The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08
r BYSSHE SHELLEY.
DR.. Van Dykes Estimate OF His Char
.ncter-His Growing Power.

Brooklyn Eagle.
The subject OF Dr. Van Dykes Brooklyn
Institute lecture. delivered last evening at
Plymouth Church, was shelley" it being
the third in his series on English Litcra-
ture." The church was filled IS for the
Sunday service and the audience was most
appreciative.
Or. Van Dyke said the subject was one
which he approached with feeling Of deep
misgiving, because OF the vague mtangi-
bility Of Shelley's character. some
sounds" said the lecturer, "are easy TO re-
cord in a p~honograph. But there is dill
Guilty in recording the summer breeze in
the tree tops or the whispering OF waves on
the shore. SheIley's character belongs TO
the class symbolized by these lighter
sounds" Matthew Arnold said Shelley was
a writer, whose words were beautiful and
nsufilcient-an angel, beating in the lumin-
Gus void his wings in vain" Shelley was a
poets poet, yet this was not what he him.
self wished or intended. lie hoped 10 move
the multitude with new Inspiration and
aspiration, but this hope was Intellectual,
and he felt that IL was SO. The title, poets
poet, shows both his strength and his
weakness and is recognized as such by
most of the critics, including the American,
George Edward Woodbury., whom DIR. Van
Dyke called the best critic OF Shelley,
ON1 nv 49,
admiration.
In the ten years in which Shelley wrote
the most. he did not succeed in doing what
he wished TO do. but what he might have
done had he lived cannot be predicted.
Certainly, his work was deepening with
each year. His limitations were defective
form. obScurity and incoherence Of express
sion; lack of intellectual substance, fer,
while poets perhaps do not need views,
they must have a point OF view; lack OF
sympathy, that is of an understanding OF
the needs nf humanity for though he was
warm-hearted. he had no comprehension
of the real soul of the race. His mind.
at the time of his writing, was i'm a state
of transition, II was passing from the
atheism of his youth toward theism and
faith. 1t was quick, but not clear; ardent,
but not powerful.
pathiZe with the Greeks. One OF Shelleys
poems is on "Hellas." SO, that he might
become better acquainted with the real
Greek, instead of the Greek of hs imagina-
tiOn, one of his friends took him 20 the
wharf at DeghOrn, where a Greek ship was
lying and a party of Greeks We're squatting
on the deck, shrieking, swearing, gambling,
lying. filthy and Thoroughly knavish. well.
does this remind you OF HellasE' said ms
friend. NO, but il does of HE'LL said
Shelley, and urged his friend away from
the ship before his ideals should be shat
tered.
Shelley was born in 1872 of good family.
that is" said DR.. Van Dyke. his grand
father was made a baronet while the boy
was at school. The old man was worth
about e200.000, which he made by a wisely
conducted process Of clipping with helresses-
Tha is what biOgraphers call a good family
in England" His father, Timothy Shelley,
was a thick witted country squire, "an
egregious ass, as near as / can make out.
Here followed a description Of the man, VINO
was anything but choice-a regular PILLS
tine. In respect 10 this parent, Shelley was
as unfortunate as Byron was in mis- moth
er. And, ladies and gentlemen, said Dr;
Van Dyke, speaking of fatherhood and
motherhood and what is proper for ~,
much of the quality of fatherhood and
motherhood depends entirely on the moral
ity of the father and mother. 1 don't know
whether this is a pol ular remark ano L
don't much care"