Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-14
rnE WASHINGTON sHsLIERRU,p,
Celebration of SchiIler's Rirthday-Uu.
seressing Observation-Disclosures by Hon
A. 10. Spoff0rd-s:raphic DeIineatfOn
of the Life and TiMes of the Great
German Poet.

5 Mrs. A. r. SpOiford and Miss Spofford Mr. and
Mrs. Horatio King, DIR. J. ". Toner. Gen. Vim
Birney. Prof. E. NJ. GaIlaudet president Column
ban deaf and dumb institution. and Miss Gal
laudet Prof J. ". ChickerinQ Mr. and Mrs. ).
III. Kaufman. Capt. and Mrs. Hoxie Mr..
John Hitz. Col. Emil Frey Swiss Minis
ter, Ex-MayOr Emery and Mrs. Emery
Mrs. Edwin Green. Mrs. MOrsel and daughter,
Miss isObel Lehman. Mr. and Mrs. GerInOnd
Crandell. Mrs. Hort. Herr Won inertia and wife,
Mrs Bruce. Rev DR.. Rankin. Major T.. Town
send, Mr. and Mrs. simon Wolf and daughter
(bfrs. GOthold), Mrs and Miss SGead. Nj. Chaun-
cey Hickox. Mrs VI. Tiers and Miss Tiers. Prof
Ihos. Taylor and Hiss RObena Taylor Nine Annie
KOemer-haspIr Hr. 4. " Miller and daughters
Misses Carrie and Lily Miller. Miss Edda Drew,
Dr. h. A Bacon Professor and Mrs Somers
Mrs. NJ ,. Hart, Miss Scull. Miss Adams, Miss
Banks, Miss Wythe, Mr. Mason. Rev. George
Patch, Mrs Olga Daniel. Lieutenant Main,
Miss Leayitt. Capt Mack and daughter Mrs.
jackson, Col. and Mrs Niece. Irs. d. F. Mer-
ri and Miss May Merrill. Miss Ludden. Mr.. and
Mrs. MerTiman Miss Dame. Miss Atkinson. DR..
Shoulder, Mr. Calvert. Mrs. Marvin Mrs. Vincent,
Miss MO!lie Davis. Mrs. HoppertOn and tfaugh-
ter. Mrs Bradley. DIR. VIM. 4. Brown. The III
terestlng exercises were commenced by bril-
liant piano performance by Miss Edda Drew
after which Prof Paul BerklIau, in some pleas
ant Introductory remarks gave brief
HISTORY OF THE sCHILLERBUND.
During the winter of 1862 and 1868 he said a
few ladies and gentlemen came together in this
city. once a week. for mutual Improvement
reading poems or essays especially prepared
for these weekly reunions and the much be-
loved poet John PeTpont was then, and for
years thereafter the bright particular star
who contributed his best thoughts for the
benefit of those present on these occasions.
Subsequently the study OF the German language
was blended with the other literary work in
harTH in and afI-tr Obi larf-
works. the name Of Sciilierbund was suggested
'and adopted By this association, since which
the birthday of the great German poet has been
fttingly observed by those referred to and
Others in sympathy with them. They wOuid
tonight have the pleasure OF hearing the ami
yersary address delivered by the Hon. Aims
worth Il. SpotfOrl who has so generously given
many OF his finest literary productions before
this association.
Mr. SPOFFORD's ADDRESS.
Mr.. SpOfford, in commencing his address, said
that as they were to lay another garland on the
weiI-heaped pile of laurel that continually
grows in honor Of the immortal name of
Schiller. they would pardon him if he ieviated
somewhat from the beaten track of eulogy.
The history OF the poet was familiar TO them ALL
Critical estimates of his work abound on every
hand OF his personality, his struggles and his
success. they had hear! from ADLER pens than his.
moments in the midst of the circumstances and
scenery. social political and moral. which sur
Founded this great writer; to breathe the
atmosphere of his times: to take account of
some OF the influences which formed him: to
become acquainted, especially with some of
those noble women who were his associates
and to catch some glimpse. however i'm
perfect of his social and domestic life. 1853 to
1SN5-intO that brief period OF time Schiller
crowded more of intellectual and moral
achievement than any nan OF his own age.
Why Is 1t. We may ask. that he is vet regarded
by his countrymen with love and reverence
amounting almost to a passion? His was no
Cosmopolitan or even metropolitan
Me Schiller never left Germany.
OF all the places in which he
dwelt for longer or shorter period not one
had much 10000 inhabitants Marbach
Stuttgart. Mannheim. Bauerbach Leipzig jena
RudOlstadt. Heilbronn. Wemar-were all insig-
nihcant villages The government under which
lie spent his life was no proud and powerful
mOnarchy-nO vigorous and progressive repub-
lie. but a petty German dukedOm He came
into an age in which there was no daily news
paper. no railway. no steamship no telegraph.
no popular suffrage He tOed all his life for
what would now be deemed miserable pittance.
Running up from the starvation pay OF surgeon
OF grenadiers at eight dollars month Ness than
half what the eommOneSt American soldier re-
ceives for watching the vanishing Indian on the
fontiers) TO what he termed the Comparative
Opuience in his later Weimar life of sixteen
buadred thaer5 q year. His health. always frail
gave way before he was thirty. and he was ever
after subject to recurring attacks of painful
m3iadies aggravated by much night study He
was born in obscurity, in the house of a baker
and was buried at midnight without funeral
rites in u three thaler coffin. And yet so mob
~ had he done his work. that no king on his
throne. ne aUtOcrat of letters ever left behind
al influence so wide and lasting In spite of all
discOuragements. and all Obstacles his sover-
eign genius conquered for his thought place
among the most cherished possessions of man.
kind The trump of fame is never weary of
sounding bis praise, the press never ceases to
multiply his writings which continue to be
translated and read in all the languages Of the
globe.
THE SECRET OF sCiIHLER's POWER
How did it happen that from so narrow q
center of influence Schiller exerted so wide a
power, not only upon his contemporaries. but
upon the world? Ii was the broad shirt nf
humanity that breathes in all his writings It
was that he was the answering apostle of free
dom III an aye OF Servility and form II was
that ne gave utterance in Incompatible verse TO
the universal instincts of right OF human SYM
pathy. which lift man above the lower animals.
It was that he celebrated the honor of man and
IN" purity of woman. the perennial lows of
affection. and the virtues of the domestic
hearth More than any poet of his century he
affeSted the supremacy of the moral senti-
ment.
HOW PEGASUS WAS CRIPPLED.
The early career of Schiller was shaped by the
peculiar circumstances of his training. These
were such. at the military school at Stuttgart
rs to throw his whole nature into revolt against
tyranny and to make him an apostle of inteIlec-
't'ai and political freedom. We who are accus-
TONED ali our lives to the largest independence
OF thought. of speech and OF action can com
prehend but feebly the repression under which
Inc energies of men labored i'm Schiller's dav
AMI country. OF the censorship Of thought
the burning OF new books. the suppression of
newspapers. the pressure of military fiespotjsm
the stining OF individual liberty. we have no
conception Whatever. Those have better reason
&c prize the boon of freedom who have. once
tasted the bitterness of oppression than we who
have basked in the sunshine of liberty from fine
cradle Those who have borne part i'm the
never-ending struggle for liberty in Furope
Eight AGAINST tyranny in comparison With
winch the grievances OF our revolutionary
fathers were a mere bagatelle Not merelv
ere they ground down by taxation which
caps the life blood of industry
to support the costly bauble OF throne bnt
they are the subjects OF system which takes
sway or holds in allowance all the natural rirht .