New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-04
A SOROSIS SYMPOSIUM.
MUSIC AND LUNCHEON PAVE THE WAY
FOR DISCUSSION.
ITO WHAT DEGREE Is LITERATURE RESPONSIBLE
FOR OUR CONCEPTION OF HUMAN NAT

ITO WHAT DEGREE Is LITERATURE RESPONSIBLE
FOR OUR CONCEPTION OF HUMAN NAT
URE% THE QUESTION OF THE DAY.
The Committee on Literature. Nellie l.. Kingman.
chairman. had charge Of the Sorosis programme
yesterday AT the semi monthly meeting. which was
held as usual in the Aston Gallery Of the Waldorf
Astoria. There was large attendance The meet
ing was called TO order by Mrs DIMES T. s. Deni-
SON. president. tho new corps Of officers took their
places upon the platform. and. in the language OF
the president began new year Of club HE, with
all its possibilities Of usefulness
Before announcing the programme Mrs Denison
stated that an honor had come to one Of Soross'
valued members Mrs. Esther Hermann has been
decorated by the French Government IN recoSn-
ton Of her broad phanthropies. For this. add
ed Mrs Denison. Il am sure the whole club con-
graduates Mrs. Hermann and congratulate them
selves that she is one OF us
The programme was opened by violin solo ny
Master Frederick Gerard. Mrs. Walter lockwood
Ferris reclted A Welsh Classic" by II. II. Bal
lard and Mrs. Ella Jocelyn Horne
The question for discussion. ITO What Degree Is
Literature Responsible for Our Conception Of
Human nature" was pleasingy presented by Miss
Nellie l.. Klngman. Mrs. May Riley Smith took
up the "Iiterature OF Letters" Between every
human individual and his fellows" she said. hangs
an impenetrable veil How many OF u' dare 10
lay our hearts open to even our own eyes. mucn
less others. In literature we cover ourselves up
with few little harmless cosmetics. and letters,
Ike other testimony must be taken relatively. 1t
is said that the letters OF literary are rarely
interesting because they can't afford to put their
best work into letter writing when IL has mercan-
tile value"
An exception was made by Mrs. Smith however.
of the letters of Robert and Elizabeth Browning.
The letters Of the latter. she thought, with Will
lam Alden, superior even 10 the Portuguese
sOnnets.
Gertrude F. Tenney. taking for her subject
Types OF Human Nature in Fiction thought
the essential part of every story was TO be found
Sharpe whom she said. we both love and
hate. Micawber reckless and impractical, and Tito.
degenerating Sc gradually that he was hardly aware
of ii. The novelist who would succeed must as
sst his readers 10 clear their mental windows.
In view Of the realistic literature offered. works
OF fiction seems a misnomer; they should be works
of reality"
The Rev DR.. Augusta Chaplin paid an exquisite
tribute to The Influence OF Sacred Literature.
and Jesse Lozier Payne spoke on The Psychology
Mrs. Isabel Strong. stepdaughter OF Robert Louis
Stevenson. being introduced as the guest Of the
never been published. They were written under
compulsion his wife asking him to write some
verses 10 accompany twenty yards OF gray 81"
which she was to present to a friend who was
Goodness. woman" said Stevenson TO MS wife.
81 can't put sonnet gray dress. but he be-
took himself 10 The shore and in few moments
Other Speakers Of the afternoon Mrs Hon-
man. Miss Pettus and Miriam Mason Greeley. The
,lub guests were Mrs Strong. of Honolulu. and
Mrs Aldrich Of Baltimore. Among the other guests
were Mrs Robert Nicol. Miss Maltby. Miss Ryan.
Of Los Angeles; Miss Walker. Associate Editor OF
To-. Col: Mrs. f. Spencer. of the Patria Club, and
Miss HalloWel