New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-05
LECTURES ON LITERATURE.
CLOSE OF THE WEEKLY CONFERENCES
AT THE CARNEGIE LYCEUM.
NATURE OF THE sERIEs-PAPERs READ YEsrhH
DAY BY PROFESSOR CHARLES sPRAGUE-


DAY BY PROFESSOR CHARLES sPRAGcE-
SMITH AND OTHERS
There was finished yesterday morning. oeiofe =
large audience at the Carnegie Lyceun' series VI
nine weekly conferences upon comparative L''e,
ture" under the direction OF Professor Cnai'e'
s,rapue-smth The idea Of this course which mas
been developed with encouraging success marke' d
radical departure from the ordinary me'nou' u
studying literature.
Al the openIng Of each meeting half an hour was
devoted to an Introductory paper on the general SUP
iect for the day On all occasions except one '"s
was read by Professor Sprague-Smith himsef' Al
its close supplementary papers OF from "Ve ~ "
minutes each. bearing upon various phases OF the
Same tonic were read by men and women specially
Informed in the particular lines OF study which they
treated The remainder OF the time was occupied
with general discussion. The result OF this method
was that fresh Inspiration and suggestion were gwen
by the interchange OF ideas Owing to the thorough
manner In which the subjects were presented all SUI
nerncialltIes were thrown aside and the word liter
ature" was made to assume a deeper meaning than
that often assigned to II.
list OF the main topics OF the course in the order
OF their presentation, gives some Idea OF the work:
The Chanson de Roland" "Ariosto's Orlando Flu
rioso.' THE Spanish Books OF Chivary and Don
Quixote The Poems OF the CID" Comedies lie
CID" The Nibeungen Epic" THE Old Morse
Form" THE Nibelungen Lied" "Wagner's Trilogy
Compared with the Earlier Forms and. lastly. which
was the closing topic yesterday, Literature as a
Study
THE masterpieces OF literature" said Professor
Sprague-smi,h In opening his address, must be
understood by tracing the ife Of that literature
down 10 It's very roots. The typical so-calied his
tory OF literature is chiefly chronology. 1t pre-
sents facts and dates. giving useful material 10
work with. but II does not trace causes: 1t does
not study conditions and influences; history II Is
not. The germ from which literature develops Is
the mind OF man. Consequently. the nrst essential
thing TO re, some conception OF the people which
have produced IT. Then as climate and other phys
teal conditions determine differences. the second
necessity is 10 study the environment OF that peo-
pie The third point IL that literature must be
studied on background OF history II must be
vital closely connected and related with the political
and soca. lie Of man.
Professor sprague-smith gave an interesting ac-
count Of his experiences In literary study for
the last twenty years. lie had travelled over many
countries TO return finally - his own; and he was
ccnvlnced that America. though somewhat crude at
the present time. IN comparison with the older
countries offered immense opportunities and con-
tnin~d the promise OF brilliant literary future In
closing he said: We propose next year to hold a
smI.ar series OF conferences, perhaps somewhat
longer. the study OF the drama Al the sa me
4 body composed Of many OF our best students is
behind this movement -men whose names are
William Dean Howe.ls. Richard Henry Stoddard
and Hamilton Mable but the list Is long one
Meetings Will also DO held In the evenings. when
the authors will read from their works"
The supplementary papers were somewhat In the
nature OF reviews OF the subjects OF former meet
ings Tho first was by Professor Adolphe Cohn on
The Roland Ideal In Its Successive Transforma-
lions" Roland. he said, was the highest type OF q
man OF action to-day. His striking characteristics
truth, scorn OF wealth and the subimation OF
courage He was unterrifed by difficulties and
nrrniy believed In the ultimate triumph OF right over
might
Professor Luis Baralt followed with enthusi-
astic account OF The Cid Ideal and Professor
Sprague- Smith spoke briefly on The Sigurd Ideal
Woman in the Roland Poems discussed by
Miss Marguerite Merington. and Miss Louise Both.
Hendrkscn read paper on Woman In the Cid
Poems"
The closing paper. Woman In the Nibelungen
POEMS" was by Miss Rsgna Boyesen. The differ
ences. and yet general resembances between the
German and Scandinavian legends were set forth,
and the character OF the heroic Brdnnhilde was
described. Miss Boyesen then gave an account OF
the life personal appearance. dress and occupa-
lions OF the typical Nlbelungen woman. The rights
and privileges which she enjoyed were also touched
upon. Miss Boyesen closed by reading short ex-
tract from a poem OF her brother. the late HjHlmar
Hjorth Boyesen