New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-10
Mr.. Thackeray,s Lectures.

Mr. Thackeray is now delivering in Lon
don course of lectures, one every wee 4. upoa the
English Humorsts Of the last century There are
TO be SIX lectures all, comprising notices Of Swift,
Pope and Gay Addison, Steele and COngrere. Field
ing and Hogarth. Smallett, Sterne and Goldsmith
The sub ect OF the first lecture Dean Swift and
as Mr. Thackeray proposes to visit America and
may have something to say Of US, or to US IN this
FORM it is niere sting to marx how he observes and
how he treats character. We take the following
adequate notice Of the first lecture from the London
NorniHg Ners:
Mr. Thackeray began by saying that he must not
be expected in treating of these humousts, o. meter
only series OF lively and iacetlous observations.
Harlequin without has mask Was known 20 be as
grave man as ms nelghDOrs. IL was 10 tnen ives
more than 10 their book. that he proposed 70 direct
his attention and they suggested reflections Of
d If not sad character. As their OBJECT had
been 10 comment on others, they now became the
subjects of observation themselves the preachers
OF Yesterday became the text Of to-day's sermon
He then Tecaptulated the leading facts Of SWlits
lfe-hls birth al Dublln-hls service IN Sir VII
liam Temples-hs political career. Abiding 10
his blographers, he happily characterized johnson As
having gwen hun Sury recognition ana passed on
After all The best test was 70 say OF any such man
How would YOU have liked 10 have been ms friend "
He should have liked 90 have been Shakespeare
cal-boy he should have liked 20 have lived on Hdr-
~ Feldlngs stalrcase-to have opened MS door for
the morning. and listened 10 hs talk over his jug Of
small beer he should have enjoyed the charm Of
Addison's conversation. Now, rs 70 swirl, II you
had been his inferior. he would have treated YOU
kindly you had met hlm a. a man and his equal,
he would have asSalleG YOU II you had been noble
man he woul- have been the most delightful com
paIlOn IN the world. HIS serUlty staggered 80,
that il looked like independence. lie took the road
Ike Macheath- stepping all The carriages that came his
way % get hat he could from them but there was
one carriage with d mItre II which he looked for
very anXlOusiy. IL never came, however 50, sad
Mr. Thackey. he fires ms pistol IN tRe ar with !
curse. ana rctres 20 his own country" After some
observations on the disorders Of that age he said
thai swift could not properly be called an Irishman
steele and Goldsmith were IrlShmen. and 10 the
last. But : q was not an IriShman because he
Was born IN Dublin. any more than an Englishman
born ia Calcutta was a HlndoO. lie uses
his words ihrftiuliy ne did his fortune. lie has no
redundancy Of Of Illustration. Often he seems afraid
Of beng eloquent. Next, be gave picture Of Tenn
pies household and SWlf's position there, which
ont Of the most characteristic parts Of the lecture
There this young obscure genius met as an inferior
some OF Sir Williams important friends What dull
pompOSity he must have listened 10 What feeble
Jokesi d" wonder continued MT. ThackeTayl II i
eve, struck Temple that this man was his master -