trespass on their time, as he was sure the readings
and other entertaintmente would be more pleasant
and profitable than anything he could say. He
therefore called on the friends present for a glee.
" The Belle of St. Michaels Tower," by Knyvett,
was then given by Messrs. Skivington, jun., Lance
and Smith. This was followed by a reading by the
Rev. J. Penny on " Colour Blindness." The rev. !
gentleman stated that the discoverer of this optical !
defect was Dr. George Wilson, of Edinburgh. The !
science was almost new to us, probably very !
few heard of it. The reader then gave a very
interesting outline of the character of Dr. Wilson,
in which he chiefly noticed his perseverance, his
ability as a lecturer, and the love and esteem in
which he was held by the pupils at the School of
Art, Edinburgh, the greater part of whom were
working artisans of the city. Nothing that was
beautiful in nature was lost upon him, and he had
the happy facility of making even the most dry and
uninteresting subject pleasing to his hearers. Mr.
Penny then gave an outline of a leder° delivered by
Dr. Wilson on the human eye, in which it was
shown that though most animals were favoured with
eyes suitable to their requirements, the human eye
Was the most beautiful. It was of wondrous con-
struction, being ih point of fact • hollow ball. In
the front part was a transparent window protected
by the eye-lid, which m;ght be aptly compared to
a shutter, taken down when the eye was in use.
This transparent part is called the cornea, at the
back of which the iris, or rainbow curtain, varying
in colour in different individuals, was placed. The
only thing in nature like the eye was the daisy
hence its name. At the back of the iris were the
crystalline lens, resembling the magnifying glass of a
telescope, which was covered with a fine membrane.
The eye Was therefore a ehamber like a globe, •
chamber set apart for one guest, and that guest was
light. The lens scanned the rays of light, and re-
fracted or bent them inwards into one point upon
the back chamber of the eye or retina, and thus
formed • minute picture of the object. Over
this back chamber the retina was spread as a
lining, and was covered with a black pigment,
communication by means of numerous branchings of
the optic nerve proceeded from the retina to the
brain. The Various objects were painted on the
retina in a reversed position. We did not, when we
looked into a mirror, behold our own likeness but
the reflection of it from the eye, so that ne man ever
saw himself. The reader then passed on to notice
the disorder called colour-blindness, which Dr.
Wilson first brought before the public. That
gentleman's attention to the subject commenced in
1850, and the value and importance of his investi-
gations could be hardly over estimated, when it was
remembered that the two colours in which the defect
of colour-blindness was most observable, were green
and red, used as signals for ships and on railways.
Dr. Wilson clearly pointed out the necessity of
having such signals of some particular form. In the
investigation of the subject he displayed an energy
and perseverance truly remarkable, in proof of
I whieh it might be stated that in 1852.3 he
examined 1,400 persons, one in every 20 of whom
were affected with eolounblindness ; some who
wrote with red ink believing it to be black. In
conclusion Mr. Penny remarked that the lectures
given by Dr. Wilson were very humourous, in proof
of which he read a piece of poetry written by that
gentleman to show the advantages of not being able
to write your own name. This gave a very laugh-
able aeoonnt of • man who kept a small shop, and
*hose plan of recording the articles his customers
had, was by making rude pictures of them, but
who, unfortunately, one day made a round ring to
show forth a grindstone, but forgot to put
an hole in the middle, and charged his onetomer
with a cheese.—Mr. Furmage then favoured the
eompany with a song entitled 'The English, the
Sootolif and the Irish; or Paddy's Wish," which he
gave with good taste and feeling. This was followed
by Mr. W. E. Groves reading a selection of poems
illustrative of rural life—Cowper's "Winter's Walk
at Noon," Bloomfield's "Farmer's Boy," Barnes's
" Laird," and a "Sly bit of Courting," the latter of !
which was highly appreciated by the audience. Mr.
Lance then gave his old favourite—" My Old Friend
John," which was loudly cheered, and called forth
an encore, when he subsitnted—" Oh had I
Aladdin's lamp." To this succeeded a solo on the
Crystal Palace prise instrument, by Mr. T. Hunt,
*Web was exceedingly well performed, Mr. C. J.
Eyera kindly playing the accompaniment on the
piano. "A Dutchman's difficulties with the English
language," read by F. T. Johns, Esq., caused con-
siderable amusement, as did also Martin's "Laugh-
ing Trio," sung by Messrs. Lance, Sen. and
jun.. and Furmage. Previous to the National
Anthem being played by the band, the Rev. J.
Penny proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman,
of whom he spoke in the highest terms as a gentle-
man who stood firm to his principles, and as one
deserving of every respect from his great interest in
tlie welfare of the working classes, Mr. Johns
having briefly seisonded the proposition, Mr.
Bastard returned thanks, and again expressed his
deep satisfaction to see so many present. A short
time ago he received a written communieation from
the committee of the club, in which they addressed
him as the founder of it. Though he did not con-
sider he was entitled to that honour, he neverthe-
less was, he believed, the first to get it started;
and he always had, and he trusted always should,
feel an interest in its success. There was one
subject to whieh he wished to tall attention. The
premises now occupied by the club was not large
enough, and from the large assembly present he
could net but conclude that great interest was taken
in its success. He therefore trusted that some plan
might be devised to have larger and more suitable
premieee, and for himself he should be only too
happy to Moist. (Loud cheers.) We regret to say
that the pleasure derivable from the entertainment
was consideratly marred by the unseemly conduct of
certain parties near the door, who incited the
younger portion of the auditory to carry on a system
of foolish larking, by which the readers were often
interrupted.—According to the terms of a resolution
passed at the annual meeting of the club, the
proceeds were presented ta Mrs. Edwards, who has
throughout kindly given her valuable services.