8 MAY 1830, Page 9

.ABSENCE OF GOOD LECTURERS IN LONDON.

ONE of the most striking distinctions between Paris and London, to a person of literary pursuits, is the distinguished character of the lecturers in the former capital, and the excellence and frequency of their discourses on subjects.of literary and philosophical interest. At this season there are commencing in Paris several courses of lectures delivered by men whom it would be difficult to match on our side of the water as writers, and as lecturers all comparison is utterly out of the question. We do not know what the London University may produce eventually, but at this moment, certainly, lectures on litera- ture by another VILLEMAIN,D11 philoSophy by another COUSINS, on history by a Guizor, would be a remarkable event in our literary an- nals. These men, to the charms of an animated extempore delivery, add those of elegant composition, and profound knowledge of' their respective departments ; so that we are not to be surprised at the immense crowds, only rivalled by the congregations of our popular preachers, who flock to hear them. There may be some doubt as to the utility of lectures in mere teaching, but none as to the beneficial effects of enlightened eloquence on the direction of the student's taste, and the ardour of his progress. They may convey guiding princi- ples, broad general views, and the most useful precepts, in all dubious points, where the learner may be led astray or wander in the dark. Why, then, are we left, in this great metropolis, to learn our philoso- phy and our literature from the dead letter alone ? Why do the pulpit and the forum monopolize all the eloquence of the country ?