The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-02-04
WILLIAMSBURG LYcEUM,

Refinement marks It's progress IN unmls-
taxable characters from time to time in the
Anglo-African ranks-and now and then
brilliant examples are presented by some
wise and determined efforts to facilitate
that progress, which attract our admiration
and offer additional refreshment to our en-
couraged hopes.
A little more than three years ago,
number of ladies and gentlemen, favoring
suggestion, met and organized a literary
circle to be known as the Williamsburg
Lyceum," the exercises to consist of read
ings, discussions, original compositions,
and conversations. The organization was
effected by the appointment of president,
vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and
critic. The duty of the last named is to
correct villainous English and set right er-
rors of history. Theimposition of pecu-
mary tax upon the members was carefully
avoided, they preferring to measure their
interest by their magnanimity when occa-
sion required. The funds, therefore, are
supplied by voluntary contributions Now,
it may be supposed that this system of
creating fund must work rather slowly
not all SO, for gentlemen are not apt to
show themselves ungenerous in the pres
ence of the ladies, but contribute beauti-
fully, and the treasurer's report each month
"tells fattering tale" They elect their
officers semi-annually-July and January
1t has been their practise to honor each
year of their existence with festival,
which is indeed an occasion of general re-
joicing and congratulation that they "still
! live"
tuesday evening, Jan. 18th, marked
their third annual festival Proud may
Williamsburg be that today she can point
her finger and lay claim to this gallant lit
tie phalanx, vending, in the face of schisms
and dissensions, her way up the steep hill
of fame, and bearing upon her broad ban
ner the motto, in letters cf gold, "Mental
Improvement" This body being strictly
social, meets at the house of each of its
members, and therefore the festival was
held at the residence of ex- President, Hen.
ry Williams, in Lorimer street, and glo-
rious good time it was too, one long to be
remembered. The company numbered
forty-three persons, the members being
limited in their invitations in order to se-
cure the comfort of the guests. About 10
o'clock the President, Mr.. Stephen n.
Geers, called the Lyceum to order in a
neat little speech, reviewing the accom-
plishments of the body during the past
year, and welcoming the guests After he
had concluded, compositions were read
from three ladies, and addresses were also
delivered by Messrs. Laban Wharton,
Samuel S. Rankins, (the critic who recited
very happy original poem, Isaiah L. Ly-
ons, Henry Williams, the Vice-President,
Geo. Lyons (who also read an original
poem) and James r. W. Leonard The
company were favored with highly in
tellectual treat by Miss P. A. Madden,
school teacher of Bergen, N. j., Ia newly
acquired member of the Lyceum) Miss
Nancy Poulsen and Miss Hope A. ConyerS,
Of Williamsburg.
These exercises through with, the COM
pany repaired to the lower part of the
house, where exercises of another charac-
ter invited their attention. Upon entering
the room commingling of perfumes from
hot smoking yiands greeted our grateful
olfactories, and predominant amongst
which loomed up that of the delicious BIZ
valve-the oyster, like 'the ripe harvest
of the new mown hay giving "sweet and
wholesome odor." Appetite being exhaust
ed, and having nothing more for idle hands
to do, the grave but gallant philosophers
fell to kissing the crumbs from sweet pout-
ing lips, rendering the occasion truly "a
feast of reason and flow of soul"
TYPES.