The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-24
THE LECTURE SEAS ON.



The secial LAfs or sir Thomas More.
DIR. PIsE's LECTURE BKFoRR THE CATHOLIC INsrI-
TUTE OF NEW YORK.
The hrst OF course of lectures before this as
ISOLATION was, on Thursday night, given by G. c.
Pyse, ID. ID of Brooklyn, at the Stuyvesant Insti-
tute, 659 Broadway. The subject of this lecture
was The Social Life Of Sir Thomas More" The
orator had recourse TO Erasmus for large portion
Of his remarks, and also quoted from other eulo-
gsts, who have thought the praise of More, worthy
their pens. The lecture, as whole, was pleasing,
and was well received by a rather large and re-
spectacle audience. After announcing the subject
Of his lecture, Dr. p. said: -
SIN setting out to describe such parsonage |
must confess that see difficulties in my way. II
is not merely the character Of poet or sage that
engages our attention, but a concentration Of bril-
liant intellectual rays into one focus. | will pass
over many OF the events in the life Of Sir Thomas
More. 1t was the year of our Lord 1850 that
ushered him into life. Through the influence of
his father, Sir Thomas became a member Of the
retinue Of Cardinal Morton. So much admired
were the illusions of his pen, that Dean Colet
said, England never had but one w.t. and that
wit was Sir Thomas More The lady whom
he took for his wife, was the daughter OF John
Colt; her name was Jane She died, leaving
him son and two daughters. Subsequently
he married again. He varied the dull routine
of his professional life with literary occupations
He sometimes amused himself with the viol, and
sometimes devoted himself 10 other accomplish
ments. He filled up his leisure time by the
composition of several works, which are the
subjects of encomium at the present day Among
others, he produced number of amusing pieces,
of which 4" John Gipin" is one. In his garden he
erected chapel, library, and gallery. Never
was there any one who sought assistance at his
hand but went away relieved and satisfied; he fire.
quently invited his poor neghbors TO his table,
where by his facetiousness and good humor, he
made them happy. The reverend lecturer here
quoted at great length frm Erasmus, the enoomi.
ums which that writer - upon the char acter
of Sir Thomas More. 1t enumerated almost all
the milder virtues that fall to the possession of
mankind. To his ample establishment at Chelsea
he added large garden, which was laid out in
plots and one OF those plots he allotted to each of
his servants They were at liberty 10 cultivate
and appropriate the profits Of their labor to their
own benefit. A noble example of benevolence, which
has since been initiated by many humane masters,
but by none more extensively and beautifully than
by one OF the signers of the Declaration of Indepen
dence in nay own native State, Maryland. ! alude
lecturer came now to speak of the religious devo-
ton of Sir Thomas More. He said, it was his GUS
tom to rise early, and with his household around
him, devote some time to RELIGIOUS exercises This
was repeatee at evening in the chapel. He is
said to have felt so deeply impressed when pass
ing ruined church or abbey, that he would not at
such times converse on any ordinary business
topic. He felt in the greatest degree the impor-
lance of early education. He was remarkable for
the eagerncss he evinced to make his daughters
TIT companions for men of learning and talent
The fashions of the court at the time threw OBJ
s,acles in the way of female educ alton; and his
example did more than anything else to induce the
females OF his time to devote themselves to literary
cultivation. The lecturer here dropped the thread
Of his lecture, to speak in commentator of the
works of the talented women who had devoted
themselves to letters; said he had, long since,
come to the conclusion that many of these lady
writer's might contest the palm with their male
contemporaries, even of the best talent, and when
both wrote in the same department of literature
Resuming the subject of the discourse, the lee
lurer alluded to The establishment, by Sir
Thomas More, OF an academy for the educa-
lion of young ladies', which establishment was
read, which Sir l. wrote to the pupils in this school.
The letters were full ofexpressonsofa affection for the
scholars, and high regard for their tutors and were
withal, well adapted TO the capacities and tastes of
his juvenile friends. So deeply did he feel him
self interested in the welfare ofthese young people
that they seemed to absorb all his attention and
'oliciude; he frequently visited them, and exhorted
hem to diligence III their studies. letter written
BY him to his daughter, in answer to one from her,
asking for money, was read, TO show his genero-
sity OF heart, and his afectonate manner Of adj
ressng his children, besides illustrating perfect
specimen lof good natured epistolary correspond
ence. In the two regns previous TO that of Henry
the Eighth, the celebrated Caxton had furnished
the English people with a great number OF works
Of fiction. Here the speaker paused again in his
course TO pass rebuke upon the too prevalent ha-
bit Of devoting valuable time TO reading frivolous
works OF romance. He could not, he said, con- |
Tenn altogether the perusal Of well-selected pro- |
AUCTIONS of fancy; but these should only be read
Is recreation, while the sterling works of literature
have the hrst attention, especially of the young |
eade1. The lecturer made sort Of recapitulafion
u HIS discourse, summing up the heads Of It's diff
erent parts and concluding with the eulogy pro- |
,ounced upon Sir Thomas More by Sir James
Mcintosh.