*GOUGH, JOHN B., who has acquired celebrity as a lecturer ou Temperance in America and in Great Britain, was born at Saudgate, in Kent, on the 22nd of August 1817. His father, who was a soldier in the 40th and 52nd regiments of foot, obtained his discharge with a pension in 1823. John received his elementary instruction from his mother, who taught the village school. lie subsequently attendel a school in Folkestone. When he was twelve years old he was sent to America as an apprentice to a tradesmau who was about to proceed there. With this person, who settled on a farm in Oneida county, in the state of New York, he remained for about two years, till, seeing little prospect of learning a trade, he wrote to his father, and having obtained his permission, he quitted Oneida county, and took up his abode in the city of New York. Here he obtained employment in the Methodist Book-room, and was enabled to send to England for his mother and sister, who joined him in August 1833; his father declined the invitation, as he did not wish to lose his pension. Scarcity of employment during the winter of 1333 reduced Gough and his mother and sister to deep distress, and in July 1834 his mother, to whom he was greatly attached, died. Shortly after this event Gough became associated with young men of convivial dispo sitions, to whom his social qualities made him an acquisition. lie frequently attended the theatre, and for some time was engaged as a comic singer and an actor. His love of company led him into habits of intemperance, and he was thus frequently thrown out of employ ment. In 1339 he married, and commenced business on his own account as a bookbinder; but his love of company and strong drink prevented him from succeeding. He subsequently experienced dreadful suffering from more than one attack of delirium tremens; and his dis tresses were aggravated by the death of his wife and child. He was reduced to a very miserable condition, when a stranger spoke to him in the street, and asked him in a kindly manner to sign the temperance pledge; to this be consented. His talents for public speakiug soon
became known to the friends of the temperance cause, and his services were much in request. His first lecture was delivered on the 26th of December 1842. About five months subsequently ho was induced by some of his former drinking companions to violate his pledge, and this was the cause of much unhappiness to him. He re-signed however, and resumed the course of public advocacy of Temperance principle?, which up to the present time ho has pursued with remarkable success. In August 1853 Mr. Gough, accompanied by his wife, whom he had recently married, came to England ou the invitation of the London Temperance League, and coutinued in this country for two years, lecturing in Exeter Hall and other large buildings in London, visiting also the principal towns in England and Scotland, creating a marked impression wherever he went, and attracting large audiences to listen to his eloquent addresses. Mr. Gough has received numerous testimonials from individuals and societies, both in America and iu Great Britain, in acknowledgment of his labours on behalf of the Temperance cause; and his services as a public lecturer have likewise been remunerated on a very liberal scale. He was under engagement to the Temperance League in this country to resume his public advo cacy in August 1856, but having become exhausted by his labours in America in the spring of the year, his medical advisers have enjoined retirement from the excitement of public speaking for a few months.
Mr. Cough's extraordinary power as a public speaker arises chiefly perhaps from his possession of the combined qualifications of actor and orator, as well as from the earnestness of feeling by which his addresses are characterised.