The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-13
LITERARY DEPARTMENT..
Met Yesterday at Hasbrouck
Institute and Arranged
Programme for
Next Year.

Women Poets" was the subject dis
eussed yesterday afternoon at a meeting
of the Literature Department OF the
Woman's Gu in Hasbrouck Institute.
There was a good attendance and each
lady responded to roll call with a quota
ton from her favorite woman poet. There
were two papers, one by Miss Lillian Full
Ter, dealing with the poets Of the first
half of the present century and the other
by Miss Leolard, dealing with those of
the past fifty years. I'm thinking Of the
English women poets of the first part OF
the nineteenth century," said Miss Fuller,
zones mind instructively turns TO Felicia
Henlans and the immortal boy who stood
on the burning deck, while faint ideas
of Anna Barbauld present themselves"
The speaker then continued to name the
various women poets who had written
verses prior to Mrs. Browning, with a
little biography of each.
The first half of this century," continued
she "has not a long list of women poets.
Though there were several born during
this period, they lived and wrote in the
time that might more properly be called
the last half of the cycle. OF these Anna
Tertilia Barbauld and Mrs. Hemans are
the first of prominence to claim our at
tention." Christine Rosetti, e Ingelow,
Dinah Maria Craik and Dora Greenvell,
together with several others were also
mentioned as worthy of note. OF Chris
tine Rosetti, the speaker said, she had a
happy faculty of selling exalted feel
| ing, memorable moments and sublime
emotions n working them into songs.
In all her lines there is ever present
a sweet minor chord.
Adelaide Anne Proctor was also especi-
ally mentioned, while Mrs. Browning re-
ceived more praise than all the rest. II
nave heard it stated" continued the
speaker, "that the reason there have been
no very great women musicians is because
women are lacking in Imagination. This
may be the reason for the scarcity of
women poets of the highest order, but
with the example of Elizabeth Barrett
Browning,a poet whom critics say is equal
in genius and imagination to any in Eng
Iish literary history, before me, it seems
reasonable to believe that woman's envir-
onment and post on nave had something
to do with their absence among the recog-
nized g~eniuses of the world, and with the
Advancement that the sex is making al
present who knows but that in the moi
far distant future the feminine Shakes
peare may appear"
Miss Leolard in reading her paper on
the second half of the century, also spoke
most highly of Mrs. Browning and AIDE
laide Proctor. AS the other two mos
prominent women poets of this time SHE
gave Elizabeth and Phoebe Cary. AIDE
laide Proctor, the speaker said, was chos-
- ..4 r., n,oh Lhoooi1Sn har works Wprf
superior, but because her works were fal
more familiar to the writer than some O.
the others.
Mrs. Browning" continued the speak
err, stands first among our women as q
writer" and then went on to give a briel
biography.
The Carys were mentioned as being
purely American, and a description Of
their farm life, followed by that in New
York, was given, not negleeting to draw
attention to the fact that Phoebe Car,
was the first woman Sorosis honoret
with its presidency.
Following the papers was a discussion
thereon, and Mrs. Walker laid before
the department an outline of the pro
gramme for the ensuing year.. Some o
the subjects promise to be most interest
ing. Mrs. Walker will open the pro
gramme in October with a paper OF
Europe in the Middle Ages" The pro
gramme is on ITALY and the Renais
sance." and includes several debates, a
well as discussions on Dante "Th'
Fall of Constantinople," and other event
of the Renaissance period.
Among the ladies who have alread,
consented to take part are Mrs. John A
Walker, Mrs. Joseph A. Dear, Mrs. Keat
ing. Mrs. Henry Harrison, Mrs. Spence
Weart, Mrs. Carrie Shepard, Miss Adj
!. D. Fuller, Miss Underwood, Mrs. Jane
Erwin and Miss Margaret Lacy.