The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-04 00:00:00

MONUMENT TO THE LATE THOMAS HOOD,

Last night an exposition of the genius and writings of
the late Thomas Hood, with illustrations, was given by
Mr. William Parsons, in the smaller room, Exeter Hall,
under the auspices of the Hood Memorial Committee, for
the benefit of the fund.
In the absence of Charles Mackay, Esq., LL.D., from
illness, and who had been announced to preside, Francis
Bennoch, Esq., took the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said, it was a matter of great pain to
be called to. the chair, as his friend Dr. Mackay had un-
fortunately been seized with a sudden and severe illness.
It was right that Dr. Mackay should have been called
upon to preside over such a meeting as this, to comme-
morate the genius of Thomas Hood, the great poet of
the poor, because all would recognise in Dr. Mackay the
great living poet of the people. He then called upon the
lecturer to proceed.
The LECTURER, alluding to the preface of the collec-
tion of Hood's poems, said it would be his object to
show that the genius of the deceased was of a much
larger and comprehensive character than was generally
conceived, when men i ead with avidity his humorous and
comic effusions. His was a fine genius, which had been
greatly misinterpreted. Under the ephemeral title of
jester, there was the true spirit of a poet. His versatile
Powers of description, under all phases, were, perhaps;
unequalled. His works might be ranged into three.
classes :—First, the " Dream of Eugene Aram," the
" Plea of the Midsummer Fairies ;" then his works
of wit and humour ; and, his grave lyrics occupying
the last. The object of the lecturer, generally,
was to show the original bent of Hood's genius
as evinced in his earlier poems, and their compa-
rative neglect. Wit and humour ; Hood's genial
and kindly spirit as a buinourist . exhuberance
of his comic vein ; more chastened development of his
humour when freed from uncurb conceits ; effects of
higher aims upon his powers, as shown in his later
poems ; combination of humour and pathos ; Hood's
earnest and large-hearted sympathy with want and Tit-
tering. His purpose of assisting to redress the social
wrongs of the age, and the eminent success of his first
efforts, and his enthusiasm in the canse unsulxluerl by
ill-health, and arrested only by his death. Mr. Parsons
gave, with great effect and taste, various illustrations
from many of Hood's best works, amongst others from
the " Plea of the Midsummer Fairies," describing Queen
Titania, and her Court ; the "Ode to Melancholy." In
reference to "Eugene Aram's Dream," he alluded to the
fact that Hood acknowledged he was indebted to the
idea from a dream he had under the influence of night-
mare. Next followed extracts or illustrations from
"The tearful reproach of a Forsaken Woman," " The
Lee Shore, "Lines on seeing my wife and her two chil-
dren sleeping in the same chamber," showing that the
genius of Hood was really of a melancholy tendency.
Hood was not a mere punster, as many had erroneously
supposed, •
fl,ounh he had made the punning art his own,
as in the songs of " Young Ben" and "Ben Battle." A n
. . _ _ _ _

extract of a letter addressed by the deceased poet to the
Secretary of the Manchester Atheneum, in reply to a
request that he would become one of its supporters, ex-
cited intense laughter and sorrow, in quick alternation.
"A Wave of the Sea" was listened to with profound at-
tention. Extracts from " The History of Miss Kiel-
mansegge and her Ancestors," a production of intense
wit and sarcasm, elicited much applause. The apostrophe
to "Bed" and the "Haunted House" concluded the lec-
ture, which was of a very pleasing character, and highly
creditable to Mr. Parsons ; and we were glad to see that
*the room was well filled.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Bennoch for having kindly
• taken -the chair was carrie I unanimously, and was re.
sponded to in graceful terms by that gentleman.