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«Art and Literature ’’ was entrusted to Mr. T. Preston, who 
read a humorous poem, ‘ De circonstance,” in which he ‘* worked 
in” the president, vice-presidents, committee, officers, and a 
large number of members. 
Rey. W. 8. Matthews, M.A., in reply, spoke pleasantly on the 
worship of the muses, which, once on a time, discoursed upon 
all things that could be known, and certain others. Philosophy, 
poetry, and history, and what they called scholarship, were all the 
work of one literary man. For their literature began with Homer, 
the father of all literature, poetry, philosophy, and_ religion 
(pagan), and since then there had been nine muses. Literature 
had now a different meaning from what it had then. Now it meant 
those who had the power of expression, and who gave them 
pictures of the imagination, and they had invented for themselves 
the grand old word of ‘‘ fiction.” They now meant by literature 
the labour of the imagination, the literature which led them 
towards “that light which never was on land or sea.’’ They 
loved to go with the old fairies which had made the charm of 
English literature, fairies, or ladies of the lake, that lived in the 
island-valley of Avilion, ‘‘ Where falls not hail, nor rain, nor any 
snow.” That had been the charm of English literature, and they 
loved to go into their society, and read the history of them, as 
they had been set before them in literature. Art and literature 
had their own ways of dealing with things. He was always struck 
with the picture of Napoleon crossing the Alps, the fore feet of 
the horse being in the air, and the hind feet on the earth. It was 
about as true as a picture of Napoleon crossing the Alps in an 
open boat. As a matter of fact, he crossed the Alps on a mule 
or donkey, carefully led at the head and the tail. 
The toast of “‘ Science”’ was proposed by Mr. Clement, who 
thought the subject of Science, in his opinion more important 
than Literature, had been too much neglected by the Club. 
Dr. Crump, who replied, took the same view. So rapid had 
been the progress of Science that they were scarcely able to keep 
pace with it. Who would have dreamt, ten years ago, they could 
see through a man ; or, twenty years ago, that they would be able 
to cable round the world on a single cable ; or who, fifty years 
ago, would have thought they could send a message from Britain 
to America without wire. The reason for this advance was that 
more attention was being paid to Science. Schools were now 
teaching Science in a way they had never done before. 
Mr. J. H. Hudson, B.A., in a pleasant speech, proposed the 
toast of ** The New Members.” 
