The herald., 1895-03-20
Shakespeare Club Women
Enlightened
TIE POETRY OF TIE STAGE
Many Ladies Assist at Lecture o.
Henry "
The New Woman In Los Angeles Docs Not
Ignore the Principles Of
tlistrionic Art

This is Shakespeare week in Los An
geles and the Shakespeare club is happy;
the members are devoting more than the
usual time TO the author they hold in
highest reverence. The club met yester-
day morning at the Friday Morning Club
room, to listen to thoughtful lecture on
King Henry ", by Mrs. Kate Upper Gal
pin. The speaker gave first the history
bearing on the play and next told the
story of the rebellion headed by Henry
Percy, and gave the sources of the historic
matter and told of the old play The Fa-
nous Victories of Henry "" which was
the foundation of Shakespeare Hen
ry ".
Every writer must use the work OF
others; the greatest man is he who can
best utilize the work ofthe greatest num-
Der of Others Study the growth of any
invention and you will find that the in
ventor of each new instrument has used
all the work of all the inventors that have
preceded him in his line, and has by his
own invention or addition given new use
or power or facility to the old.
shakespeare use of the work of others
proves him the greatest literary workman
the world has ever known
She told of the popularity of the play
from its first presentation and of its uni
versal interest. Not only are the students
anu tnp TclIDeu DlcdSSu, Dub bile Ulb anu
galleries. Henry the Fifth is evidently
Shakespeare's favorite delineation, and
Mrs. Galpin conceives Prince Hal to be
the poets portrait of his own youth. Her
argument in support of this theory and
her proof OF the real nobility of the wild
young prince were listened to with great
appreciation-also her comments on the
character OF Falstaff whom she regards
as the personiication as well as the en-
bodiment OF vice and sensuality.
She discerns in the character a deep
ethical significance. and considers that
he is the great poets answer to che
question, why does folly attract the
young? The best that can be said OF
Falstaff is that he is not a villain, for a
villain must. have. distinct desire to
harm others, and Falstaff is too self
absorbed to care either to harm or to
desires are affected. Mrs. Galpin analysed
the destinations of Falstaff or rather
proved them incapable of analysis. She
criticised the presentation of the play
Monday night IN this city, showing its
excellences and suggesting points for
differing judgments. The best part OF the
lecture was its ethical significance. The
moral underlying all of Shakespeare
historical plays is the whatsoever a man
soweth that shall he also reap"
At the conclusion of the lecture, Fred
erick Warde, who had been an attentive
and interested listener, made little adj
dress, expressing his qualification at find
ing Shakesperean work of the
character done by the club.
While recognizing the ethical value
OF certain situations and constructions
pointed out by Mrs. Galpin, he also urged
that the playwright's limitations at times
necessarily fell short of actors ideal pre-
sentatlon. His remarks were decidedly
complimentary to the work of the class
and to Mrs. Galpin' s methods as leader,
and were very warmly received by the au-
dience present.
Mrs. Galpin will repeat the lecture at 10
O'Clock Saturday morning at Y. NJ. C. A.
Hall, and no better preparation for the
Saturday matinee could well be afforded
than this carefully prepared lecture. and
10 doubt, teachers and students particu-
larry will avail themselves of it, as they
cannot attend the Shakesperean Club. 1t
was with especial thought of them that
the ladies requested the repetition of the
lecture.