Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-10
FRIDAY MORNINGITES
The Features of the Last
Meeting.
A Morning With Several Great
Poets.
Austin DObsOn and Walt whitman
Discussed.
Mrs. Wings Selections From Dobson
Mrs. johnson of the Palms Reads
Paper-Dr. Lummis's
Contribution.

Youngstown; Miss Soper, Mrs. William
son, Toronto; Miss Beach, Miss Stone
The Palms; Mrs. Chandler, Detroit
Miss Davis, New York; Mrs. j. M.
Studebaker, Indiana; Miss Bradfield
Missouri Miss Tarrey. Sierra Madre MRS,
Gilmore, MINI. Mrs. Harris, Ohio Mrs.
j. E. Spangler, Cedar Rapids; and Mrs.
L. j. Reynolds, San Jose.
The dramatic entertainment an
nounced for the day had been indefi-
nitely postponed on account of the severe
illness OF Mrs. Ludlam, so a hastily pre-
pared programme was presented, on
Austin, Dobson and Walt Whitman, for
the mornings entertainment.
Mrs. Wing read few selections from
Austin Dobson's Vignettes in Rhyme,
those indefnably graceful bits OF rythm,
full OF brooding memories and tender as
sociations. The Cradle, Tu Quoque, A
Song of the Four Seasons, Ure Mar
quise, and lastly triolet from his COL
lection of Rose Leaves.
"These are leaves OF my rose,
Pink petals treasurer
There is more than one knows
In these leaves of my rose;
oh the joys! oh the loves
They are quite beyond measure.
These are leaves of my rose
Pink petals treasure"
first article upon Walt Whitman, a
short sketch of "the good gray poet"
by A. E. Watrous in Harper's Weekly.
He said there will never be any oues-
tion as to the nearness of Walt Whit
mans habitat to natures heart. The
only question will be as to whether his
contempt for the arts of poetry has not
deprived him of the power of leading
others as close to natures shrine as he
always dwelt.
Abroad he has been accepted as the
one true American poet. Literary Eng
land created an ideal America OF it's
own, and Whitman's work in the very
savagery OF its form or formlessness
seemed to be its voice. One of his last
messages to the world was, 81 want to
stamp greater hope and faith-an
optimism-on the age.'
Mrs. Huber read next, from the April
number of Harper's monthly, Whit
mans last poem-Death's Valley.
DR.. Lummis followed with an article
by John Burroughs in The Critic of
April I'd.
Whitman was tall, large, with a
breezy, open-air look. His physiology
was undoubtedly unique. Every artist
who saw him felt keen desire to sketch
him. His study, refined and strength
ened with age, the expression full of
pathos, but it was grand as that of
god.
His death removed the most pictur-
esque figure that has yet appeared in
literature. The verdict OF America has
been loudly against him, yet in Edin-
burg, London, Paris, Berlin and Co.
penhagen he has Jared far better.
Yet the standard of poetry in
these foreign cities is undoubtedly
higher and the culture deeper and
broader. No man of our time has
spoken with greater authority. He did
not want to leave bookish or artistic
impression, but Impressions of life
and power at first hand. His view of the
matter was that the profoundest service
that poetry in literature could do for it's
readers was to fill them with vigorous
manliness, righteousness and give them
radical profession and habit.
Miss Fette came next with an article
by Horace L. Troubel, in poet lore, en-
titled: Lowell-Whitman Contrast.
Lowell brings us life in books. His
poetic lines are chiselled to antique
measurement, exquisite proportion,
abundant demonstration of effective and
perfect anatomy; but stone withal, and
color lost in form.
Whitman is prone to say: "Give me
one truth or trick of sea or star, and all
else l will gladly yield" Nothing can
account for Whitman's depthless power
except the assumption that his note is
exactly the note of reality.
Lowell takes us to Libraries; Whit
man to forests, to the sea. Lowell has
wit, subtlety, the noblest sense of pro.
priety. Whitmans poems express the
inner as we'll as the outer life. He is
sunrise; he beams the rosy gray of the
first morning; he promises you labor,
long journey, and sacred rest at last.
Helen Mar Bennett closed the read
ings with poem, Health, from Walt
Whitman's Good Bye, My Fancy. Dis
cussion followed, chiefly among the
readers, as very few were prepared for
the mornings programme.
The subject announced for next
week is Industrial Education. Rev.
Mr.. Thomson will address the club on
this. A paper is also expected from
Miss Ida Maryland of Boston.