Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-08
CANON FARRAR ON DANTE.
AN NAUDIENoB B0TH oULTIYaTED
AND ATTENTIVE.

OL11NOAf 4 AbeAtf1As OLi Ol11t IL
AN NAUDTENoB B0rH oULTIVaTEi
AND ATTENTIVE.
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A scholarly pEreatmemt of In
ssDivine C0saedy,,. EseauIifuII
Combined Wiih the Essential EIc
inents of a Liberal Sermon.
The lecture on Dante at the Oper
House Friday night was undoubtedly th
greatest event of its kind that Wilmingto
has experienced for some years. Nc
| since the presence here of Monsigno
Capel has such interest been manifested
The subject was one that in itself was no
at all likely to attract very large repre-
sentation even from the cultured classes
But last night they throngsd into tn
Opera House to an unprecedented extent
Punctually to time Bishop Lee appeared
upon the stage followed by gentleman
whose full dress costume of swallow-tai
coat and high cassock indicated hi
clerical profession and the lecturers
identity. Canon Farrar has full, rubi
cund, pleasing face, thoroughly English
His forehead, high-arched and of ample
proportions, might be taken to indicate
the probability of scholarly powers. He
is little above medium hight, square
shouldered but hardly gives the impression
of one who "burns the midnight oil,
his complexion being as fresh and pink
as that of country lad of fourteen. The
great canon of Westminster, of world
wide celebrity, is sdimple- checked and full
of smiles. As Bishop Lee stood before
the audience speaking some Introductory
words Canon Farrar sat polishing a pair
of gold eyeglasses and gazed curiously
around. AT one moment of the bishops
speech where he made reference to the
canon's ''unsolicited tribute to
General Grant in time-honored
Westminster" the bright eyes
of Canon Farrar which at the moment
were unconcernedly ranging over the
audience suddenly dropped their gaze to
the floor as if in nervous deprecation of
the loud applause of the audience which
rose in quick response to the bishops
eloquent and feeling encomiums of the
lecturer. AS Bishop Lee concluded his
Introductory remarks, Canon Farrar
stepped quickly to the lecturers table
bearing in his hand o ponderous roll of
manuscript. With a slight bow to
his audience and no Introductory
remarks whatever he opened his manu-
script and commenced reading. Canon
Farrar's style and manner is altogether
different from any ideal of what an
American would call fine oratory. He
has rich, distinct voice and the clearest
English intonation. He has the stiff
mannerisms that the readers of Anthony
Trollope's ecclesiastical novels has seen
so much of in the Cathedral Close" and
also much of the pleasant and pros
porous appearance of the aristocratic
church of England rector. In speaking
his body is unconsciously swayed in
rhythmic movement with the well-rounded
phrases as they issue from his muscular
throat in full orotund volume. AT
moments of intenser energy the speaker
would brace himself squarely before his
audience, aecentuate his words by con-
stantly raising his left arm, the right
being occupied with the manuscript, and,
with the index finger extended, marked
his words with unfailing regularity Of
movement.
Aclay portrait by Dante's friend. Giotto,
is seen upon the walls of Florentine
chapel, full of youthful grace and beauty.
This is the great poets face when 0
youth. Another mask is by the saIne
artist, when Dante was old, with rugged
grizzled features, and the most mournfu
expression. That is all the world has Of
the memory of Dante outside of his writ
ings. He died in Punishment at Ravenna
After his death the Florentines begged
that his ashes be laid in mausoleum il
his native city, but the Pope forbade il
and they remain at Ravenna and not at
Florence.
In referring to the life of Dante Ali
ghieri, the speaker divided it into foul
parts, love, philosophy, politics and exile
Dante was born in Florence, seven centuries
ago. He first saw Beatrice at the age of II
years. His whole after life was influenced
from that moment. He was of most sensi
tive nature, as on the occasion of Ger
tain misunderstanding, when Beatrice
who had heard words which caused hel
to think harshly of Dante, passed him by
on the public street without notice
the love-stricken young Florentint
rushed out of the city and threw himself
upon the ground weeping like woman
Beatrice married another and at the ag.
of 25 died. Her memory left profound
impression upon the susceptible mind Of
Dante. After growing to feel the un
satisfactoriness of all his studies il
philosophy, his talent and ability were
turned into the path of public affairs
enabling him to rise rapidly in the estima.
ton of his fellow citizens of Florence, and
the office of prior of Florence was conferred
upon him. The speaker claimed that his
subsequent exile and the great trials he
underwent during his lifetime were the
conditions from which evolved the "Di-
vine Comedy" The poem was called O
comedy, because it was written in the yer.
nacular and not, as was usual, in Latin.
Canon Farrar considered that Dante, as n
poet, ranked above any, even Milton,
Eschylus and Shakespeare. He thought,
for instance, that Cromwell's eruditt
secretary, in idealizing Lucifer as II bril-
liant, stalwart prince of darkness, defyine
God himself, wae an inferior characteriza.
tion to that of Dante's. In the story oi
''Paradise Lost" also, Milton pictures
only the broad effect, while Dante. in O
more subtle way, has parable, allegory
or hidden meaning in all his pictures and
characters. The speaker warned his
audience that those among them who
might be induced to take up Dante's
great work for the first time cannoi
expect to gather its wisdom and beauty
at the first plucking. 1t will
require deep study, the intention must
be looked for in each step of the story
Every character and incident is of the
utmost Importance not alone for the sake
of tho success attained in its comprehen
sion, but much more in becoming familiar
with the Florentine POETS style of pictur.
ing and reasoning. Canon Farrar laid
much stress on Dante's manner of show,
ing how the varied vices to which
humanity is prone have their fitting
punishments, as that of the miser, the
slanderer, the usurer, the suicide, and he
who trangresses the laws of nature as
well as those of God and man. Any law
of nature that is transgressed will surely
have its punishment. The lecturer con
sidered that Dante saw the punishment o.
such transgression in the unfailing exac
tion that nature herself would Away
make upon the transgressor. Canon
Farrar emphasized the theory as applying
in this connection to an established
responsibility for sin of all kinds. The
more extreme infraction of any law wal
followed by proportionate punishment
He deprecated the theory of hell of firt
and birthstone and considered that Dante'i
picturing was fguratiye. While walking
with Virgil in the sitting atmosphere o.
the lowest hell, Dante perceived Satar
accompanied by Slander, Disloyalty ant
Lies. These are considered the greatest
sins, the worst man being he who is un
grateful, disloyal to his friends, who
would backbite or give wrong color to
statement. Pnrgatory was where those
rested forwhom forgiveness was possible
who had committed no extreme sin
Among them were those like the Laodi
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