Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-27
Papers Read at the Associations
Convention This Morning.
A PESSIMISTIC PHILOSOPHER.
Interesting Talks on the Stories Of
the Werewolf.
ACONvENTIONPROGR

Modern Language Association OF America
commenced a three days session this morn
Ing IN the lecture hall Of the Columbian
University, corner 18th and H streets north
west. The objects of this association are
the scientific development of the study and
teaching Of modern languages and the re-
lation of phonetics to and their bearing
upon languages. Each branch Of this two
fold object leads into numerous side chan
nels of investigation until a wide field of
scientific research Is opened to the student.
One feature of the work Of this association
Is the expectation that it will gradually
arouse interest In foreign languages among
the people of the United States. 1t is claim
ed that the study of foreign languages In
this country is yet in it's infancy, as COM
pared with other lands.
This mornings session was called to order
by Prof March of Lafayette College. Less
than a score of members were present, but
there were a number of ladies' in the audi
euce. Prof. March presented President Well
ing of the Columbian University, who well
coined the members to Washington. DR..
"eiiing said that year after year 1t has
been his pleasure to listen to the learned
papers read before the association, and in
the name of the university he welcomed the
convention, and extended the hospitality of
the institution
The secretary of the association, Mr..
James w. Bright of Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity, Baltimore, presented his annual report
in printed form, and read a communica zion
from the British Association of Languages
inclosing copies OF prospectus of the asso.
clation and an outline Of the aims and OBJ
Jects or that association
The report of the acting treasurer Mr.
NJ. ~. Learned, showed a balance on hand
~ 80. Inc receipts for the year were
'l;Ssi and expenditures H.457.
Prof. Cone Of Columbian College asked
and received unanimous consent to make
an INFORMAL announcement of the coming
anniversary of the birth OF Friedrich Dietz.
ne said that the romance department of
columbian College will celebrate this event,
which occurs March Is next In a fitting
manner.
Pessimistic Philosophy.
The reading Of papers being announced
as In order. DR.. Alex. w. Herdler of Prince
ton University presented a paper on the
Life and Works Of Giacomo Leopard"
an italian poet of this century, who DR..
Herdler said achieved fame as an ex-
FOUNDER Of philosophy Of a pessimistic ma
ture.
DR.. Herdler described the early life of the
poet and his bitter struggle with adverse
circumstances, which continued during his
later life. DIR. Herdler thought he could
trace In this some relation to Leopardfs
pessimism. The home life of the young
poet was not pleasant as his father, a
stern and practical man, did not enter into
the plans of the young man and opposed
him at every turn. Finally he went to
Rome, but found life no easier there Suit
able employment was hard to find, and he
suffered at times Finally, when he did
get some translating to do, and eked out a
livelihood by giving private lessons, his eyes
became affected by constant study. The
years dragged along and times grew worse
hoe
mined, and he was totally dependent upon
his father and friends. He died in the arms
of friend as he was being removed to a
cottage at the foot Of Mt. Vesuvius
Prof. Shefioe of the woman's College
Baltimore. was called upon to discuss the
paper. He said that during this century
Leopard has been the subject OF serious
study in France and Germany. It Is only
in recent years. however. that English
speaking people have become acquainted
with his works through occasional trans
lations
Prot. Menger of Johns Hopkins Univer.
sity also discussed the paper.
Werewolf Stories.
The next paper was presented by Dr.
Kirby Flower Smith of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity. being An Historical Study of the
Werewolf in Literature DIR. Smith re-
called the general prevalence in all ma
lions of superstition in which the wolf
figures. He attributes this in part to the
fact that the wolf as an animal Is found
in all countries, being able to thrive
wherever man is found. The ferocity of
the wolf anu his bestial nature therefore
render him a fitting subject for the super
stltion.
Petronius as typical story Of that super
stition. Petronius, it will be remembered
loved the wife of an innkeeper and when
the husband died he started to her house
IL 10 tai
der. While they were passing through
the tombs the soldier suddenly cast OF his
raiment and turned into a wolf. Petronius
thereupon hastily left the scene and when
he arrived at his destination found the
lady he was visiting in a great state of
mind. A wolf had just devastated the
flock and killed many sheep. One Of the
slaves, however, had slashed the wolf in
home and found his soldier friend in bed
with the doctor dressing a wound in the
neck.
DR.. Smith recalled stories of similar ma
ture in other lands and times. He described
the Scandinavian theory of TRANSFORMED ton,
traced the werewolfs connection with out
lawry. The story of Sigmund the Volsung
and of his son Sinfotli was taken as
general model for werewolf stories of later
days than the time of Petronius
AS civilization advanced Christianity had
an influence upon the superstition. A COM
pact with the devil is added to the story
Transformation of the werewolf into human
again. Coming down to the fifteenth, six
teenth and seventeenth centuries, DR.. Smith
traced the connection between the werewolf
superstition and the witch trials of those
times. He touched also upon the doctrine
of transmigration, of the astral shape and
other theories of transformation.
DIR. Smith had prepared a paper of two
hours length, but he announced that he
would not read 1t at length, and he there
fore only touched upon the principal heads
of the subject.
Prof. NJ. D. Learned of Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, discussed the paper
briefly, recounting some other legends of a
similar nature He traced the connection
between the werewolf superstition and the
story of the bear demon of the north.
paper by DR.. Hugo a. Rennert Of the
University of Pennsylvania on "Lope de
Vegas Conedia Sin Secreto no ay Amor"
was read by title.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session opened at o'clock,
at which the following papers were on the
program: "Allegory in English Literature
During the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Cen
turies." by Prof c. F. McClumpha Of the
University of the City of New York; "a
Gauoho Dialect POEM" by Prof. Fred. NJ.
Page Of Bryn Mawr College: Speech
Tones by Prof. A. NJ. Bell Of Washington.
~ T., and "A Study and Notation of Amer
lean Vowels." by Prof. E. H. Babbitt Of
Columbia College
Other panApa