The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-07-01
Oahu College Exhibition.

There was packed throng Of people at the
Court House on last Thursday evening, and as
we sat among an eager and expectant crowd Of
Honoluus best society, memory was busy in
bringing up before us another scene in that Court
Room that so strongly contrasted with the pres
ent occasion.
just about five months ago, savage fury was
making havoc in that hall. What a rage there
was, and what bitterness Of uubrided human pas
siou Blind frenzy was defacing, destroying and
execrating and also beating and bruising some
faithful men ono Of whom, in his uniform as an
officer and ROYAL Chamberlain, and in attendance
on his Royal Master was now watching so ear
uestly this scene of peace, and hope, aud happy
human progress.
1t was most interesting exhibition of some OF
the flowers and fruits Of culture. There were
oratory, song and drama those nobest forms
for the presentation of human thought aud feel
ing; in the study and exhibition of which youth
is stimulated to make valuable exereise,-not
only of memory, but Of taste and high aspiring
emotion.
The defamation, recitation, and oratory of the
evening were generally very good,- in one or
two particulars there were successes of which ell
ders in the experience of life might be proud.
CHANGING at these efforts in rotation, we had first
"a Temperance Address" a good, intellectual
and moral expression of a noted politician. All
thoughtful people are agreed in denouncng in
temperance, the sad destroyer in this nineteenth
century of the order and peace of the strong
races, and those subordinated to them; oil are
agreed in denouncing habit, which makes a CON-
mon being a brute, and finer one, an intoerable
bore; yet when you are engaged IN the simple
presentation of intellectual or scholastic culture,
the especial discussion Of moral reform, or of re
ligious duties or differences, may be properly left
for other fields and forums, rather than our AGA
demic arena. But this address was well spoken,
and if the young speaker is not such smiler as
the author of the production, he has clearer
and better toned voice.
The Coyenanters Deliverance sets forth
that a sudden freshet flooded canyon in order
to drown out some naughty soldiers at the bot
tom of it, whilst the good people they came to
persecute were saved in the craigs above. 1t is
true that the bounty OF rain is said to be for the
bad as well as for the good but perhaps this par
ticular spout was an exception, and at any rate
gave rise to grand and terrible situation and Ia
bleau, which would require some elocutionary and
dramatic power to tell it well and our hero of
the golden apple, who had the matter in hand
this evening was clear, distinct and correct in all
bis articulation, but wanting some more aexibility
of voice and ease Of manner, which grandfather
Time will give him before he gets gray.
The recitation of Cartoons farm ballad, " Go
ing to the Poor House," was well and fluently
uttered and if the makeup of the youthful face
and figure had been more like poor old grand
mother, rather than like nice young grand
daughter. as it was, the representation would have
been first rate From the Poor House, which
illustrates favorite idea of certain writer's that
the naughty scamp of family generally has the
best heart as in the case Of Charles and Joseph
Surface,-was well uttered by youth who does
better than his size would warrant Us to expect.
But now comes the choice bit Of oratory of the
evening the spirit of Discovery" and said to
be original. That matters not; it certainly was
spoken with much original power of elOcutiOn and
grace Of delivery. The subject is noble one for
youth, and it delights generous age to feel Its
inspiration. The searchers and path6nders Of the
earth. from Columbus to Livingstone, are among