London at the End of the Century:A Book of Gossip
a Beckett, Arthur William
1900
A DISCUSSION WITHOUT MUSIC.
Thanks to the kind invitation of a very old friend of mine, I was present some little while ago at another entertainment organised for the benefit of the poorer classes at the East End. On this occasion we had no songs, but a lecturer who dealt with matters of history from his own standpoint. The address was one of a series, and dealt with subjects not uncalculated to cause heated discussion. The audience was distinctly mixed, and cheers and counter-cheers were | |
216 | frequently heard during the course of the oration. However, excellent order was maintained, and seemed to be the motto of the meeting. At the end of the address questions were submitted to the lecturer, which he proceeded to answer with the most perfect good temper, although some of them might have been couched in politer language. When the speaker had to admit a the was received with roars of laughter. When I heard what was to be the subject of the paper I had feared an angry altercation, possibly not confined entirely to words. To my pleased surprise I noticed that although the audience was divided in opinion, there was no sign of violence. |
said one of the gentlemen on the platform, | |
The hint was immediately accepted, and with a hearty cheer for the lecturer the meeting quietly separated. | |