The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-08
Mr.. BELLoWs's LECTURE.


Mr.. BELLoWs,s LECTURE.
The Literature of the Age of Elizabeth
Mr.. Bellows began his lecture Monday
afternoon by saying that to him the
period we had now reached was by far
the most interesting of any that had been
examined in the course upon the Great
Periods in Literature. Its special char
acteristic is splendor of imagination,
lavishness of expression, largeness OF
utterance that belongs to no other age.
A number of circumstances undoubtedly
contributed to this spontaneity of
thought. The character of Elizabeth,
with her learning, her love of adventure,
her delight in the drama, her boundless
energy was potent factor. 1t was the
age of invention; of discoveries of new
realms which navigators turned into Ell
Dorados and worlds Of enchantment
The printing press turned out great trans
lations, like North's Plutarch, SO freely
used by Shakespeare in his classical
plays; Chapman's Homer, SO Landed by
Keats; Fairfax's Tasso, which doubtless
gave some suggestions to Spenser.
Science took new start; religion be-
came free. Everywhere there was alert
ness and keen awakening to life's mys-
terry and its possibilities. Andithis bound
less enthusiasm found expression in
some of the most magnificent writing,
the most dramatic poetry that the world
has ever known.
Of Shakespeare the lecturer wished to
say nothing. He vent ured, however, to
pay few minutes attention to Mr..
Clapps view of Hamlet, so brilliant, SO
delightful, yet, as it seemed to him, SO
cruel. Hamlet's fault is indeed a fatal
weakness of the will, a thinking too
precisely upon the event. 1t is the ira
gedy of thought which is unable to con-
vert itself into action. He brings misery
upon himself and all with whom he is
related. But the essential tragedy is in
the guilt of the wretched king and queen,
not in the incompetent goodness of
the unhappy prince. He is, SO far as
action is concerned, "a poor creature"
but he moves through the scenes high
and noble presence-it may be, like Shell
lev, ian Intellectual angel, but one
whom we love, and whose thoughts on
some of the FASTEST subjects touched by
man still sYlnAs as the finest possible
statement.
The same greatness eff Imagination
stamps the prose writers of the period.
Bacon has much of its loftiness of sound
ing phrases. It weuld only need COM
parison of his essay upon "Gardens"
with the beautiful words Of Perdita de-
scribing the flowers to show the impossi-
bility Of Bacon's being the author of
Shakespeare plays. But we have here
a very great name, and though he was
not. as the world now reckons it, man
of accurate scientific attainments, yet
Bacon established method which still
reigns.
Raleigh and Sydney were considered as
opponents of the time in their gallantry.
their courtesy and their knightly gentle
manliness. Spenser is "the poets poet"
and his Faery Queen like Morris Earth
ly Paradise is poem of linked sweet
ness long drawn out.' For felicity of
single lines which fall upon the ear like
rare melody we cannot find their match
until we come to some of the most per-
feet verses of Tennyson. Some passages
were read to illustrate.
The drama, having its rise in the re-
ligious sentiment, passed through the
roughness and grotesque familiarity of
the Miracle plays selections from which
were read-to the wonderful writings OF
Lyley, Kyd, Marlowe, Jonson, Beaumont
and Fletcher, Massinger, Ford and Web
ster. No sncL drama has ever appeared
in any age or cline. 1t lacks OF course
the severe beauty of the Greek tragedy
or the finish and polished grace of the
French drama. But these defects were,
in the speakers mind, more than made
up for by the Astounding life, the vigorous
thought, the passion and ispontaneity of
the great Elizabethans. Specimens were
read from the Elizabethan dramatists
just mentioned to show the vast range of
thought, feeling and emotion that was
covered by these peerless giants who
claimed all life for their province and in
a sort, made good their claim.