The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-03-26
AMONG VOAEKS CLUBS
EDITED BY NELL II h. PETTTs.

The last meeting OF the Ardirhebiah
club was held at the residence of Miss
III. II. S. Irons. Friendship street, where
a large representation OF the club, to-
gether with a number OF guests. gath
cred TO listen TO Miss Susan A. Dodge
OF the Rhode Island Woman's club.
Miss Dodge delivered her admirable
lecture The Wit and Wisdom OF
Shakespeare" with readings from
macbeth" and Midsummer Night 8
Dream" The many club women VINO
listened TO this lecture at the sarah ~
Doy .lub early In the season VIII
pie, s9I tlv 'ecall the same
Miss Dodge has been class student
OF Shakespeare for years. and is more
over an elocutionist OF marked ablllty
Step by step she led her hearers IN
10 the hidden beauties OF Shakespeare.
disclosing here and there passages OF
unusual strength, and interspersng the
whole with well chosen and deight-
fully rendered readings from the great
dramatist.
In Introduction the lecturer said:
"More than three hundred years ago,
jn Merrie E1gland, in Stratford,
where flows the Avon I'm the glad
springtme, where. as we read in Loves
Labors Lost
Daisies pied and violets blue and
Lady smoks all silver whit,
And cuckoo buds Of yellow hue do
paint
The meadows with delight
william Shakespeare. the immortal
poet opened his wondering, thought
ful eyes upon a world whose various
incidents make up the comedies and
tragedies OF lifes eventful history.
Aora rAf
the childhood of shakespeare, belieY-
ing she said, win Milton, that Child
hood SHOWS tha man as morning shows
the d." believing. too. that the story
of the childhood OF the great is always
Interesting and especially so at the
present DAY. When a study OF the re,
sources and possibilities OF the child
mind has proven so profitable step
toward an understanding of mental de-
veiopment Miss Dodge called es-
pecial attention 10 the fact that one
childhood Of Shakespeare is velled
somewhat N obscurity. little being alb
solutely known OF his earliest years.
Continuing. the lecturer turned to the
youth of Shakespeare. and In this con-
neciicn the story OF his courtship and
marriage 10 Anne Hathaway was given.
Miss Dodge then recited the beautl-
full poem. Anne Hathaway" with
charming effect. What lover OF Shake
EHNAiN 0bfS hVA iNN'Ai NAANeN
lines?
would we be taught. ye feathered
throng,
With loves sweet notes to grace your
song.
To pierce the heart with thrilling lay.
Listen to mine. Anne Hathaway;
She hath a way to sing SO clear.
Phoebus might wondering stoop 10
hear,
To melt the sad. make blithe the gay,
An. nature charm, Apne hath Q way;
she hath way
Anne Hathaway
To breathe delight. Anne hath way"
Passing to Shakespeare's early man
hood the lecturer described h life and
environment in London. and his liter
AIRY and social success.
"He found fhere." she said. the
needed stimulus 10 move him in the
direction and bent OF his great genius,
and his environment among unen OF iu-
tellectual power and activity seemed TO
bring out the fullness OF his own great
strength
In taking up representative charac-
fers OF Shakespeare Miss Dodge re-
cited a portion OF "As You Like It."
choosing the scene in the Forest of
Arden where the melancholy
Jacques pours forth his dismal solil-
oquy:
"All the worlds a stage
And all the men and women merely
players.
They have their exits and their en-
frances:
And one man in his time plays many
parts.
His acts being seven ages"
The speaker. in closing, gave the