St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-26

IL must be studied product and with
reference to the environment out of which it
has come. The conferences were arranged
| to meet this need. The method involved a
| principal paper Of thirty minutes in length
| supplementary papers of five to ten minutes
each and general discussion.
AS an example of the kind of work done
may be taken the study of the "Song of Ro-
land, the great medieval epic of France.
1t was first considered in its historical and
literary setting, reference being had to the
incident on which it is founded as encoun-
tered elsewhere in French literature and ira
dltion before and after the date of the "Song
of Roland The second conference crossed
the boundaries into Italy and took up
'Ariosto's Orlando Furioso,' the result of the
epic movement in Italy, and considered it in
the same exhaustive way. Then a compar-
ison was made back of the Roland-idea in
Ariosto and the same idea in the original
poem. The third conference turned to SPAIN
where the chief product of the same move
ment had been the Books of Chivalry."
whose greatest Importance lies In the fact
that Don Quixote' was written as a protest
against them. Thus the real product Of the
movement as regards Spain was not in the
direct line. The French medieval heroes did
not penetrate to Spain as they did to Italy
for the reason that Spain had heroes of it's
own in which it was interested, chief of
whom was the Cid. The study of this char
acter leads to consideration of Arabic civ
ilization, of the Cid in history drama and
ballad poetry, and thence back to France by
way of Corneilles drama, LIE Cid,' and
comparison between the Spanish ideal Of
manhood In the Cid and the French ideal
in the Roland.
This brief outline will give some idea of the
kind Of work done and it's scope. Prof
Sprague-Smith has strong support in New
York, such men as Charles Dudley Warner,
Mr.. Howells, Richard Henry Stoddard, Hamil-
ton Beebe, DR.. Storrs and many other promi-
nent men and women being much interested
The plans for future work are rich in promise
Next year will be taken up q comparative
study Of the drama, dealing first with the
drama Of modern Europe in its great monu-
ments regarded with reference to the under
lying dramatic ideal, and afterwards with the
drama of Greece and Rome in the same way
until complete historical picture is obtained
Of the dramatic movement In all civilizations
Of Europe.
In addition to the conferences there will be
some evening work; series of authors read
ings Is proposed, which shall bring the known
authors Of the day into a contact with the
younger aspirants in the same field which
cannot fail to stimulate the latter. In connec-
ton with it will be organized a body of spe-
cialists in all modern literatures who shall
hold themselves abreast of the literary move
ments In different countries, and distribute
reports upon them throughout the year. There
will also be papers upon the drama of India
and other nations to complete the historical
picture.
The result of all this study will be- II is
hoped, to lay broad foundation for the litera
ture OF the future in America. Out of a
knowledge of the ideas of the past should
grow an idea for the years to come If the
superstructure is not splendid it will not be
because the foundations have not been digged
broad and deep.
Literary societies elsewhere than in New
York are taking up these ideas of study and
the programmes of the conferences and are
assisted by Prof. Sprague-Smith with steno-
graphic reports of the papers read in New
York, books and advice as to study
Another phase of the study, growing out of
Prof. Sprague-Smith' belief that all ages
can be interested, If the subjects are properIy
presented, will be series Of conferences on
comparative literature for children. and
Also If finances will permit, for working men.
AS Prof. Sprague-Smith forcibly remarks, the
human element is the thing to be insisted
upon In all this teaching, and this indeed
is the secret of his method. If the peopIe
are made to feel the human element in liter
ature and taught to see themselves reflected
in 1t, they will infallibly be interested in it
and thus after many centuries literature will
return benefcently to the soil from which II
sprang in the very beginning-the minds and
hearts OF the common people.