The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-23 00:00:00

LEC7'URE ON Q UEEN BLIZABETIL

Last evening a lecture was delivered at the
Southwark Literary Institution, by Miss Sarah
Thorne—a young lady who some short time since
made a very successful debut at the Surrey Theatre
as a tragedienne—on " The personal birth and cha-
racter of Queen Elizabeth, the events of her reign,
and the effect of her life on the England of the pre-
sent day." Dr. Challice presided on theroccasion,
and in a few appropriate observations introduced
the fair lecturer to the audience.

Miss THORNE commenced her discourse by re-
ferring to the birth of Elisabeth at the Palace of
Greenwich, and having glanced at some of the in-
cidents of her early childhood, alluded to the fact
that, although she was remarkable for her winning
ways, she was likewise remarkable for her haughty
and arregant disposition—but this quality was to be
attributed to the bold and daring race from which
she sprung. Yet, notwithstanding this feature of
her character, she loved the people of England, and
was proud of their love for her, and this quality in
her was manifested throughout her whole life. The
lecturer then drew attention to the state of England
at the death of Edward the Sixth, and to the
rivalries which existed between the Protestant and
Roman Catholic parties in the State, and to the
efforts of each to obtain the ascendancy. Tho
latter were triumphant during the reign of Mary,
who, fearing Elizabeth, had her taken to the Tower
as a traitorqo the Queen ; but this charge Eliza-
beth-always denied. At length the death of Mary
Placed^Elizabeth on the throne of England, and
then it was that, under her auspices, Protestantism
struckits roots deep into the lard, and spread its
influence through other countries of the world.
Under Elizabeth the commerce of England flou-
rished ; our colonies were founded and extended ;
arts, science, and literature obtained high positions
animist us; and some of the bravest sailors, sol-
diers, statesmen, poets, and scholars that ever ap-
peared in England, lived during the reign of the
" good Queen Bess," as sho was familiarly and
fondly called. Although Queen Elizabeth was
what was vulgarly called " a strong-minded
woman," yet she was womanly, and was very fond
of children. She was, however, somewhat vain of
her little hands and little feet ; but this was a
weakness which Miss Thorne seemed to think was
not limited to Queen Elizabeth ; for our own be-
loved Queen Victoria was well known to have a
very elegantly-proportioned arm, and somehow or
other this fact was made to appear rather promi-
nently in every painting in which her Majesty was
represented. The lecturer then adverted to the
"one blot" upon the character of Queen Elizabeth,
namely, the execution of Mary Queen of Seots ; and
although Miss Thorne would palliate it on the
ground of Mary's supposed guilt, she still did think
it was a blot. The circumstances of the attempt of
the Spaniards to land in this country were then
adverted to, on which occasion Catholics as well as
Protestants flocked to the standard of England's
Queen, determined to defend her and their native
country against foreign invasion. The death of
Essex was next glanced at, and its effect upon the.
Queen was noticed in a very effective manner,
making, as the occurrence did, the death-bed of
Elizabeth a sad and painful picture to look upon.
Such were the chief points in the lecture under
consideration, which was neatly constructed
throughout, and many portions of which were elo-
quently written. Miss Thorne, whose enunciation
is clear and distinct, delivered the lecture in a most
graceful and effective manner, and was frequently
deservedly applauded by the audience.