Widnes Examiner. — 1896-01-18 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

RUNCORN FREE LIBPARY LECTURES.  On Friday evening in the Runcorn Technical Institute, the Rev. J. S. Simpson delivered a lecture on " The Wizard of the North." Dr. McDougall occupied the chair, and there were also on the platform Messrs. William Handley (chairman of the Free Library Committee), J. W. Cunningham, and J. D. Jones (librarian). In the course of his lecture Mr. Simpson remarked that it had been said that Sir Walter Scott's works had become classic. He was sorry if that was the case because they found that the term classic had become synonymous with neglect. Many men of letters had been able to gain a beautiful style by constantly reading Sir Walter Scott's writings. After alluding to Scott's birth in 1771,and the times in which he lived, the lecturer said Sir Walter Scott's nature unfitted him from taking part in the great movements of his day. He lived in the past and he reproduced the past which had a great fascination for him. Referring to the poet's first composition "The Lay of the Last Minstrel," which was written at the request of Lady Dalkeith, he said it was received with little applause and great abuse. Jeffrey's criticisms, however, brought Scott into prominence, and his other poems were received with acclamation, not only by the Scotch, but the English people as well. Scott was essentially an artist aid could paint a picture in words. His sentences were full of life and simplicity. But the people wanted a poet who could voice the intense desires of their heart at this time, and Bcott showed his generosity in making way for a man—Lord Byron—whom he knew to be a better poet than himself,and devoted his abilities to novel writing. The Waverley novels were marked by the same characteristics as the poems; there was the same simplicity, directness of expression, and faithfulness of description. He wrote with an ease which they did not find in any other writer. He made the past live; his characters being historic were written' faithfully according to history. They were no mere puppets going before us on the stage pulled by a string by the writer. They were full of truth and throbbing with life. He was very happy in his portraiture of women characters, the finest being that of Jeanie Jeans the heroine of "The Heart of Mid-Lothian." In that character he seemed to have put the best he knew of woman. She was a homely woman, born in humble circumstances, a gentle sister, a loving daughter, affectionate lover, and one who would give her life in :.elf sacrifice for the good of her own sister. She was but the type of Scotch women, she had the characteristics of the peasantry ; she was no new woman with a taste for manly sport and passions, anl yet she fascinated and interested us. Mr. Sampson proceeded to speak of the nobility of Scott's character, and the richness of Scotland in good men and women, and in 'conclusion said Scott died in harness, with a name untarnished. In the thousands of leaves he had written, there was not one sentence which he could have wished had never been written. (Applause.) The lecturer was thanked for his services on the motion of Mr. Cunningham,seconded by Mr. Jones. The Chairman's services were also acknowledged on the Motion of Mr. Handley, seconded by Mr. E. Marshall.  Commander Mllardy, Chief Constable of Lanarkshire, committed suicide by drowning himself in the Clyde on Thursday afternoon. He had announced his intention of doing so,and weighted his pockets with dumbells. A child named Eastwood died at Bradford Infirmary on Thursday from the effects of injuries received by the fall of a chimney' stack through the roof of an infant school at Lowmoor on Wednesday, this being the second death. In the case of another child recovery is considerd to be very doubtful. Some of the other cases of injuries are serious.  21ibtrtianunt not elosifteD.