JRE BURNS CONCERT.
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THE HONGKONG WEE
The Scotch concert given under the auspices of the St. Andrew's Society at the City Hall on Mon- day evening in commemoration of the birth of Robert Burns attracted a most enthusiastic andience and almost every item on the programme was encored. The Band of the West Yorkshire | Regiment was in attendance, under the con- ductorship of Mr. W. G. Bentley, A.R.C.M., and opened with the overture to Macbeth(Hatton), which was spendidly played. Mr. J. Gilchrist followed with a spirited rendering of "There was a lad was born in Kyle," for which he was warmly applauded. The next item was a part song, "Hail to the chief;" by a glee party consisting Messrs. Mirow, Sliman, Measor, Mackay, Grimble, G. Lammert, Smart, Gilchrist, and Armstrong. The parts were well balanced and the execution perfect, and an encore was demanded, in response to which Angie Laurie" given, which was also warmly applauded.
bo it should The part songs, tioned, were arranged for male voices by Mr. A. G. Ward. The fourth item was a song by Mrs. Vallings, whose appearance on our local concert stage is always warmly welcomed. Her selection on the present occasioh was"" My | love she's but a lassie yet," and as an encore she gave "The Banks of Loch Lomond." Mr. H. Goffe was heard to great advantage in his violin solo, Mackenzie's well-known Benedictus," one of the few instrumental pieces by a British composer that have achieved a world-wide re- putation. As an encore he gave a fantasia on Scotch airs. Mr. D. K. Sliman sang "Mary of Argyle" with such taste and feeling that the audience was completely carried away andthe en- thusiasm seemed to reach its bighest point. As an encore Mr. Sliman sang "Jessie the Flower of Dunblane," in which he was equally success ful. The first part of the programme was brought to a close by Mrs. Gordon's "Auld Robin Gray" and her full and rich contralto did full justice to the deep pathos of the song. As an encore she gave “On the banks of Allan Water." After the interval the Band gave a very pleasing selection, "Reminiscences of Scotland," by Godfrey, for which they were warmly applauded. Mr. Gilchrist followed with "A man's a man for a' that," and as an encore gave" Whistle ower the lave o't." Mrs. Gordon then appeared again and gave a charming render- ing of "Afton Water. She was of course encored and in reply gave Here's to the year that's awa. Another part song was the next item,
Scots wha hae," the last verse of which had to be repeated. The Band then again afforded the audience a highly ap- preciated treat in Allan Macbeth's intermezzo Forget me not." Mrs. Vallings next sang Duncan Gray" in her inimitably fascinating style and us an encore gave "Whistle and I'll come tae ye." Some of the younger members of the audience were unfortunately so transported that apparently they could not refrain from responding to the invitation to whistle, which caused some little amusement but at the same time rather marred the effect of the song. Mr. D. K. Sliman sang
"Draw the Sword Scotland," and was again loudly applauded; and the enter tainment concluded with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." The accompaniments to the songs were played by Mr. A. G. Ward and Mr. G. Grim- ble. Those who were present on Monday even- ing will long remember the Scotch Concert as a most enjoyable entertainment and will hope it may be made an annual function.
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HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR ON CHARLES DICKENS.
On the 20th January His Excellency the Governor delivered a lecture at Govern- ment House on
Charles Dickens, his life, works, style, character, and the lessons that should be learnt from them." The lecture he opening of the season's lectures pro- by Hongkong Old Volumes Society have been nearly a hundred and tlemen present to hear what to say about Dickens, "one camusing and versatile Sir John Carrington (Chief Justice) Excellency first of all gave an excellent account of the life of Dickens and then
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read, in an admirable manner, passages in the great n Excellency concluded his lecture with the following summing up of Dickens' character Dickens was a philanthropist in the truest sense; the friend of youth, the friend of the poor, and the enemy of oppression. He not only makes us love our kind in its exhibition of moral beauty, but also when frailties mingle with its excellence. He deals in no sophistries to make evil appear good, the worse the better He makes the fact that happiness and reason. virtue are not confined to any one class, a reality to the mind, and by shedding over his pictures the consecration of a heart full of "Rustic life and the kindliest sympathies. poverty grow beautiful beneath his touch." For over 30 years Dickens occupied a greater space in the minds of Englishmen than any other writer. As was very truly said by the poor man to whom I have referred, Dickens' books have shed a light on the homes of their readers. A great debt of gratitude is due to anyone who leads us to sympathise with the good, sincere a true English character of ordinary life--as well as to one who teaches us to hate vice and to laugh at egotism or hypocrisy. Such a debt is undoubtedly due by all English speaking nations to Dickens. Those who know the influence of a wholesome litera- ture over individuals and through them over. nations can best realize the value of his works. Dickens awoke in every one of his readers a pathetic interest in human life. He touched the tenderest chords in the human heart, and he inspired many a good and noble deed. I am convinced that many people have learned from his writings the value the eternal value-of generosity, of purity, of kindness, and of unsel- fishness, and haro learnt moreover to show these memorials of him in their lives. I would ask, where are the novels of to-day-hundreds though there are which will compare with those of Dickens for truthful delineation of character. comprehension, sympathy, humour, purity, and pathos? Dickens has been un- fairly charged with holding up religion to ridicule in the persons of: Stiggins and Chad band. He never wrote a word against religion. His faith was simple and I believe sufficient. He exposed hypocrisy, a characteristic which is found in clerical as well as in lay life. To 'say that his writings contain no religious teaching is to do them a very great injustice. He has also been accused of ridiculing scientific bodies like the British Association and even Parliament itself. It is true that he has often made himself and his readers merry with them in a very genial and good humoured way; using these grave assemblies far more as a vent for his irrepressible humour than with a view of bringing them into contempt. As regards his style it has the merit of being singularly Everyone of his works idiomatic and rigorous.
is a well of pure English undefiled." In the serious moods of his mind there is a harmony of flow about his writing which often glides uncon- oiously into metrical arrangement and which is full of those words, "which fall as soft as snow on the sea and melt in heart as instantly." In addition to a refined perception of moral beauty, as illustrated in Little Nell, Dickens possessed great tragic power. There is another charac- teristic about Dickens' works which is par ticularly worth notice. He carefully avoids in- troducing into them a single foreign word, which distinguishes him from many of the trashy novelists of the present day whose works are constantly disfigured by that silly | affectation. Dickens' writings are also remark
able for another great charm-that is, their stainless purity. The most chaste and refined persons can read any of his productions without receiving the slightest offence to their modesty, He never stooped to pander to depraved tastes. In conclusion it must not be overlooked that in the career of Dickens there is an important les son to be learnt. It teaches us what can be accomplished by concientious work and manly At a public banquet once self reliance.
at Liverpool he said that his given success was due to his having determined at the outset of his career to throw himself heart and soul into literature to make it his only means of subsistence, and to stand or fall by it. Aoting on this determination, animated by a consciousness of the dignity and respon
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sibity of the pro so bravely that tages of his early first literary effo
yet at the age of 26 1 starrycrown of fame the reach of nearly every who earnestly and patie But, ladies and gentlemen,” an this does not apply to literature alo be carried into every occupation are engaged, whether it be or of the band. To love our be, and to be determined to ex spirit with which we should all and is indispensable to the attain success in any pursuit. It was of work and this decision of ch made Dickens, like all illustrious men, delights and live industrious days.”~- in our several ways have it in our to make the world the better for our ex When our time comes to leave this Sphere, it will be more than satisfactory_ if we can honestly feel that we have not lived in vain, or in the noble words of Tennyson-
"At least not like a rotting weed, But having sown some generous seed, Fruitful of farther thonght and deed To pass when life her light withdraws, Not void of righteous self applause, Nor in a merely selfish cause. Those lines can be most appropriately applied to Charles Dickens, who wrote No word which dying he could wish to blot.” "Of all men ho undoubtedly had the great hap- piness of knowing that he had contributed to the enjoyment, instruction, and improvement of millions of his contemporaries by his imperish. able writings, which will yield equal delight to generations yet unborn. Charles Dickens in his last will and testament said, "I rest my claims to the remembrance of my countrymen upon my published works.". He was wise. The storms of adverse criticism have beaten and may again beat upon them, but those claims will never be shaken, because they are founded on the sure and solid rocks of truth, purity, and love.
At the conclusion of the lecture, which was most attentively listened to and afforded much pleasure to those present, Sir John Carrington asked the members to show by their applause their appreciation of his Excellency's admirable lecture. They must be all aware of the pain and trouble his Excellency had taken in prepar- ing so full and able a lecture on so wide and large a subject. They all loved Dickens and must have derived great pleasure in hearing the story of his life and the extracts read from his
works.
These remarks were greeted with load ap- plause and the proceedings concluded.
THE HONGKONG GENERAL CHAM- BER OF COMMERCE.
At a monthly meeting of the Committee, hold at the Chamber Rooms on the 16th January-Present: Messrs. A. McConachie (Chairman), N. J. Ede, St. C. Michaelsen, N. A. Siebs, T. H. Whitehead, and R. C. Wilcox (Secretary),
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed,
NEW MEMBERS. The following firms had been elected to mem
Messrs. Grossmann bership of the Chamber & Co., Messrs. Kruse & Co., Messrs. H. Skott & Co.
dent
Ch bers
THE INCREASE IN TELEGRAPH RA! Letters acknowledging receipt of
at the lasta the report of the meeting on the 19th Septemb against the action of the in raising their rates to Shanghai, from the Pr
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