The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-09
1T WAS POPULAR.
Novel Lecture on Thomas
Moore by NJ. j. Dwyer.

II the opening lecture in the course
for the benefit of the Notre Dame con-
vent building fund got the attendance
II deserved, no hall in Worcester would
contain half those seeking admission.
| Inc lecture was given last eve
! hihS IN st. Johns Hall OH Winter
street. the speaker being Michael j.
| DWyer OF Boston, commissioner of mu-
| SIC HIS subject was entitled. "An eve
| hlng with Thomas Moore" Mr.. Dwyer
| certainly received a tribute as great as
| any lecturer ever received. When he
Ihlshed his lecture he was applauded
| 10 such length that he had to address
| the audience again.
| ne gave novel lecture. Instead of
| cohlnlng himself entirely to speaking
OF Ihe poems of Moore, he illustrated
! ms remarks by singing several IRISH
/ Inelodles. He is a soloist in the Cath
one cathedral in Boston and a naeniii-
cent singer. Such means of illustration
was happy innovation The lecture
Itself was excellent; with the singing
/ 1t was perfect
Msf' Ihomas Griffin had reason to
L 5:eI proud with such an intelligent au-
ulellce 20 open his course With: he will
PROBABLY feel even more satisfied at
subsequent lectures, for after such a
success as that of last evening. the
PARISH is sure to throng the hall. There
80 not many vacant seats when he
( introduced the speaker in few words
MI. Dwyer said he usually illustrated
ms lecture by means of a stereopticnp
otil ueclded to make a change last eyo-
ming. he won't ever use the stereon-
tlcon again II he is wise, while he pos
sesses such voice and can throw such
onaIiiallc effect into his singing. in
ppehillg, he said Moore's genius was
!leralded by no index of hered ity. His
inspiration was the generous oIItnolIr-
ing of nature.
he spoke Of the parents of the poet.
tdouest and virtuous5- and determined
70 SlNe MN what education they could
Inc chance rehearsal of an old Irish
OH Whlle he was a student at Trinity
College which had been opened to Cath
oiics Only rev years previous, was a
a I've TO Moore, and through it he
save 10 the poor dumb strains of his
country harp living words that have
arrested the attention of all tbe
world. Mr.. Dwyer related his early
eHorts in London and his immediate
successes i'i e
he spoke of his decay in the last
Ssals OIL ms life, when the once vigor-
81 rs az iliIu was afected with softening
vi tne praln. MIR. Dwyer elouuentlY
touched on the devotion of his wife
An act which speaks louder than words
OF the position of honor he held. was
thet flVe years after his death, a mon
ament was erected to his memory in
Duplln, the first monument ever erect
eo on lflsh soil to an Irishman. When
ne consented to write Lalla Rookh. he
received at once an advance of 1000
gulneas from his publishers, the great
sum ever paid for a poem up to that
time. Ths lecturer spoke of the mag
hIIicence of his description of a coun-
Try ne had never visited, Mr.. DIVER
said his powers Of portrayal of COR
Jilctlng emotions of the human breast
contained in that poem have never been
surpassed. FIe recited selections which
We're literally applauded.
IaklnS up the Irish melodies, he said
they may be divided into several
classes, and mentioned one after an
other. to show the patriotism. pathos.
Joyful anu other characteristics which
revealed the characteristics of the Irish
people. 10 show what a difference
such words as Moore wrote make in
song, he sang, "The valley lay smiling
nefofe me- and 1.-THE pretty maid milk
ing her cow" which are set to tha
same music. He said there is no more
merry patriotism in the English lam
guage than the last two lines of the
IRISH melody, while the latter song is
SIMPLY love song. Moore's high re-
spect for women as shown in several
songs, the speaker said is attributable
to his love for his mother and sister.
He lnterspersed the last of his lecture
Win several songs concluding with
The meeting of the waters"
lie was not allowed to stop. how
ever The applause was continued for
over t1Ve minutes, and the audience re-
fused to leave their seats. Mr.. DIVER |
said few words more and then sang
THE last rose OF summer" and. like
all the others, he sang it magnifcentlv |