New-York tribune., 1900-04-18
POETRY AND DAILY LIFE.
PROFESSOR VAN DYKE DECLARES THAT
ARTIFTCIALTTY SPOTLS EVERY
THING FINE.

~. -.,.,--aarr-7 annual reunion Of the Eastern
association O. Wells College was held at Sherrys
vesterdav luncheon being served ar l o'clock Pro
sesso- Paul Van Dyke Of Princeton, was the
speaker Of The day. and his address, on The IN
HYerce OF Poetry OF Daily Life was especially
Interesting n its practical adaptation 10 college
women
..si-,-,i-i-v sensuousness and passion are the
essential qualities q poetry" he said. and fAey
ave also -he essential qualities OF true life Sim
,,- g he acceptance OF things IN their real as
go rnr1indtul OF artificial values. The simplest
oeople know area few OF theIn-aInong those
1y1o have wealth sufficient 70 crafty every taste
and car-ire for they have learned 70 estimate
----- The intrinsic worth q surroundings. Arti-
f-aIi-v s1ols everything fine. The JOY and the
dignity Of life alike lie in simplicity
.aSenzuo1suess Is The second essential We are
100 seIf-oenrred. and have too pronounced a ten
5e1rv 10 regard our own JOYS and scTrows as the
only important concerns in the world BY giViIg
our attention % those things that appeal 70 the
senses we learn 70 see existence more largely To
see g woman as she suffers OF sins and not as she
appears IN society-to see a man as he struggles
ard succeeds OF faiIs-rhat IS 70 rhe real per
gon helps Us 10 a wider view, in which the
= 70 longer seems the only object worthy OF con-
sidsrari0u.
TIE third element Is passion-the capacity for
deep feeling. The saddest thing in life Is the ce-
ray Of The power TO feel. Yet rhe whole effort OF
the social world IS 10 crush impulse and Kill the
1l-ine Tor pitifu acGuiescence in dull convention
aites TIe mission of poetry Is 10 keep alive me
strospaere ii which alone moral nobility IS pos
g!ble A woman once said 70 ne: Men cannot IN
5erstaud how hard IL is for woman 10 know
much For a man everything stands out or the
way bur with a woman there must often be a
choice between seIfishness and ignorance f1tl
zucies prevent growth
.NG great moral result is possible from a..
struggle here woman Is excluded from the trll4I
q victory, because she Is the great mora! fort'
The teaching gg history is that women : functlp.
ing 70 fgh- for them When women claim d rlg5l'
70 Work they making the common rnlsLaAe
q c0u1oun5tng a necessity with an Ideal ina,
woman should work may be evil necessity y
the t.-ne but 10 descend into the arena Of toll
sh0uld represent IDEAL
There IS something essentially feminine II
poerrv. which explains IT'S stronger appeal &c
gorer To rhe power Of creative lmaGinaJ ton
Ehich IS a distinguishing trait Of the masculine
mind must be added. IN order 70 produce true
poetry rle rwc qualities of passionate loyalty tc
az idea and instructive sympathy. both OF which
distinctly feminine characteristics II IS the
Possession of these that marks the poet as ap2rl
ron other men. and il IS these that give poetry
* power making Y minister 20 the perception o.
beauty and sense Of gladness IN life. To minister
= these is the function Of woman and has beer
al the past and must continue % be, OF else wf
A.sl al 10 the devil
Professor Van Dyke apologized for speaking sc
Eg bur the close attention OF MS audience
p.oEed their interest
D. Ws-ers president OF Wells College. also
Esde brief address. and Mrs Katherine swim
%. Foroes sang two conrralto songs.
Among those present were Mrs. tSSover Cleve,
lsae. looking lovely IN violet silk bodice and