The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-08-12
Lecture Last Friday Evening.

Tx S111IlH
We had the pleasure of listening to a lecture by
Arch-Deacon Mason on Friday evening of last
week, at Bufum's Hall. the subject being The
Indirect Influence of Popular Writers of Fiction
on Social Institutions as Exempli6ed by the
Writings of Charles Dickens" The reverend gem
tleman opened his subject by an apology for as
piring to the task of delineating the great authors
characters-an apology that we felt at the close of
the lecture was not called for. Charles Dickens
saw with many others the abuses that had crept
into the administration of the Poor-Laws in Eng
land-laws wisely and bumanely framed for the
amelioration of the poor. and while the humanita-
rIan of one class laid before the rulers of the peo-
pie facts and statistics, the knowledge thus OBJ
tanned failed to arouse the people to seek an
efficient remedy. Then this man. gifted with the
power of reaching the hearts of his fellow men.
set before them the world renowned types of
ignorance and self-snfiiciency in power in his
word-pictures of the work-house officials and the
Board of "OliVer Twist and though the speaker
thought that these characters might be somewhat
Overdrawn. still he knew that active. wholesome
reform in the management of the poor houses and
work houses followed upon the publication of that
novel and he might have added that the erDose
of the conduct of Fangthe Police Justice "a bona
tide character) was followed by the heretofore long
delayed expulsion from office of the petty tyrant
indicated.
The hospitals of England were then spoken of;
and here, where every provision had been made
for the proper care of patients as far as funds and
buildings were concerned. we found that tbrouoh
apathy and carelessness, abuses had crept in. and
without knowing it almost, the patients were IN
der the charge of mercenary, selfish nnfeelinp
WrotchPR- Wh0Sp only rnotiya ,,o. A..
The well-intentioned but red-tape-entanoled
efforts of the lawmakers were expended in vain
to ons& these barpies, and it was not until Sairy
Camp and Betsy Prig were shown ND in =. Martin
Chuzzlewit q" that people began to look to the anali-
hcations of their nurses before entrustinp them
with the care of their sick friends and fellow NOR
tails. Now. the Florence Nightingales OF our dav.
like the Vestals of old. who kept alive the sacred
hres In the heather temples. consecrate their pure
lives to the still more sacred task of nourisbino
the waning spark of life. Our sensibilities are no
longer shocked by the picture of two gin-befuddled
women nurses so called) quarreling over their
prey, nor are We called upon to shudder. as Mrs
Camp. preparing for her night watch IN by the
she OF the fever-consumed sufferer, is absorbed in
making herself comfortable for the night. and only
approaches the bed of her patient to pluck from
lnder his poor burning head the pillow. that she
T NH~s az
rest the easier
Before the publication of " Nicholas Nickleby.u
the young boys of England were often subjected
unmitigated abuse in hundreds of the institu-
ions called into existence by the demand for
places at which they could be placed to learn
and be &" out of the way (for at home
We must confess that children are often very much
n the way,) and many a parent. kind and affec-
ionate. feels that twill be a relief to them when
be holidays are over. And so Dickens could draw
picture of 'Dotheboys Hall " and its precions
cad "Squeers," so true to the life, that more than
ne letter was sent him threatening suits for libel
nd thus while complimenting his descriptive
overs, endorsing bis truthfulness. /,
In conclusion. the speaker drew attention to the ]
marrying aspect which his bad characters
resent. There is none of that false glitter that is
by the yeliOw-covered litterateur around /,
is characters. Dickens Sykes or Tobin are never
eroes they are simply thieves and murderers. fit :
of the Jew Fagin. and as such they live :
squalor and Indebtedness, with the galIows
'er before their eyes, and beyond this, nothing. =
The scene in the condemned cell, where the
iserable wretch Fagin anticipated his doom, was
ought before us vividly by the speaker. and the
cture closed with the grand summary of life
GAN the worlds a stage.
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances; -
And one man in his time plays many parts.
His acts being seven stages. At first, the infant n
Mewling and puking in The nurses arms; L
And then, the whining school-boy, with his satchel.
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly TO school and then, the lover.
Signing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mis- stress eyebrow then, a soldier.
Fall of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard-
Jealous of honor, sudden and quick in quarrel.
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the lannon's mouth And then, the Justice
With fair, round belly, with good capon lined,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut.
Full of wise saws and modern instances. r
And so he plays his part The sixth age shifts -
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon
With spectacles on nose, and pouch at side;
His youthful hose well saved, a world too wide m
For his shrunk shank and his big, manly voice. I'll
Turning again toward childish treble. pipes