The Sun. — 1864-06-06 (London, England)

VIII., clad in purple-red velvet, jewels and gold, showing us a grotesque caricature of the " human face divine," in the outlines of a bloated blubbervisaged voluptuary. As a refreshing contrast to which, turn we to (164) Romney's lovely portrait of that exquisite siren of a woman,  "Lady Hamilton." Gazi❑g at it you might almost say—lf so she looked—her pretty herd aside, her rosy, dewy lips riant (laughing from velvet-rea to a gleam of pearl), one can comprehend at least, it  one cannot excuse the fall of Nelson under the spell of her witching fascinations. It is the one face of all, it is the one picture of all that haunts us in the remembrance as we quit the gallery.  Mr, S, C, Irall's Reminiscences of Distin•  tinguished Authors.  A numerous and fashionable audience assembled on Saturday afternoon, at the Vestry- hall, Highstreet, Kensington, to hear Mr. S. C. lidli,F.S.A., relate his reminiscences of literary celebrities with whom he had been personally acquainted. The lecture was given for the benefit of the Kensington Industrial School, and though its delivery occupied upwards of two hours, it was listened to throughout with the deepest attention, and the audience frequently showed by hearty bursts of applause their appreciation of the intellectual treat which had been provided for them. In the course of his long literary career Mr. Hall has had the good fortune to be brought into personal contact with most of the distinguished literary men and women of our epoch; Hannah More, Samuel Rogers, James. Montgomery, Ebenezer Elliot Moore, Miss Landon, Mrs. Opie, Lamb, Coleridge' Allan Cunningham, Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd, Sydney Smith, Professor Wilson, Miss Mitford, Wordsworth, Southey, Miss Edgeworth, Mrs; Hemans, Campbell, Theodore Hook, and Thomas Hood. Of all these famous men and women Mr, Hall gave brief, yet discriminative " word portraits," intetspersed with characteristic anecdotes. His listeners were carried in imagination far back into the last century when he spoke of his acquaintance with Hannah More, whose familiar talk was of Bishop Porteus, Dr. Johnson, and Edmund Burke; and Samuel Rogers, whose first volume of poems was published in 1786, who had worn a cocked hat when a boy, and seen Garrick play. EbentzTr Elliot, the corn-law rhymer, was quaintly described as a man of iron in frame and understaediog, and also in trade, for he was an ironmonger at Sheffield. While speaking of the ill-starred Letitia E. Landon, Mr. Hall was greatly affected. Her brief career (he said) was beset with privations, disappointments, and embarrassments, and she was ever struggling against poverty. When in the zenith of her fame, and towards the terrible close of her life, her personal appearance was highly attractive ; for though small in stature, her form was remarkably graceful, and she paid that attention to dress which literary women too frequently neglect. In society she was brilliant, without, being that dangerous thing, a female wit—playful with the young, sedate with the old, and reflective with the middle-aged. The circumstances of her death were enveloped in mystery, for her husband had since died, and made no sign. As to the various rumours about her death, he (Mr. Hall) would not allude to tbem. He was sure she did not commit suicide, although he knew that she was most wretched in her mournful banishment, and most miserable i❑ her changed condition of life, and if her past career had been gloomy, her future was very dark. He did believe, however, that poison was administered by the African woman, who it was know❑ had been her predecessor. Here is an amusing trait of Mrs. Opie's character—Mr. Hall having asked her to furnish a story to a work which he was conducting, she replied that was opposed to her principles to write a story, but she would send an anecdote, and accordingly she narrated an anecdote in such a manner, as rendered it in effect a very pathetic tale. To follow Mr. Hall in all his pleasant memories of the illustrious dead would far exceed our limits; we must therefore content ourselves with observing that the intrinsic merits of the lecture were greatly enhanced by the admirably clear and emphatic manner in which it was delivered. At its conclusion a vote of thanks to Mr. Hall was proposed by the Ven. Archdeacon Sinclair, and carried by acclamation.