The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-05-13
THE NoveEg
REMARK ABLE LECTURE BY y
CHRISTIAN MINISTER.
Rsv. CHAs. G1LBERTs OPINION
II OF FICTION
yINDICAMON OF NOVEL WRIT,
=, 1NG'AND NOVEL HEADING.

The attendance q the high school
building on Monday evening 10 hear
Rev. Gilbert's lecture was worry large.
The lecture was praised by all, the un ami.
nous expression being that II wa, one of
the best Of the course. Tho following 10
tho lecture in full; .
Mr.. Gilbert said. =
Ny theme is--The N ovel and ito lnau.
ence'. BY the novel mean any work of
fiction, whether founded on fact, or cres-
tion OF tho Imagination only. shall re-
Ter, however, not TO tho dime novel-,oo
low down in the scale of literature to be
worthy OF any ones notice mot TO the
stories Of some Of our weoklies sickly
and sentimental to DO read by any one
but to.those works which possess real
merit, either for their style or for thoir
purpose. 500
With these remarks l turn to tho theme
before us:
Culture produces effects which are sin.
gulsrIy opposite. IL makes the mind A,
once more sensible TO ,hs charms of style
and al'o moro Independent Of Its a.srac.
siohs. For example, mastery of the ora.
lions OF Demosthenes compols US TO sd.
mire his argument more than his clio.
qience. 50 also philosophy loads us 10
value the expressions of thought, bu,
places this below thought itself, 10 Ii,
scale of our sstiinAtion. -
| With the majority Of m ankind THU. il
very different They require that the
common sense OF mankind be addressed
and Al the Same time, require that The I'd.
dre's be clothed With some spscia, atsrac.
tion'. Reasoning, even on the most OK.
citing topics, is not agreeable 10 the
masses unless IL comes to them under some
pleasing form. OIL.
| This constitution Of the human mind II
so universal, that II must not be disregard.
ed. 1t may 10 sneerod' at by him who
would be called . philos ophsr, hut It will
be turned toadvantsge BY those who know
that to DO successful we must be practical.
All success 10 achieved by practical
men; and 'hs's are always men Of com.
mon sense. 5,r D. iHr 'Fr5lfs !. 4fe,F -
See, then, how the bible presents IT.
teachings, to suit this love Of ths aereea.
bic which charsctorizss the mind Of man,
1t comes to W, not In the cold description
OF scientific terms, but in the pleasing
forms OK dialogues and imagery. "a por.
tion Of the Pentstsuch shapes ITSELF into
dialogues, whore patriarchs, prophets, an.
gels and God are tho speakers" The
prophecies glow with images and poetry.
The psalms are full Of rythm, metro and
music. Even whore the fundam entail
truths Of theology are taught, tho appear
anoe Of formally and scholastic precision
avoided. ST. Paul gives us his reason
ings, not in the systematic tsxt book, nor
in dry composition, but in a ,prigh,ly
lottor, which appeals from the head to
tho heart The whole life Of our Savior,
from tho manger to The cross, from the
grave to the ascension takes tho shape OF
. wonderful drama, and not that Of Q
more biography. It's stage lie the earth;
i" scenes represent tho universe; its rep.
rsssntations arc from every part Of crea-
ton and redemption from cvcry part of
time and eternity. In short, il clothes
itself in popular form and thus becomes
the property of humanity. II goes to the
homo Of the lssorer as we'll a. 70 the study
Of the philosopher. ~ 70 "a nS
This love OF the agreeable IN tho pr
tstion of truth will enable US to interpret
ancient art and literature. The figures
and sculptures Of Nineveh, Babylon and
Egypt were tho books of.ths people.
Homer became the idol Of the Greek be.
cause he wrote in style which tascina ted
the Greek. The mon OF Athens wore
drawn to the market place by the beauty
OF the image and by the grace of the ora
tor. The theatre WAS their resort, not
only fdf amusemsnt, but for instruction.
The Grscisn games were preparatory to the
popular poem and tho pleasing nsrrative
Indeed, Roman writings have left for US
scarcely a book that 10 not attractive in
style, Even the rude dramas OF tho won.
derful csshsdrsls of tho middle ages were
appeals to the heart Of the people. t.-.
But in England, especially, and also in
America, have poetry and art appealed to
the popular heart. By this alone has il
won its wonderful success. From Shake.
spear to the present hour tho theatre, in
both countries, has boon a powerful agent
in the mind Of tho people. Plays form.
srly pleased, instructed and moulded
their mind; the play to-day still plesses,
'hll moulds the thoughts Of many. |
Taking into consideration, then, this
universal love of the agreeable in the lit
erAturs and art which 10 . characteristic
OF the human mind, 10 il surprising that
novel writing particularly and novel
rsaiing na charming recreation for all
classes and conditions Of mankind? Isn
not rather surprising that the history of
novels is limited :oIthe last 200 years Tn.
nHs attempts At novel writing were tho
Utopia by Sir Thomas Moore. circs, AID.
1000, and the Arcadia of Sir Phillip Sid.
nsy, circs, A. ID. 1880. But these were
adapted to the scholar rather than to the
people. The nrs, real novel which OK.
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