The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-20

| are most vital 90 u.s. We talk light
ly about light matters, and 80 IL comes
| To pass that we do not know our friend
! and our friend does not know US.
I'm the writings Of an individual we
have an insight into the deeper and
| truer nature. When we have read Mrs.
| Browning's poems studiously; when We
| have walked with her through the
many scenes which are so vividly por-
| trayed; when We have read her nome
| like letters, telling OF her joys and sor-
! rows. can we not say that we kstw
| Mrs. Browning in some degree That
| the years seem TO pass away ana We
stand I'm the low, long room, hung with
| tapestry with the books and desk ana
see the pale. earnest face with the hne
| eyes and shining curls and take the
| ethereal hand I'm ours and feel the beau
| tful presence? Mrs Browning While
| living was a bcnedction 10 the priv
! ileged ew who were her friends. Today
Mrs. Browning's writings are bene-
| diction TO the many who are her
/ friends? ?"
At this point the paper passes to de-
scribe some characteristics OF Mrs
Brownng's verse and in this connec-
| tion the entire absence Of the humorous
| element in her writings was noted
Indeed" continues the paper, the
| things OF life that most people pass by
without thought were tragedies TO this
| tender nature" To illustrate Mrs
Browning's thought OF life Mrs. Selleck
read Il few verses from the poem en-
! titled. The Mask. and continuing
| comments upon THE Drama OF Exile,
rs containing some sublime thoughts
that carry us far beyond the trivial
things Of earth
OF the years Of invalidism, which
I Elizabeth Barrett was called upon 70
endure 20 her youth and young woman
hood, of her meeting with the poet
Robert Browning, who later became
her husband. the paper proceeds az
follows The great world around her
was very little i'm reality 10 the sick
girl. Her world was from within. Not
many friends were permitted To see
I her, but her genius was everywhere
recognized new voice was singing
the songs of love and liberty. She cor
responded with many noted people.
Among these was Robert Browning and
now we come 10 what i think OF as the
parting Of the ways" AT this point the
paper interestingly dWells upon the
beautiful love story Of Robert and
Elizabeth Browning. OF her stepping in
TO a new life. mot the heaven OF her
dreams. but heaven upon earth; OF her
lea wing the escenes OF her past. with all
it's mYstiCisms. its morbid thoughts for
her future home. in bright sunny Italy.
From Italy" continues the essay,
her voice comes TO us with ringing
now lives
Here Mrs. Selleck called attention 10
Mrs. Browning's exquisite sonnets, as
being the expression of her own love
story, reading several by way of Illus
tration. We may quote:
II saw i'm gradual vision through my
tears
The sweet sad years, the melancholy
years.
Those of my own life. who by turns had
fung n shadow across me;
Straightway / was ware
So sweeping. how a mystic shape did
Behind me and draw me backward by
the hair:
And a voice said i'm mastery while l
strove,
Guess now who holds thee? Death.
said, but there,
The silver answer rang out not Death
but Love"
The essay next takes up Mrs. Brown
ing's poem of Casa Guida Windows"
from which she looks out upon the po-
ltical struggle of Italy with Austria,
and tells the sad story in sympathetic
verse. OF Mrs Browning's other poems
the following were chosen as special ex-
amples of her genius: The Runaway
Slave" Were Tired My Heart and /"
Crowned and Buried, THE Cry OF the
children" OF this latter poem,
do We hear the children weeping, O
my brothers,
Ere the sorrow comes with years.
who does not understand the sad tale
and realize why familiar stanzas were
written?
Aurora Leight." Mrs. Browning's
greatest work. was characterized as
"a novel in prose. The paper con-
cludes with the following tribute TO Mrs
Browning's verse. step by step we are
led up the heights To the music of the
grandest conceptions. We feel our
selves carried to the mountain top, ana
there catch glimpses of the infinite
The regular hi-monthly meeting of
the Read, Mark and Learn club was
held at the residence or the president,
Mrs. Arthur r. Rich. II Hampstead
street, on Monday, March 18Th
The usual fifteen, minutes discussion
which precedes the literary hour waS
led by Mrs. Fanny Ashley McAuslan,
tonic 'The Cars Manifesto I'm brief,
Mrs McAuslan submitted the substance
of the manifesto as follows: a cor
ference of representatives OF the ma
tions OF the world is called to devise
methods by which perpetual peace
may be maintained between ali nations.
This means OF course, the settle
ment of all disputed questions, b. ar
bitration. The points which | bring up
for discussion are these: rs This step
practicable at this tme2 VIII the ma
tions take it? and BE- able 60 keep II
II taken?
The question arises In our minds
whether al nations are sufficiently cd
uc9tel and civilized - be governed by
reason whether they viii relinquish
the spoils Of war cithcr in land or gold.
10 secure the peace and happiness Of
their people
lis public sentiment ready Tor this
question? Then IL such sep be taken,
viii these nations, when a crisis arrives
keep their pledge even II il means loss
of valuable territory?
1--WE cannot doubt tho beneiiccnCc OF
such an agreement, 90 be- forever rid
OF the horrors " war and FOR this end
an humane and noble men will labor.
In tim. IL will come, but the question
f.: Is this the time or must We Wait !
FOR the millennium"
The above points were followed by r.
general discussion by the members of /
the club when the president Mrs. .Gi,h I
gave the story Of the life and works Of I