The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-06-18


should be presented for payment on or
before that day. H. B. HICKS,
June 10, 1896. Treasurer.
Yearly Meeting Of the Woman's Lit
erary Club.
Wednesday, June 10th marked the
close OF the second years work of the
Woman's Literary Club, and q special
meeting was held at the residence OF the
President, Mrs. E. G. Davis.
The parlors were filled with the men,
bers of the Club and their friends, as
sembled to hear Shakespearean lecture
on their invitation by DR.. Hume, OF the
University of North Carolina. The dis
tinguished speaker chose for his subject
shakespeare as a moral teacher" and
for more than an hour held the undi-
vided attention of his hearers. while he
brought forth gems of thought from an
apparently unlimited store. 1t is given
to few to have explored so thoroughly,
to have comprehended 80 entirely the
plays of the great poet. DR.. Hume con-
sidered that, apart from Bible, the most
terrible and inspiring complications OF
psychological and ethical laws are found
in the plays of Shakespeare; that he is
the best guide, philosopher and friend in
our personal experiences and our social
relations; that his ethical philosophy is
clearly defined and that while he is a dis
sector OF the meannesses and fOllies OF
mankind, he is a believer in the triumph
of good over evil in tainted humanity.
He also showed how Shakespeare, using
the imagination as the best interpreter,
avoids didastic teaching, being too true
an artist to resort to sermOnizing and
the laying on of moral precept, but pre-
ferring to exalt the instincts of the
heart, allows his morality to interpene-
trate and suffuse his poetry. Shakes
peare teaches that sin reacts upon the
sinner and that penalty follows hard
upon transgression. He makes the vii
liam Edmund utter a two-edged truth
that fails not to cut into himself when
he ridicules those who make guilty Of
their disasters the sun, the moon and
the stars" yet declares nature to be his
goddess whose laws he must obey, show
ing the atheist to be the most supersti-
tious of beings.
Much of the lecture was given to de-
picting the career of Falstaff and his
moral influence over Shakespeare's dar-
ling Henry, who in "seeing life" kept
dis moral nature intact.
The fat knights downfall and the cpl
sode of the clothes basket were wittily
told. The speaker assured his listeners
that they would never gain an insight to
the beauty of Shakespeare by a mere
reading or by skimming about here and
there after quotations, but that the
plays must be earnestly studied in their
relations to each other and to the life OF
the period in which the poet lived. They
are broad enough to take in all ages and
all countries. Only by careful, loving
study can our imaginations be fred with
the poets lofty ideals of life and duty.
The lecture throughout was stimula-
ting and inspiring, showing varied
learning, a close acquaintance with the
mind and art OF the master, and clothed
withal in the chaste and choice diction
that characterizes DR.. Hume's language.
The ladies congratulated themselves on
being able to set before their guests SO
rare feast of reason. At it's close the
hostess led her company into the dining
room, where with her usual graciousness
and quiet dignity she dispensed varied
delicacies and gracefully did the honors
of her hospitable home. Mp.