Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-11-05
MI. Thaokeray's Lectures.

L
As Thackeray the English author proposes 10
deliver course of lectures shortly in this country
the following notice of of lectures from the
Liverpool Mercury of the 9Th ult. may not prove
Iuninteresting g ia
"The third of the course was delivered on We'd
nesday evening" the subject Sir Richard Steele and
the Society Of Queen Anne,s time, and distin-
euished by the same mastery style and caustic
humor that characterized the preceding ones, but
with the advantage of greater scope for dissertation
in the subject. After graceful introduction 10
show that in the lighter works of fiction there was
Ito be found more reliable materials for the forma-
ton of an opinion as to the manners and customs
of by-gone age tbanconld be extracted from The
more pretentious and heavier works called hlsto-
ries, The lecturer proceeded TO give graphic
sketch of society in the time OF Queen Anne, ms
estimate of the social condition of which may
be gathered from his declaration oil belief that
refined person of the present day could no more
receive into his drawing-room fine lady OF the
time of Queen Anne, hear what she said' ana
see what she did than he could SO receive an
ancient Briton. The lecturer then gave some
humorous extracts from the periodical literature
of the time prior to the publication OF the 1dtier
and Spectator. The state of society, OF its mo
rails and manners, was graphically reviewed anu
illustrated by anecdotes of some OF the "iast' men
of that day, including the notorious Lord Mohan;
also, humorous description of a fashionable DIM
ner party. The introduction to the life OF Dick
Steele was in the lecturers most happy manner;
then followed his career-hs follies, falings, and
misfortunes together with his redeeming quail
ties-his kind heart, amable disposition, and de-
votion to the fair sex. All women, said the lee
turer, were bound to be grateful to HIM, for he was
the first of our writers who seemed to admire and
respect them; he paid manly homage TO their
goodness and understanding as well as to their
wit and beauty. He admired their wit acknowl-
edged their sense, and adored their virtue and
beauty, with strength which should win the
lie tb yynS "
made his comedies so pleasant and their heroes
such fine gentlemen. He paid to Lady Elizabeth
Hastings the finest compliment ever offered 10 q
woman; for he said, stthat TO have loved her was
liberal education" He saluted good and beau
tiful woman with his heart as well as his hat
About children, and all that related to home, he
was not less tender; and he spoke III terms oil
apology for his "softness,'' as he called 1t. HIS
works were like his life, full of faults and blum
ders; but both were redeemed by his kind and
compassionate nature. His letters to his wife bore
all the marks of the genuiHeness of conversation;
they were artless childs pIatte, and as con-
fdential as curtain lecture
After beautiful quotation from the respective
writings Of Swift, Addison and Steele, on the sub
ject of death and eternity, and which was s,ngu-
larly Characteristic Of their several dispositions,
the lecturer owned to liking Dick Steele the man,
and Dick Steele the author, much better than
much better men and much better authors; the
misfortune was that great portion OF the audi
ence must take his amlability upon hearsay, be-
cause they could not make his acquaintance. Not
tina. Steele was worse than his time on the con-
trary he was far better truer, and higherhearted
man than most who lived in it; but things Were
done, and names named, in company which Steele
kept which would make most people shudder now.
Let us think gently of one who was so gentle, and
speak kindly of one whose breast exuberated in
human kindness. The attendance evnced mark
ed improvement on the former occasions, and the
lecturer was continually greeted by the laughter
and applause Of the audience. Mr. Thackeray,
however, pays so little attention to the ordinary
stage tricks of the craft that little opportunity
presets itself for manifestng applause, except at
the expense of interrupting the subject every word
Of which has its value and its meaning.
"Mr. Thackeray delivered his fourth lecture last
evening. The subjects were p ror, Gay, and Pope.
The lecturer in treating of these wits whose names
are familiar to our ears as household words dis
played the same mixture of humor, satire, and pa
thos which characterized his preceding Lectures,
and which pervade, indeed, all that he has written.
Prior and Gay, lesser stars in the GALAXY OF the
Inst century, were dismissed with comparative
brevity but the dissertation on Pope was an elabo
rate and eloquent piece of criticism, which lis
tened to throughout with breathless attention by
an intelligent and unclaimed auditory. We can
not attempt to give analysis of the lecture,
nor would we, perhaps if we could. Mr.. Thacke-
ray is of the most iccompliShed writer's Of the
present day-equa if not superior, to most OF those
whose literary "reminiscences he so wildly depicts;
and we would recommend readers, instead of
looking TO the newspapers for an imperfect abstract
of his eloquent dscousings, to go and see and lis
ten for themselves. If they possess any apprecia-
ton of refined literary taste, of udcious criticism,
pleasant sarcasm, or quiet genial humor, we pro-
mise them that they could not spend more de-
ghtful hour than at the footstool OF the author CT
VANITY FAIR"