TO THE EDITOR OF THE EMPIRE.
Sir,-I hope you will kindly insert these few lines, in the hope that they may exite some interest on a subject that really gives me concern. I, with several others (I believe), felt very sorry that the attendance last night at the Temperance Hall was so sadly scanty. This seems to have been greatly caused by an unpropitious evening having been chosen for Mr. Sheridan Moore's readings; but another great hindrance was, such a high price of admission having been asked, at least, for the best seats. Even that, perhaps, would have been met, had the claims to public notice here of the very interesting youth whose talents furnished, or were to furnish, the chief subject of the evening's entertainment, been put more forcibly before that public. In that case, many, as myself, would have gladly made an effort, and then the collection would have told a very different tale. Now, Sir, if Mr. Moore would be inclined to redeliver the readings, with a little attention to the above points, also trying to obtain the Temperance Hall for the bare expenses, much encouragement might be given, not merely to a worthy family, but also to the cause of our young men, thus aiding them in the prefermce of a careful cultivation of the talents with which Heaven has endowed them, to allowing them to run to waste on folly and dissipation. An attention to these few remarks will oblige.
Sir, yours respectfully,
18th April. A LOVER OF POETRY.
P.S.-Would not it do as well if Mr. Kendall would act as reader for his own works?
First published in The Empire, 22 April 1861
And in response:
KENDALL'S POEMS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE EMPIRE.
SIR,-Allow me, partly by way of reply to the letter of "A Lover of Poetry" in your to-day's issue, and partly for the information of the public, to state that my discourse, not a mere series of readings as "A Lover of Poetry" hints, on the actual and probable poetry of Australia, had been advertised for three weeks before its delivery; that the prices were fixed to suit the means of every person disposed to support native literature -- to wit, 4s., 2s. 6d. and 1s.; and that it was never anticipated the visit of his Excellency the Administrator of the Government, to the Victoria Theatre, would have the effect of turning the current of native support away from my discourse. I am perfectly willing to re-deliver that discourse, or rather to make a better effort, if the public care to hear me. I should, indeed, prefer to hear Kendall read a selection from his own poems if the extreme sensibility of the gifted young man would allow him to do so; but Kendall happens to think far less of his poems than I do, a circumstance which will not detract from their merits or his character.
I am, &c., &c.,
J. SHERIDAN MOORE.
First published in The Empire, 23 April 1861
[Thanks to the National Library of Australia's newspaper digitisation project for this piece.]
