Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-19
GERMANY'S POET.

Lecture at the Athen@um Last Evening by
the Poet ACKNOWLEDGMENT History
from the Barbaric Ages to the Present
Time-SelectiOns from the Poetical Works
of the Great Author.
In spite of the storm, the lecture of Freder-
lex Won Bodenstedt, the distinguished German
poet, at the Atheneum last night, was attended
by q large number of the poets countrymen.
The lecturer-chose for his subject the captiva-
ting theme of "Women in the Occident and
Orient"
At s o clock the poet was introduced by Capt
Jacob Manner, the curtain going up on scene
of rare beauty. The foreground of the stage
was filed with exquisite floral offerings, ar
ranged by Fletcher, the florist, and the appear
ance was that of parterre of roses. The lee
ture, of which the following is an abstract was
deeply interesting, being enlivened with rich
and original metaphors and frequent bursts of
poetic fervor:
In commencing his remarks, the poet alluded
to a saying of Diderot, who, in speaking OF wo-
men, had exclaimed that she who would speak
of woman must dip his pen in the colors CT
the rainbow and paint his theme with the pol
len of the flower" The lecturer said that
while it sounded we'll the saying amounted to
nothing, as it was neither possible to employ
the colors CT the rainbow or the variegated
beauties of the flower. Commencing in me-
dieval times, the poet traced the history of
women from the days of abject slavery through
the chiyalric and religious ages to her position
in modern society. In speaking of the age of
chivalry, he illustrated his remarks by referring
to knight named Ulrich Won Lichtenstine,
who broke 100 lances in as many tournaments
for women.
of VVp take matters
more seriously and consider her half of our
selves. A bachelor is not capable of forming
a correct Judgment about women, because he
is only half man, only married man may
give an opinion on the subject. Woman form
the heart in the body of society, on their po-
sition depends the future of states, on the edu-
cation of their children depends the fate of
mankind In drawing a parrellel between
women of the East and the West, and catching
a glimpse of history we find the first surprising
result, that in the East the position of women
has been the same for thousands of years, while
in the West is noted continued development
towards better things.
Since the oldest times, with all people, the
strongest contradictions have been seen with
regard to the treatment and appreciation of
women.
BY lovers and poets, in all lands, they have
been idOlized as heavenly and sometimes su-
pernatural beings.
1t is we'll known that the philosophers of old,
such az Plato and Aristotle, did not consider
women as the equal of man. Plato, in his
Republic, wanted to have them excluded from
the society of men, and it may be said that
the position women took among the ancients
was very ignoble one.
Lanu has said that wife will not remain
true to her husband, neither out of fear of
moral law nor from esteem or respsct of her
family, nor in consequence of good treatment,
but simply out of fear of corporal punishment
He had said that storms and thunder, the edge
of q razor poison and snakes are not so peril
GUS "a the i'll will of woman. These words
from the lips of the legislator will seem in
strange contrast to the high esteem in which
women are held in modern society.
In Indian poetry women are lauded to the
skies, as witnessed by the ardent poetry of Sa
Konteala. With the Jews the position of
women was so degraded that false testimony
was sufficient to make her appear as criminal,
as seen in the biblical example of Susannah,
who, notwithstanding her innocence, was con-
demped without inquiry, 30 that 1t required
a divine mediator to demonstrate her innO-
cence. In Rome, as in all States where
the family have the character
of the political institution, women
we're quite in the powe
of pater familias. who had the right
to KILL sell, Eor sdispose of mis- daugh-
ter as best suited his will. This
power QIQ uOU CeaS0 dLteE LldC
riage; the father could claim the daughter
from her very husband. Quite different from
this we find the relations of the family with
the old Germans. However great the power
conferred, it was not considered the founda-
ton of the family. When daughter was
given in marriage she had not only the support
of her father but the friendly Intervention of
all her kindred.
The speaker here treated the subject
historically, tracing the position of women in
the East and West and showing that the want
of progress in the East is owing to system of
despotism, and that their position has been in
every way an abominable one. The introduce
tion of Christianity in the East has materially
tended to ameliorate the condition of women.
The speaker gave vivid word paint
ings of the slavery existing in
the East, and showed that with a
few glorious exceptions, their standing was
that of abject slavery.
In conclusion, the speaker said that woman 8
true position was to be recognized as the equal
of man, of whom she should have all equal
right, and one more, that of protection. He
illustrated his address with frequent bursts of
poetry showing the condition of women and
demonstrating that women's mission could be
best executed in state of the most perfect
freedom
In his remarks he placed America in the
trent rank of equality, England the second,
Germany the third and France and the Ro-
manic nations the last.