Welsh Journals

2t THE MONTHLY JOURNAL OF THE NEWPORT ATHEN/EUM AND MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. April. ls-64 clear or too focgy, too long or cwo short. He was the same in his family--his wife rose too early or too late, she did too much or too little. This grumbling propensi y accompanied him into orhor society, so that he was never love I. and barely tolerated. In enquiring the reason of this spirit, he (the lecturer) found it arose, from disappointment. John Grumbler aimed at things he could not accomplish, and was thus disappointed; in^ehool ho expected to take the first prize, hut not labouring for it did not earn it; in business he aimed at being a merchant prince, and to exert an influence in many parts of the earth, but he lacked the qoaliUes that are essential to attain such a position. So mn-h did his disappointment operate on his physical nature that although he fared sumptuously every day he never grew fat. His very children shunned his presence. This man was a source of general remark, and he advised all people who came in contact with him to grumble a', him ; he advised his wife to grumble at him, and even when he was asleep to grumble in fcis ear, to haunt him if possible with grumbling dreams ; if this did not effect his cure, nothing ever would. The man who perpetually grumbled was a perpetual nuisance. The next character upon his list was Mrs. Rover. She was continually visiting the houses of her friends, tea-drinking, under an assumed Idea that she was visiting the sick. He well remembered her taking tea on three several occasions one afternoon, and that when at the tea-tahle in her own home, being unable either to eat or drink again, her husband (poor man) remarked that she certainly must be ill. She took delight in schools, study, and the literature of the day ; and, by those who did not know her intimately, she was held up as a per¬ fect model of a woman. Did they ask how she managed to accomplish all these things? Gould von only look behind the curtain but a little the answer would be plain. Her household affairs were fearfully neglected, and entrusted to the care of servants, and the training of her family was disregarded. The husband of such a wife, even though he possessed the patience of Job, would find her conduct intolerable, for Job never had a wife like Mrs. Hover. It was the dutv of women, aye, of men too.first of all to look after their home affairs. Many a woman aspired to be an authoress, and penned her thought* for the enlightenment of the masses; but a woman who trained up four children physi¬ cally, intellectually, morally, and rcliahmsly, did more good In her day and generation than a host of those who were constantly penning their ideas. Juvenilis, he thought, were more plentiful than ever, and they were lik. wine more impudent, which was mainly attributable to there being so many Mis Hovers David S.mall he would term the nest individual he had to notice. He was a man about four feet, ten inches in height, but his mind tvas far less in stature than his body. H Is nature was eringingandmiserly and he knew not how to spend money. He never knew him to buy a hook in his life, but witli two other- heshaied the price of a weekly newspaper; and he was emphatically the most miserable man he ever saw. He had been acquaint' d with him for seve» years, and dnriug that period David had always worn the same coat. Such men as he were great drawbacks to the progress of trade and commeice ; and Indeed, were all of his stamp, there would be no need of tailors, drapers, or shoemakers Neither was David a happy man. Ho nev. r subscribed towards charitable institutions, using the plea that be gave all to the cause with which he was connected, and to the poor of his own town. When there was distress in the place, he (the lecturer), being his minister, went to him to seek aid for the fund being firmed for relieving the poor people, and as he knew him to be worth at least £30,00 >, expected to receive a considerable donation, but was much disappointed at his putting his name down lor 2s. fid. This man paid no regard to the declaration that " the liberal soul shall he made fat." Miss Idea was the next personage he reviewed. Her one thought was Marriage. She lost her father and mother when young, and had consequently been deprived of all training Mil genuine love; she had a coi.siderable degree oi consequence and was always on the look-out amongst her bachelor friends. She at length got married; to u v,i»e man ?-certainly not, but to one equally as tally and unwise as herself. She possessed no tact or energy, and when her husband came home to breakfast he found her in bed, or. probably, in a yawning mood, saying. '• I had no idea it was this time in the morning." Like begat like; and if a young woman hoped to obtain an humble, intellectual, honest, wise, and pious companion, she must aim at being what she hoped to obtain. Timothy Changeful was a character he had often studied. He was a line, handsome young man, but a restlessness was manifest in his eye. that pervaded all his actions. For a time h-.; was his eocipanion. and had an opportunity of watching him narrowly. When viewing the stars, Timothy determined to barn -I'.out them —he would bean astronomer; and he soon boisgnt :• looks and began the sOady; but quickly gave it up. Geology then struck his fancy, but lie gave that- up likewise, and took to the drapery ti.jee; ue then - became a saddler, and then a sehool-teaehi r, but as be refused to descend to the alphabet he had soon only empty tenches. In some way heaetually managed to becomea preacher, aiil had sustaii.eu tlie spiritual over-sight of a church for 14 itfouths. Since I hen he emigrated to Australia, where no doubt he-was stiii unsettled, and wande'ing at the present time. Timothy cur.-ed the Fates for his ill-luck, when he ought to have cursed himself, as he was the only one to blame. It was the duty of every man to rise as high as possible on the ladder of Fame, i but he must not grow vain there, or he might get di/.zv and Tall. ! The last of whom he would speak that-evening was Miss Dutiful. She was one who had been taught the duties of n household : she could undertake the care of ft family, had been faithful as a daughter, was faithful as annother, ami was an ornament to society. He would close his remarks by recommending Duty as a watchword for all'young men as well as young women, ft was duty that had made the names of Wellington and Nelson to stand ont'so prominent amongst their fellows. Duty was thoir watch¬ word by land and sea "Duty!" cried Wellington on the field of Waterloo, and Nelson'slast signal was " England expects that everv man will do his dutv! " Let them be dutiful to themselves, to their friends and neighbours as well; but, above a I things, he dutiful to Him who had created and preserved them through every stage of life, whose they were, and whom the> ought to serve. Lecture by the Rev. P- W. Darn-tox, B.A., ox '-Epitaphs." —A report of this lecture will appear in the " Monthly Journal " for May-the date on which it was delivered (29th March) pre¬ cludes "it appearing in this •' Journal." THE REV. J. U. BELLEW'S HEADINGS. Elocution as an Art is not in our opinion sufficiently pursued by the educated and intelligent cla ses of this coiiutry- With the exception of occasional recitations of the tragedies and works of .Eschylus. Sophocles, Euripides, l'lautus, Terence, and a few other classic authors, bv some of the more advanced students at out- great public schools; which recitations however, are, we think, to be regarded more in the light of scholarly recreations than as abstract elocutionary efforts, the great .mass of our reading and speaking men, exhibita contempt or indifference for an art which is all powerful in enabling a reader or speaker to render his own or his author's meaning with perspicuity, force, and energy. Of the power and effectiveness of elocution in tnis respect, we expe- lionced a striking illustration in Mr. Bdlews' two readings, on the 9th and llth ultimo, at the Town Hall, Newport, in connection with the AtheuaBtui. This finished elocutionist positively elec¬ trified his audionce in many of his readings from popular authors bv his marvellous descriptive power, physical energy, and modu¬ lation of voice. Naturehas evidently done much for this talented reader. He possesses a voice of singular power, and flexibility, manv of its tones being of a rich musical quality. His physique is sufficiently massive to furnish the requisite endurance for a long-sustained reading of the heroic measure, in which he evi¬ dently excels. This fact was sufficiently exemplified id his ren¬ dering of tbe Brittle of Naxeby, and Horatius, from Mac-inlays Lays of ancient Rome. His Horatius was one of the most im¬ pressive and impassioned readings we have ever heard; more especially that portion of the poem wt.ich describes the defence oftbv bridge leading to Rome by Horatius, Spurius Lartins, and Herminius. Bv the sheer force and vividness of his description of this defence bv the three Roman patriots; he brought them bodily before the mind's eye. We seem to hear the blows inflicted upon the bodies of Annus. Seius, 1'icus, and others, and our imagination pictured their bloody corpses choking up the narrow entrance to the bridge which the invading hosts were so anxious to pass through. We have not space to dwell upon his leudenug of Thackeray, Ingoldsby, and Shakespeare. They weru all marked by some special excellence. We can only say that nature and art combined, have constituted Mr. Bellew one of the most finished elocutionists of the day. TO CORRESPONDENTS. All Communications must he accompanied by the Namos'and Addresses of the writers, for the satisfaction of the Editors, and should he addressed " The Editors, .Monthly Journal, Newport Athenaeum." G.B. (Weston, near Bath)—Nine stamps received. The .Journal shall be sent for nine months. W.G.B. respectfully declined. A.S.- For 1775 read 1755 in page 15 last months' Journal. D.A.D.- Your Answers to Questions {cannot be noticed in conse¬ quence of your omitting to send your name and addre.-s. 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