New-York daily tribune., 1849-02-16
Lecture of Richard ~. Dana.

l.
on shasspesre VAS delivered Wednesday night in The
Chapel OF the University - srzs ard Intellectual
sudience We were glad 10 notice % cordial az attend
ance and such evident appreciation Of The lecture
as was manifested b. those present,
Mr.. Dana introduced the subject b. stating thst !.
must not be supposed from the title Of the course tia,
bis lectures exclusively devoted 20 saak.peare
ihe contrary they treated partly Of aspects of lie
and literature IN geIers-slb ecs Suggested br -hsk.
spesre and LsImoniziug with the vide range Of bic
thought
To feel rightly the influence OF authors mind. lt s
necessary 10 bring ourselves into condition & re
ceve the same Impressions not BY hssiy and coca.
sionsl glsnces but By steady and calm study Of bic
works We must 90 back and examine into our own
Eiernsl experiences. We must pet A. the srouud
thought and track up through the leaves snd branch
Literature is not mere words Il i things life sr0n
experience. To feelit must ind 10 i the reflex oi
what we have felt and lived Through this humanizng z
sympathy with an author. alone, can We get beyond
the iorms Of srtthe psnopy which surrounds the per
feet tnOught-and reach that living pulse which cres-
ted IL In the authors soul The main Oh ect Of ters-
ture the attainment o. deeper insight ni1 the laws
common u man and the development 1i the finer quail
ties OF our nature lts true spirit thus distributed over
our nature and pervsdng experience, forms one
harmonious result In our daily life.
The lecturer then referred 20 the present striving for
effect In various walks Of literature Lectures made
snowy. ss II for the mere amusement Of the moment
Science 10 made 70 display her most brilliant effects
while her sublime theories are passed By. The ten
dency is level down % the popular mind Instead of
eevstng that 10 something higher NOihing ia done
slowly calmly silently. JhstsOitude which nOurisnes
great thoughts is forgotten The mind must earn 70
work alone-not as 4 slave but freeman. To be ca
pable Of love, We must have a habit Of love Even
should we be cast amid the exciting turmoil of the
world must have object 20 which can look from
afar-ioward which thoughts and our desires may
reach This love Of the soul does not lie 10 fragments
within us II is perfect unity. Take thing oi mods
and sniles and small islk-cOuld such thing love i
Nay II Incapable Of II should you pluck iis heart
out II would but talk the mOre-Or heart migh some
times condemn such a waste Of existence
Engsh Literature said the lecturer, has beautiful
counienance Age cannot wher its proportions, nor
custom stale its infinite variety. his literature Of
thought aud feeling-Oi exquisite iancy-oi high and
expanded magnatiOn-Of thoughts rising hgh into q
pure and serene phere but stll warm and glow
ing with the lgh, Of love. Can mind not pure and
lofty IN is character enter into ts spirit follow s
wndinRs track its higher sources and be imbued With
It's feelings To appreciate i We must be Instructed,
not only intellectually but morally snd Afectionstely
How can the mind hsbilus,ed to the Little expand and
enlarge itself at Once-how can the fruit Of perfect
me diistion be tasted by one who has not unused
man Of strong will and Intellect MAJ turn from anuse
ment and direct his attention 20 one Of the sciences
but 10 acquire Poetry, Il must be (enore particular
where Ills # lotty sublime character The lecturer
illustrated this by reference - Paradise Lost That
ofty temple should not be entered with rreverent
haste the mind should oe prepared TO receive iis f
spirsiion When saul WIS in biz troubled state, DAVID
prophets brought into harmony By the music Of
soft instruments. Let see thst the mspystrisged
instrument within US is not Jared OF uustrung
Mr Dana sdyeTted rather qusntly 10 those head-cu
tivat.d sch1l.rs-thOse " who Overbud their natures
with books s"-who instead OF tracing back the thought
20 ts fresh springs, sip the dead dat wash Of some Tar
thest pool snd call IL Hsicon. practice IN modern
times inmca 30 the correct appreciation Of Literature
ia the reading Of criticisms This Is inquirng the h0r
before the ohGf-earung the cause oi the impression
before we have received the impression it'elt The
only method Of criticism worth much 10 the mind ],
Of careful and slow study one Of the rus OF tnis
system Of adopting the opinions Of others s clsncoIh
dence, which speedily begets solf-cOnhience Many
opinions pass through the mouths Of the literary
community without touching the hesd This part OF
the subject was ably Illustrated by reference 10 Je
frey's critici.n upon Wordsworths Excursion.
We of this age said the lecturer read too much for
thoueht-too miscelaneously for pOwer-too rapidly
for opinion IL was different principle that usel
read By becoming conver.snt with few master
minds be became master Of the whole world OF mind
This defect of time s likely 10 be lasting from ne
character Of on. education Children are taught too
many things AZ once their minds allowed no time
for thought The stream runs too rapidly Tor depth
The eye repOscs upon nothing the spirit mediates
uuon nothing Left no time T. anything without them
selves children become excited. selfish and superficial
such p childhood this fails 10 develop strong MEL
leciua character As grow into life. We need more
and more to keep the childs heart within Us and
10 preserve the characteristics Of the chids mind
Having lost the glowing desires Of youth, We are apt
to become cold and selfish, for Love is the child Of
Faith Who has not iet IN the decline OF liie' some
thought Of childhood come over him. Ike passing
odor from a dowery field But for moment the early
revyeshe returns 20 sadness or worse
10 ln-eu.biity This need not be. The childs heart
ike a small heart within greater, may pour forth =
pure ard continual stream OF gadness % refresh the
downward walks of life.
10 the busiuets man who asks WHIST has Literature
20 DO with him the lecturer would say Riches are Dlt
the means Of ife not IL object lie died well Oh
they say Of one who has et bis houses and lands and
| gone 4 beggsr into the unknown country sunlight
intellect even. becomes foul aud SMOKY torch when
borne the close grasp OF one who creeps through the
dark recesses OF Mammons cave The pursuit Of
wealth rsy quicken the intellect but Il contracts and
materslizes H. An unnatural intensity 10 generated 10
the man the passion beats Al his heart bis walk BE-
comes nun his speech is broken he hints AZ what
| he means and the wasting fever Il upon him. Men
call all this enterprise 90 such men the world ma
never lived til now The lecturer feared was rather
| an age of madness He would not ask OF such men,
what l. their object but whether the knowledge Of r.
souna literature would tend 20 that object De
Hghtful sedatiyes are books-calm and quiet messen
gers bringing back 10 US the thoughts Of those who
| have left US and gone into the world beyond ms
communion with the living desd-ihis Lille in Death
throws light over Deaths darkness sitting In Time
we feel Eternity encircle When alone with vol
urne that mysterious speech acts upon us with depih
of power we little think Of The spirit grows serene
thoughts multiply aud expand the world without dies
away and our spiritual sensations are clear and calm
Mr. Dana then spoke 1T some length upon the MIN Z
ny of taste for literature with the daily business OF
lie and concluded his address by beautiful Poeties
quotation from old George Withers.
We have given but mesger outline oi hf Dana :
lecture which WAS received with marked srsthcaton
by the audience