The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-23 00:00:00

THE LATE MR. DOUGLAS JERROLD.

Yesterday evening Mr. Thackeray delivered 11
lecture on " Week-day Preachers," at St. Martha's-
ball, for the benefit of the " Jerrold Fund."

The numerous audience who attended on the oc-
casion cheered the lecturer as he ascended the Plat-
form with an enthusiasm that showed a strong de-
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forced into applause by the operrim? words of the
disc.,urse, uttered with a comical solemnity of
which Mr. Thackeray alone is capable. ." "Walking
yesterday in the high-street of a certain ancient
city"--o began the lecturer, and was interrupted
by a storm of laughter that deferred for some Irl3.
ments the completion of the sentence. Every one
that heard that roar must have felt convinced at
once that the orator had secured the sy-rnpathies of
his hearers on the very threshold.
When be resumed the tr.read of his narrative he
explained that in the cours of his walk be saw"a
MS. sermon in a bookseller's shop, which had led
him to reflect that the clergyman who usiglu chance
to buy this valuable article and make use of it for
the pulpit would probably neglect to inform his ad•
miring congregation that he had purchased it as one
of a lot, at the rate of 15s. per dozen. Indeed, he
greatly doubted whether any clergyman, on deliver-
ing any one of his discourses to several successive con-
gregations, would inform the last of these the number
of times that the same benefit had been conferred
on similar assemblages. However, his own candour
would not allow him to conceal the fact that the
greater portion of yesterday evening's discourse had
been already delivered not only in America, but on
two occasions in London. On one of these occa-
sions he had spoken for the benefitof a Jewish cha-
rity, on the other he had contributed towards the
assistance of a literary genii( man whose misfortunes
were much commiserated in this metropolis about
two years ago.
The lecture, in fact, was mainly the same as an
oration on "Humour and Charity" that was deli-
vered some time ago at the Maryleboue Institution,
and comprised most of the sentiments previously
expressed in the four celebrated lectures on the
" British Humorists," with additions connecting
the theme with the writers of modern times. 'So
much being premised it is scarcely necessary to
state that he spoke of Adlison with unqualified
love and admiration, referred to " Dick Steele,"
as one would refer to a favourite but somewhat
naughty child ; gave a few kindly words to Field-
ing scowled somewhat severely at Lawrence
Sterne, and alluded to Goldsmith as a general bene-
factor. The " Week.day preachers" of yesterday
evening were, in fact, the " humorists" of Lis for-
mer lectures.

With Steele and Addison, he said, began that se-
lection of subjects from ordinary life which distin-
guished the grave and gay productions of modern
literature from the stilted tragedies and heartless
comedies of earlier days. Modern writers have felt
themselves called upon to address the symp tthiei of
the people, and these are generally on the side of
right and adverse to oppression. Burns and Beran-
ger were cited as examples of popular song-writers ;
and to illustrate his theory by a reference to the
stage Mr. Thackeray pointed not only to the Black-
Eyed Susan of Mr. Douglas Jerrold, but likewise
to two plays performed at a penny "gaff," in which
wicked aristocrats and virtuous plebeians were the
leading personages.
Charles Lamb, Thomas Hood, and Punch then
came in for his eulogy as so many kindly teachers,
and, to give a specimen of our facetious contempo-
rary, he read an article, entitled the " Curate's
Walk," known to be a contribution from his own
pen. This article is a masterpiece of humour and
inobtrusive pathos, and served the lecturer as a
starting point in the delicate task of drawing a com-
parison 13.. t ween himself and Mr. Dickens, who was
present in the hall, and was one of the mostert-
thusiastic of the listeners. He confessed that his
view of nature was not so pleasant as the view
taken by Mr. Dickens, that he had found critics in
his own children, who wished that he could write
something like "Nicholas Nickleby ;" he pane-
gyrized his friendly competitor as a being " com-
missioned by Divine Benevolence," and spoke of
the " Christmas Carol" as the best of charity ser-
mons. But, as far as concerned himself, he de-
clared that he could only paint life as he saw it,
and must stand excused by the honesty of his in-
tentions.

Most gracefully was the lecture brought to a con-
clusion by a reference to its immediate object.
Within the space of a twelvemonth the weekly din-
ner shared by the staff of "Punch" his been im-
paired by two heavy losses, and Mr. Thackeray ex-
pressed the grief he felt turougti misQing Messrs.
A'Beckett and Jerrold at the "kindly board."
Expaliating on the wit of Mr. Jerrold, be dwelt
stilt more on that intrin=ic benevolence of his char-
acter which was ignored by those who saw in the
brilliant utterer of repartee the severe satirist only.
To illustrate this part of his subject Mr. Thackeray
read an apologue by Mr. Jerrold which shows how
a fruit merchant who had dealt in lemons during
the greater part of his life found au insuperable
difficulty in making the world believe that he had
abandoned his old trade and taken to the sale of
sweet oranges. The editor of " Punch," who has
held the office from its commencement, came in for
his share of eulogy.
The lecture was loudly applauded at all
" points ;" and Mr. Thackeray, after he bad quit-
led the platform, was recalled by the unanimous
, voice of the audience.