National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-11
GERMAN SCHILLERBUND.
ANN1TERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF
FREDERICK SCHILLER.

ODE BY MISS ANNIE D. wARE-voCAL AND
INSTRUMENTAL MUsIC-oRATIoN BY DIR,
c. C. COX ON THE CHARACTER OF THE
PoET-soNGs AND READINGS.
If the crowd that poured into and filled TO over
flowing the Unitarian church last night is any
indication Of the estimation in which German
literature and its great master poet is held among
/ US, we certainly have no reason to plead guilty
to want Of appreciation Of them. Those who
were 90 fortunate as to get inside have to thank
the Schiller6und, and especially its energetic
and gentlemanly president, Mr.. P. H. Berkan
for rich Intellectual treat. The chanceI of the
church was tastefully decorated with evergreens
| and in the rear was q bust of the poet, crowned
with laurel, and the name "Sehiller," in ever.
green, arched above it. On the platform was an
elegant silver fountain, throwing up Jet Of per.
fumed water.
The exercises commenced with an organ duo.
Jubilee Overture" finely executed by Miss
Annie W. Story and Prof. Perabeau The fol-
lowing ode, written for the occasion by Miss
Annie d. Ware, was then reclted with her we'll
known felicity of elocution:
FREDERICK SCHILLER.
IT'S fttest time of year to celebrate thy birth
When with artistic touch Nature iilumes the earth
When Lighting forest trees q gorgeous torch Of
She spreads glSry like the FURNISHED crown of
Whose halo ever falls on thy nIustrIous name.
Another year i gone, ana, pilgrims to thy shrine
We offer here the wreath our untaught hands did
1t is no Gibute rare, but onr united powers
Week AFTER week have knit chain OF happy hours.
ig46 Love Kissed the links and turned them
No ties ofkith or kin attract us here tonight; -
Rtiantie shining wave and dancing pillows bright
hoH VIDE between our home and thy loved Father
Yet though on German soil our feet should never
And though by German breeze our brows should
meier be famed.
With love for thee and thine our hearts shall ever
TIL Time let's fall the scythe and folds his light
Accept then, mighty bard the praise we fain would
IT'S music's sweetest theme thy glorious name to
All hearts take up the strain and hail thee poet
King
Awake, ye winds! Take up the burthen of our,
Let BeSSen's blgs arch resOund as it doth roll
Rouse Echo from her Sleep bid her arise and bring
Her silver buRle forth and make the valleys ring,
And Frederick Schler's fame let all creation sing.
Next came German song, "Gut' Nacht, Fahr'
Wohl, by Kuecken, sung very sWeetly by Miss
Miss jeanne Foster. This was succeeded by the
principal feature Of the evening, an grafton on
Schiller by DR.. @. @. Cox, of which the following
is an abstract:
DR.. Cox's GRAFTON.
DR.. Cox commenced by referring to the appro-
priateness Of concentrating the birthdays Of
poets and men OF genius, as they are the property
Of no geographical boundary, but belong to the
whole literary world; and illustrated this by the
enthusiasm with which the natal days of Burns
and Scott are celebrated throughout the world
Then, remarking how great debt we owe to the
men Of genius whom history has embalmed, and
how mOagre would be our memories II the ideas
with which genius has peopled it were suddenly
to become extinct, he proceeded to depict the
comparative intellectual poverty, not onIy Of
Germany, but of ChristendOm, for century and
half previous to the rising Of the great sun Of the
literary armament, Johann ChristOph Friedrich
Schiller. Stating that he was born at Marbach, in
Wtrtemberg, November TO- 1852 and was the son
of a surgeon in the Bayarian army, he gave a
rapid sketch Of the principal events in his life.
HIS father was man Of intelligence, somewhat
stern in his bearing, but kind and sincerely piOus
His mother, to whom he was chiefly indebted for
the mOlding Of his character and tastes was
person of unusual literary judgment, and con-
slant and appreeiative reader Of choice poetry,
ana i1S animated mat Py Unyarylng Piety HIS school
1t with an artificial eomposure his Spirit reYolted
from 1t and pinned within like a captlve's.
1t strengthened or produced in him a habit Of
extravaganza and shyness which chung to him
through life. His first work, 'The Robbers" a
strange, wild production, brought him troubles
complained that their village was designated in
It as the "Thie1s Athens" The result was that
work, rebuked him for its political and moral
errors, and even pretended to call in question its
literary merit His successive removals from
Stuttgart to Mannheim, to Lepsic to Dresden, to
Weimar where were contracted the dearest and
most lasting friendships Of his life, Including
Goethe's) and his election to the chair Of history
in the university Of Jena, were rapidly adYerted
to, with his marriage soon after his settlement at
the last place. A list Of his works, as they were
successfully produced, and Characterization Of
Sehillers correspondence with kOrner and
Goethe, "n Itself an autobiography Of the poet"
was given at some length. lit has been the habit
81 u s9 tSs,r ne S R. GSsths and
Similar to admit Of comparison. Let us not insti-
tute.any invidious distinctions. Both were great
as separate idealities-great in their fraternity;
great as trim stars in the sky Of letters, whose
lustre can never grow dim. Goethe and Schiller
were more than great authors In an eminent |
sense they were great men, and their works are
not more worthy Of being studied for their slngu- |
lar force and originality than their moral eharac
ter for its nobility and aspiring grandeur"
habits of night study and his reckless disregard
Of his physical health which told at length with
fearful effect on naturally frail constitution. In
1871 severe attack Of pneumonia Frustrated |
him, and although nature rallied nObly to the /
Work OF PREPARATION, entire health never returned |
10 him again. In July, 1904, he contracted q vio-
L, frightfully severe winter which succeeded /
the work, and disease steadily pro-
he spring Of 1905, at the untimely age Of forty
ave. In accordance with his own directions that |
he funeral should be private, without pomp or
between midnight and one in the morning, by sew
eral young artists and students. As they lowered
him into the grave teTce tempest Of wind began
~
yreat and irreparable loss.
DR.. Cox here referred to the worldwide iniu-
mae o. iSf6 bi "tbHg me Emu numerous Ian
Glanced at few of bis miner poems, including
The Lay Of the Bell'' and quotation Of his
Farewell to the Reader" and closed with
glowing tribute to his genius and moral eharac-
The essay-of which we have given but brief
utline-Was q most scholarly production, and
Tas listened to with the greatest interest by the
arge audience, which comprised many ardent ad-
ntrers of the great poet and scholar.
The next thing on the programme was duet
y +, Fanna, on two fine pianos, by Mrs. Robert
Yard and Prof. Perabeau. This was undues-
ionably one Of the best things Of the kind we
ave ever heard, and the Professors well-known
kill was admirably supplemented by that Of Mrs.
v, while the time of both was perfect. This
then recited, with great dramatic
ower, Mrs. E. b. BroWn!ng's poem, THE Italian
dOther." This received q warm encore, in re-
The Scotch Drummer Boy" Mr.. o. q. Ever
ext sang, with hts usual excellence, 1.-THE Val
~" by Gounod, and was followed by Miss
nnte W. Story, who recited in impressive style,
tto's "Consecration Of Schiller" translated by
lrs. L L. FoOte. A prolonged encore to this
rG oS out the poem, Curiew must not toll To-
ramatie ability.
Miss Fannie Herr next sang, with charming
anied by Mr.. Sehutter on the flute and Pro-
erabeau on the piano. Her upper notes could
areely be distinguished from those Of the flute,
tier repetition. A sweet flute and piano duet
Mr.. Geo. Z. Patton and Hiss Story was fol- |
wed by bass solo from 'The Creation, T" sung |
German, in splendid style, by Dir. Austin |
err, who, on being eneOred, gave a solo in
reneh, from Robert lie Diable." A humorous
citation by Miss Annie d. Ware, in her mimi ! ,
BILE style, convulsed the audience and closed
lis recherche entertainment. Much credit is due
Prof. Perabeau, the musical director, for the
mplete success Of that part Of the programme.
he two splendid Knabe pianos were kindly fur
shed by Mrs. Reiehenbach, the agent for the
nabe instruments in Washington.