, 1873-10-15
BRET HARTE.
His Lecture Last Evening on
"The ArGonnuts Of 49,
A Large Audience and IN Entertain.
ing Discourse.

Yostcrday1cvonfng tho Kingsbury Music Hall
underwent ita third dedication. couple Of
! wooks ago it waa oonseorated to song md
oratory by tho maHs-mooting Of the "peoplo's
Party" where frank Iunlbard Bung and Mr..
Hesing mado q speech. A. little 1ator, music
tooH possession Of it in tho namo OF Theodore
Thomas, and last night Bret Harto began the
lecture season there. On all thceo occasions tho
attendance has been large, but that yesterday
waa exceptionally 80. Owing partly to ouri-
osity, partly to o yoarning to hear Who tho
Argonauss wero, aud partly to desire to hear q
lecture which Ind won general approval wherever
delivered, tho hall Was vory well filed. It was
one OF those houses Which give managers pleas
ant dreams, and make them haYo fearB Of rob-
bers. Such houses are tho parents OF bank
bold innovation Of beginning lecture with
music. The "star Orchestra" composed Of
nine pieces, under the leadership Of
Johnnie Hand, occupied tho time during
thoso weary moments in which tho
lecturer is escorted to tho drossing~room,
takeH off Lis ovorcoat, gets out his manuscript,
clears his throat, and prepares for action. For
tho benefit Of abaentees. and for those in attend
anco who did not hayo programmes, 1t may DO
stated that tho orchestra performed the over
ture to "Zampa,"a u selection from ''Martha, !"
ind one of 6trauHB' waltzcs,
This novel idea OF lecture orchestra
was exceedingly we'll received by the au-
dienco, which applauded from time to timo
md would probably have applnu1ed moro, If tho
hddlca had remained On the stage aud had kept
up a sort Of running accompaniment Of tho
lecture,-" agitato" for his pathos, "akeorzo" !"
for his fun, aud "pianiasimo," oh so "pianiBsi-
mo" for tho descriptions OF scenery, But this
retlnon,ent has not yot been introduced.
hs aasa aass' ha haopissa es hays ny oao tho oa @
and Mr. Harto mado hia appearance.
It is uscleBs to describe . man who has boon 80
| often described, and whose portrait figures on
tue first page OF the Star Weekly. Il is unnec-
| Of. the strange grace ho infused into tho words
| "ladieH and gentlemen," owing to tho fact thoy
do not exist. He spread out the manuscript on
tho stand lilte any other Christian, and WIS pro-
| troduco ono whose nano was household
word wherever the English language WINS
spoken. He bespoko for him tho luck Of q
roaring house. The locturer received placialy
proceeded to speak Of tho "Argonsuts Of 49,"
| It was an episoue Of American life Us quaint
| and typical as TINT Of tho Greok adventurous
| not profitable and porhaps not true. The bout
| That could be said Of 1t WAS that 1t existed no
longer: Then he ,gayo q brief .skotch Of the
| carly history of California, the imperfect geo.
graphical notions. concerning 1t, aud tho sleepy
| and peaceful coldltion of tho country under
| Spanish rulo. This changed suddenly, though
I tho chapgo had been slowly preparing. Tho
real pioneers of the Argonauts we're tho Catholic
aud Mormon Churches the old and new religions
of the world. But for tho settlement msdo by
tho latter, the overland emigration would have
been almost impossible. After these preliminary
observations he came to his maln subject, aud
told his story with a brillianoy Of statement, a
wealth Of anecdote, keennoss of illustration. aud
sharpness Of sarcasm, which must bo reported
oither In full or not at all: To give
an. abstract Of It would be :. tu
table, . telling Of story and leaving out tho
point thereof. Besides, the lecture may be copy
rightod, and 1t would bo an Infringement of tho
laws Of tho United statoa to publish it without
permission. 1t is to be regretted that 30 many
papers have for tho last ton or twolve years been
| publishing, without authority. many Of tho anoo.
dotes related last night.
In briof, he told the life Of the men Of rs
first in the city and afterwards in the
mountains, whero civilization drove thom
and going rather beyond bis te1t. he
influence upon tho country, and seemed to init
mate that, IN some respects, they wore 3 little
superior to tho form Of civilization they came In
contact with. This was not cheored.. Inter:
graphic pictures Of California scenery, in noun.
thin and in plain. md also Of Fray Junipere
6eErh, tho franciscan missionary In California
The audience did fairly enough though allow.
ing aomo delicate points to pnsB unnoticcd
That portion which was listened to most joy.
fully was tho ono rotating to the slang Of earl,
California days. The word "noatalgin," how:
ever, waa stumpoE to most Of them, But, aftel
al, lecture and lecturer wese great aucooss
and wero lie to come again he could secure eyet
raIcca e tuIru n1,pcI Anc