A brief account of "The Wimbledon Village Club" will explain the origin
and object of the two following Lectures.
"The design of the Institution is to afford to the inhabitants, and more
especially the working and middle classes of Wimbledon and its vicinity,
opportunities of intellectual and moral improvement, and rational and
social enjoyment, through the medium of a Reading Room and Library,
Lectures and Classes."[A]
The Reading Room is supplied with Daily and Weekly Newspapers,
Periodicals, and Books.
The Library contains upwards of Six Hundred volumes, all which have
been presented to the Institution.
The Lectures are on various literary and scientific subjects.
To these have been recently added, _Readings_ and _Chat Meetings_.
_Readings_, are three short readings from some popular author, by
different readers, on the same evening.
"_Chat Meetings_ are simplifications of a soirée, or a conversazione.
They originated in the idea that many parishioners, having in their
homes interesting objects, the examination of which would afford
pleasure and instruction to their fellow-parishioners, would on certain
occasions gladly take these objects to a room appointed for the purpose,
and display and explain them."[B]
Mr. Toynbee, the _Fidus Achates_ of the Club, has, in his admirable
"Hints on the Formation of Local Museums," well said--"The Wimbledon
Club is admirably calculated to meet the wants of the working classes,
as regards their recreation and instruction. While it furnishes
amusement and instruction to all classes, it brings them together at its
various meetings in friendly intercourse; the management of the
Institution, and the organization of its several proceedings, afford a
valuable experience to the Committee, who portion among themselves their
respective work; and the preparation of the Lectures, &c., proves a
healthy mental stimulus to those intelligent inhabitants who desire to
take part in _one of the most delightful of duties, viz., the conveyance
to the minds of others an interest in those pleasing and
elevating subjects from which, happily their own minds derive
gratification_."--"Hints," pp. 8, 9.
Should these Lectures again interest any of the large and attentive
audiences with which they were honoured, I will consider myself
justified in having consented to their publication, and feel happy to be
the medium of imparting information, even on a secular subject, to those
whom it is my duty, and is my pleasure, to profit and please.
It is scarcely necessary for me to say, biographical lectures are
chiefly the result of reading and research;[C] I have, however, somewhat
fully expressed my opinions on the advantages of music, and very freely
on one or two cognate subjects, and others incidentally alluded to.