The herald., 1895-12-28
THE FRIDAY MORNING CLUB
Unusually Interesting Program
at Yesterdays Meeting
AUDREY BEARDSLEY'S WORK
Subject of an Excellent Paper by Pro-
lessor Policy
American Posters, Book-covers and Whlms in
Literature Were the Other Topics
= Treated-The Papers In Brief

At the Friday Morning club yesterday
Audrey Beardsley, American Posters,
Book Covers and Whims in Literature were
the subjects presented respectively by
Professor Policy of Throop University, Mr..
Hyde Price of England, Mrs. j. d. Hooker
and Mrs. Margaret Collier Graham. A
spirit of wit scinti,ated through all the
papers. which with the gay appearance of
the club room. hung with many gaudy,
grotesque and highly illuminated speci-
mems of American and foreign posters and
book covers, gave a holiday air and hui
morous atmosphere to the proceedings.
Professor Policy, in taking up Audrev
Beardsley, presented him the light of
thinker, worker and student, one possess
ing the courage of genius to uphold his
stand of independent ideas of true art,
that have been designated by the critics as
eccentric and degenerate. He is much
more talked of than understood, said Pro-
fessor Policy. Those who criticse him adj
versely do so from illustrations that have
lost their characteristics by repeated re-
productions that result in a mere botch of
the originals. Those who admire his gen.
ius cannot explain why. His illustrations
of Oscar Wilde's Salome and the Yellow
Book. thrust him into startling notoriety, but
neither of these brought him the fame that
was accorded him by the true critics who
recognized the genius of the artist who. in
black and white alone, depicted not only
what was seen. but suggested much m ore,
visible only to the imagination.
A humorous article on American posters
was then read by Hyde Price, who likened
a review of posters to an English dinner
party that sent most of the guests away
hungry, and some of them insulted. He
believed that the origin of posters is gener-
ally attributed 10 the Egyptians, to whom
falls the credit of most things that fail to
find place anywhere else.
moreover he continued, Egyptian art
and the great pyramid itself smack of this
grotesque style of illumination. Research,
however. gives France the just due of hav-
ing first originated the poster. and England
followed in a more solid style. Mr.. Price
then gave the history of noted American
artists who have not considered it beneath
them to work in this line. Even the great
Sir John Millais. who received $4,000 for
the poster advertising Pears soap, is not
an exception"
After the conclusion of the paper Mr..
price explained the merits and defects of
the pictures that adorned the walls. He
criticised the work of Bradley in Lippin-
colts Magazine, pointing out the excellence
of the first numbers and the gradual de-
I cline in the later months.
Book Covers and Their History was ably
taken up by Mrs. J. d. Hooker. "Long
before the invention of printing" she said,
"manuscripts were bound in various ways.
The old monks used solid wood. as board
covers, that were indented in numerous
places to form receptacles for spectacles,
rosaries, etc. These bindings, with mas
sive corners and heavy clasps, made very
ponderous volumes. Other styles of bind
ing were in carved ivory and wrought sill
yer, exquisitely chased and set in precious
stones.
with the invention of printing came
binding in leather, beautifully executed by
hand, which reached the highest point in
the time of Henry IL of France, who pos
sessed library of 500 volumes that was
a work of art and cannot now be repro
duced. Labor-saving processes next came
in vogue, and leather and cloth bindings
have now run into commercial lines.''
"Our country stands first,'' said the
speaker, ''in producing beautiful cloth
book covers. Most beautiful are the re-
suits where author and artist are one, as in
Pyle's Robin Hood and Edwin Abbeys
Quiet Life.''
Next came "Whims in Literature" by
Mrs Margaret Collier Graham. This paper
had one fault only, that of being too short.
1t was full of little sparkles and gems of
wit that came so suddenly and passed so
quickly that all that could be caught was
a remaining sense of satisfied pleasure.
She contrasted the two kinds of readers
the one that believes there are only three
or four magazines in the world, and the
other class that is always ready for some-
thing new today that was unknown yester-
day and may be unheard of tomorrow.
| This first sits quietly by the fireside with
her magazine, which she is certain will
please her. The other scampers after the
newest book, with the latest freak in pos
tiers and the most startling contents. to lay
it aside for feverish chase after the next
whimsical fad in literature.
Mrs. Graham thought the time was COM
ing when a fabulous sum would be paid for
the autograph of that person who had never
written a book.
The highly entertaining morning closed
with the inspection of a large assortment
of beautifully bound books in different
style coveLs, furnished by Mrs. Hooker.
Specimens of the work OF Audrey Reardsley
in Salome and copies of the Yellow Book
that cannot be reproduced, were also en-
joyed through the kindness of Professor
Policy.