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THE REV. CHAS. CLARK'S FARE.
;i WELL.
. On Saturday evening the Rev. Charles
Clark delivered his farewell lecture in tha
Town Hall; to an enthusiastic, and overflow,
ing audience. All the passages were
thronged, the orchestra was crowded up to
the feot of the lecturer, , and a large number
of people were unable to obtain admission,
Tbe subject was one upon wbicb Mr. Clark
has often lectured with great success, -viz.
Charles Dickens. At the conclusion of tha
lecture, in response to a general call, Mr.
Clark spoke as follows " Ladies and
Gentlemen,— There remains ' but one thing
more to say. All this evening, in spite, of
the mirthful subject which has engaged us,
I havo felt overshadowed by the fact
that I have now to say good-bye. There
is something in the idea- of the last time
which subdues the heart with melancholy,
even when only use and wont have held us
to our daily work ; but when the relations of
those who part have been cordial and kindly,
surely the recipient of countless favors ,
would be cold and hard indeed if be could
s»y the latest words without emotion. Look
ing back across my seven years of Mel- '
bourne life, I can honestly say they have
been good and pleasant years.. Like dear
old Dr. Primrose, I have 'lived in great con
tent, not but that I have had those occasional
rubs, -which Providence sends to enhance
tho value of its favors.' My troubles, how-'
over, have been largely of my own making,
and whenever -tbey have boset mo there has
always been some way of escape, and to-day
I can gratefully testify that it was a good
Providence which guidod my feet to Mel-
bourno. (Loud applause.) Of my minis
terial life I will not speak, but referring
specially to that profession which I have nojv
adopted, I believe I may say that that act
has received an emphatic endorsement from
:the public throughout the colonies,, and-
particularly in this city. (Apple,, soJ aoroly, ' .
thou, tbe most modest man-— whom you see
before you — (a laugh) — may be pardoned,
the expression of a little exultation over
tbe fact that in a place where ho has I
been constantly preaching for more than
six years, and can therefore be no
novelty,, there should be thousands of
persons willing to pay a liberal tariff
to bear bis nightly utterances from a
secular platform. (Hear, hear.) I feel that
my success in large measure is due to the-
exertious of my excellent aud assiduous I
manager, Mr. R. S. Smythe— (loud cheers)—
wbo has superintended my movements from
tbe beginning, and will bo my faithful com
panion now that I seek "fresb woods and I
pastures new." To the critical press of this
city and the colonies generally I am under I
obligations, tbo sense of which no . time nor I
distance can obliterate ; but it is to the great I
generous publia my grateful remembrances I
will ever chiefly turn. 1 will not feel that I
this parting is an utter severance, but though I
for a season I may wander in other lands, I
should life and health be spared, I am sure' I
the ties that bold me to this city of the I
south, however elastic, will in due time draw I
mo back again. (Applause.) Meanwhile 'I I
will pray' Almighty God that upon our I
colony and its people, in ail thoir relations I
and interests — national, civil, social, domestic I
and commercial — a benignant Heaven may I
shed the dews and sunshine of its effectual I
blessing, and so God save you, and fare- I
well." (Loud applause.) ' Mr. Clark has I
paid Geelong the compliment of selecting it I
as the city in which he will make his last I
appearance in Victoria. To-night, in the I
Mechanics' institute, he will deliver his lec- I
ture on the Tower, and the subject of the I
farewell lecture to-morrow eveuiug will be I
Thackeray. On Thursday he will leave for I
Sydney. 1
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