New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-23
SKETCHES OF LECT u RES.
MIR. Thackeray's Lecture.


The second Lectureb by Mr.. Thackeray, which
was delivered last evening, confirmed the brilliant sue
cess of his first appearance in New-York Friday
night In spite of the inclemcncy of the weather.
cold rain having set in soon after sunset-the house
ives filled in every part by deeply attentive audience,
comprising the most distinguished portions Of New
York society. The lecturer equally felictous in
the treatment of his subject the former occasion,
and bis expressive, manly socution was even more
agreeable on repetition than when we heard 1t for the
first time The charm Of Mr.. Thackcray's lectures,
thus far consists in their admirable literary finish
ard genuine artistic grace With none OF the
solemn pomp of the protested teacher. he eluci-
dates the subject under discussion in a manner
which makes il clear to ell classes of listeners. He
makes sufficient Of facts, to serve AZ foundation
for his shrewd comments but does not bore his audi
ence with tedious superiority of details He then pro-
ceeds with his quiet vigor of thought 10 analyze the
characters of which he treats catching their most
subtle peculiartes hitting of their foibles with inima
BILE humor and kndling into the warmest emotion this
side enthusiasm the contemplation Of their virtues,
when he is 20 lucky 10 detect the This il done
with such curious propety Of language, such an ex
quisite keenness of phrase produce constant in
ward ohuckle, when the target Of the marks.
man hit in the white.
The lecture last night devoted to Congreve and
Addison After speaking of the patronage receivedby
literary men in the age Of Queen Anne, Mr. Thackeray
described the good fortune of Congreve in obtaining
the favors of Government. Like Tickell, Gray, and
John Dennis he basked in the sunshine of the ruling
powors His first play attended with extraordina
~ success He at once became noted man about
town His word was quoted an oracle, and his man
ners were made the mirror of fashion Beneath his
biz periwig his eve looked down a crowd Of sste,
tes, with whom he always The great Mr. Congreve
Nor was thia all He enjoyed place as well as popular
ity He was installed in various Offices which put
money in his purse The great Mr. Congreve with his
fullbouomed periwig, was appointed commissioner
Of hackney coaches, obtained birth in the ppeofhce,
and also in the custom house. Congreye may be de-
scrbed as the great literary sre of his age His fssy
pretensions were sarised by the lecturer with unmt
gated severity. Every word was drop of aqua forts
which searched our swell man to the quick. Leaving
the personal character of Congreve, which was made
out to be the most hollow product of hollow age,
without one redeeming trait of manliness sincerity,
or true feeling Mr. Thackeray ezpaated on the style
Of comedy to which Congreve was addicted The
comic muse of that time was wild, saucy, paint
cd. brazenfaccd baggage of a French woman,
with ewes bright with wit and wine sitting on the kings
knee laughing In his face, and when she showed her
sudacious cheek at the coach window, receiving the
mods and becks aud wreathed smiles OF the very elect
of the land Like the bad beauty Nell Gwynne, the
muse in which Congreve delighted was gay, generous
frank popular-the men who drank her VINE andtooh
her money came to her rescue when set upon by the
Puritansbui the hussy could have nothing good SAID
of her-snd this her champions knew perfectly well.
Nell Gwvnne's man servant fought with his fellow SER
wants because they called his mistress by foul name
The sturdy Puritan Jeremy Collier attacked the worth
less Jezlbel the British comedy, calling her what Men
Gwynnes mans fellows servants called Nell Gwynnes
mans mstress-and she defended by the patrons
Of the thcAter with lmilsr Mr. T. said he nad
read two or three of Congreves plays before speaking
of him And what plays they were TO be surei They
reminded him OF what some of his audieace had seen
at Pompei The ruined house showing the remains OF
the last orgie-a dried wine iar-a charrei supPerta-
ble-the breast OF dancing girl pressed against the
oshes-the gTinning skull OF bufoon-the stiffness
disturbed only by the drone of the cicerone-wle the
blue sky looked smlingly down upon the ruins The
comic muse og the last century was purely pagan m ~
character protesting, like the jewellers Of Pompeu,
against the new, hard Gscetic doctrine which had
passed over from the Mediterranean, destroying the
beautiful images Of Venus and knocking downthe altar
of Bacchus Concreye was a disbelever in sn truth
and goodness He had not the slghte5, sense OF mo
ralhy His CHASTITY doctrine was summed up IN the
brief articles Of filth thai should act drink and DC
merry when can, and 90 TO the deuce, Il thefe DC
dueee, when the time comes
The lecturer then alluded to one Of different spirit
whose wit mikes US laugh without leaving sting
the kirdest benefsctor OF soeiety-the audience mast
anticipate that be was about 10 mention the honore1
name Of Addison When we look &. that calm iair
face-those chiseled features, cold in Their serene
uurity-we feel that we in the presence Of one Of
the lonely ones Of the worldwide were in the world
but not OF IT, His affections were not much used-1or
his hooks were his farnily-and his society was his
uubre-he must have been conscious OF suPeroriyto
almost every man he met withand could not be ex-
pected 70 exercise asy great fervo- OF feeling NJ
Thackeray depicted the carly struggles Addison win
poverty Ind oblcuTiry, from which he emerged BY
means of the eeat produced By the composition o. the
CcU,Daign and Csis 4 Discriminating critqu' OF BIS
rcstcn q an esssy-t then followed and tie lecturer
closed with tie recitation Of tie fine religious sGaAZAs
Tke,acisas frrsarsRf on hh- &C, AID some adnFsoe
remarks on TIE religious character OF Addison Whea
he turns his thcuchts toward heaven ssa5oain cones
over his mind and his face lights ~ from the reaec-
ton with glory OF thEnks and prayer HIS sense oi
RELIGION sts through bis whole being In the aed u
he town locking a. the birds in the 'reos-st iAe end
r,niptle streets-in the morning or tie nooa--snt-
from his book-n his own roon, IN public party OF
country rnerryrnaking, or 4 town asssrioy-s'oa WI
and peace 10 Gods creatures and loving awe Oh INN
who made them, aIls ais pure heart s1d chimes IRON
his lind face Ii swits life was the most "re.'hs'