Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-15
MUSIC AND POETRY.
TINE SUBJECT or LEARNED LEcTuHEshT
cHAuTAuQuA.

The Natural Love Of Harmony In the Human
Breas, Discussed by Prof. BIasler-Dr.
McCIintock's Critical Analysis Of shell
I.y-PufbalI's Tribulation.
tsrEofAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.I
CHAurAUoUA LAKE, July H.-Monday Is
~ quiet. and the programme is neither large
nor varied at the Assembly grounds. The re-
ligious quiet OF yesterday prolonged its in
fuence into to-day. and A. NJ. prayer meet
ing In the ampitheater was well attended.
The majority do not like to have gospel before
breakfast, but the staunch old Chautauquan
partisans, mindful Of the old camp-meeting
days, still like to offer up blessings to Him who
rules over all things before they partake of
their morning meal. The younger Chautau-
guam would much prefer tennis to prayers be-
fore breakfast, and many of them arise at day.
light to indulge in this popular sport.
Wbst s6d as ea1y IN
the afternoon by Prof. l. V. Flagler.-- A. better
subject could not have been chosen for the
author or better author for the subject.
Music was not, as many people thought, an art
OF the later age. Music was born with the
birth Of man. 1t came to him naturally and In:
tuitlvely. There was truly music in the soul OF
the savage. The sound Of sea shells and OF
stones grating together was the primitive
music. There is an intense longing for some
sound In us ALL From these tirst sounds they
races appreciated terrific sounds. The dog is
attracted by the whistle of q steam locomotive,
and flock OF geese will follow the loud beat
ing of a tin pan. Such sounds CRATE upon the
cultivated ear and the finer tones are only
pleasant. Persons often attempt to criticise
music and musicians when their ears are not
trained to an appreciation Of their art and
beauty.
An Idenl Poets Works.
DR. W. D. MCCLINTocK spoke in the hall
directly afterward on 1.-THE Poetry OF
Shelley" His lecture was classicaly tine dis
eliminating. He dealt with his subject as
scholar and critic Shelley had fascinating
personality. Our general feeling upon reading
him Is that Of youth. enthusiasm, ideality and
charm. The Shelley of tradition was the ideal
poet. He inherited wonderful qualities Of
mind: AS youth he was passionate, at times
rebellious and ever asserted absolute personal
liberty. His whole life and energy was that OF
poet and he was enthusiastic for others and
i0r IN hm1adnkind but was frequently disappointed
England ON account of his beliefs served as q
benefit rather than an injury. When he grew
older his views were different and better.
A large part of Shelleys poetry has tor It's OBJ
jeet new and better things for mankind. He
became dreamer and prophet OF golden
age. He looked at everything as personal.
ideal and subjective life. Here he worked a.
an artist with nature and his personal emo.
tions and experiences. In the former he IA In
tsfestihR A. q man, but weak as poet. In the
tAsssE his WoPh 10 uniformly nopls'
His Lyrical Poems.
SHEtLEY was by nature lyrical poet. His
dramas and long poems arc not 30 great.
In the lyric Shelley ID careful, temperate. ar.
tistie, and the cry of hts trumpet ID 'goiden,"
He 10 never morbid. even when interpretive,
and his touches, even though not spiritually
deep, are intellectually and materially so. His
9nlyrie cry was ideal, longing regret and In
AS an artist, shelley's work is beautiful, and
his best Is temperate and sincere. HIS power
IN words, especially In imagery. is great, and
ms sense OF harmony unsurpassed. bheiley,s
niteness OF his thoughts. He is ideaiist and
dreamer. The poet, nature, mankind-are oil
idealized, and there is over all spirit Of
yagueness. the underlined. limitless and cloudy
In more than half his works.
sss
Tho Natural and the Romantic.
THERE 10 an unusually large amount Of
nature about our poet. His poems on nat
ure are about equally between poems on nat
ure. connected with man. and poems on nature
for herself entirely. Tie elements he best un-
derstood are those intrinsically beautiful and
romantic-the sky, wind, water, woods, and some
elements Of storms and mountains. 1t Is here
he shows his love for the indefinite, distant and
unlimited. The elements OF landscape he sees
perfectly. The landscape itself IS often ideal
and unearthly. In his idealism only the beauti.
ful and romantic elements of nature attract
him. Therefore he is offended at much that Is
human. He represents nobly many of the
subtler phases OF emotion. especially love,
pathos, tender regret and aspiration. He is an
enthusiast for humanity-to cure its evils and
relieve It's misery.
Some OF Shelleys moral principles were
wrong but they were principles, and his life is
according to them. He disliKed and protested
against the form of religion in his day.
but he was of q religious nature, and
preached the cause of liberty and the Yenera-
tion of mankind.
Why Lecturers Talk.