New-York tribune., 1879-03-25
EARLY ENGLISH LITERATCRE.

OPENING LECTURE OF COURSE By JOHN ALBRE
THE FOUNDATIONS OF TIE ENGLISH Ian
GUAGr.
John Albec began yesterday, at the Union
League Taeatrc course of eight lectures the earliest
period OF tie English language and literature. They are
TO be given alternately Mondays ard Thursdays at
3D. H. since The closes with Chaucer and spcn-
ser the lectures range over field OF knowledge with
which only such painstakng scholars as Mr. Abee are
generally amila The researches Of Tie last few years
have thrown much light on the carly periods OF Ian
cuage and literature and Mr. Albee in his FIRST lee
ture which dealt with tie present methods OF studying
language and the results obtained treated the facts
pLllosophicaly ana Illustrated his theme with
dotcs from the old folklore The largest part OF his
dcnce was composed of ladies, many Of them prOm'
pcnt in the social and literary circles of the city.
eral gentlemen were present. including O. i. Fr0tting
ham, Clarence Cook ana cX-GcvcrLor Daniel II. Cham
bcr'am
Ii is said began the speaker. by both hostile aud
friendly uics that in America uatcra progress e in
advance Of intellectual. But the philosophical observer
sees in this devotion material interests the basis The
prophecy Of great Whether II be history, OF
hone or ambition that gives TO our admirers this pre-.
hardly knows wncrc TO look for historical parallels
IN RI ~ r confidence OF our friends IN Euglaud Franc,
aud elsewhere rests on our unique pohdcal SITUATION
ana complete geographical separation from Euro
ucan civilizations. TGcrc room for an unrcs rcted
experiment in self-Soyclument. There Is an evident
danger IN material c.yIuzauon QHtstrrpinE mtecc
tupi' 4 man Who saws 10 himself will first make lny
sell comfortable and thcu VIII cultivate myself sci
dom realizes that resolve. A man ana nation, Ekc q
Corntban column must pegn be beautiful tue yer,
base. An obstacle 10 literary and intellectual progress
is the writing and reading OF books mat are dishonest
hy which I mean uonr and wrac In matter and ipcni
cicnt in workmanship. Tue book that Is To do good
comes from central fire IN human soul, ana com
municates with slnOuldcunE flame preexlSting II
every other human soul First OF all, IT seems To me
nov tla need some great dramas, which can be aC
tuay represented, not merely written. DrhLaS have
always been the Inspiration and precursor Of all
other forms Of intellectual fc There l. danger from
the realistic tendency IN Literature OF the present day
Bazac set tins fashion, and Zoia leaves nothing more u
be attempted in that s'yIc.
by a study OF tho iNJndatiOns OF our language and
literature shall hcsj IetSiand and he able 10 OK
nam the literature % tlc dty, and apply remedy iUi
It's evils. My whOe purpose J, 10 encourage the study
of our tongue with rLue hing OF the same patience
which we give TO foreign tongue and 10 read lis nOs
ancient literature our tongue has passed through more
changes than any other that ever existed and thcse
changes clearly show the intellectual ne OF our anc'-
tors In these Lectures wish 10 give as cOmpctch view
AS possible Of intellectual lie OF our ancestors, Its
conditions, It's aims, It's means and its achievements