The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-27
D0INCSAT BROWN
Lecture by Prof. Bronson --Por-
trait Of Late Or. Gould.

Last night the third in tho series OF
Brown public lectures was given in Man
ming hall by Professor Bronson of the
English department. The subject was
The influence OF Science OF Modern
English Literature" The hall was
crowded to the door~ and the speaker was
accorded the very best or attention as
MS lecture deserved lie said in part: /:
There are two kinds of poems which are
influenced by science--religious poems and
nature poems. Science il not wholly re-
sponsible for aanosticism, but Il is In
certain degree. Agnosticism is not nat
nral TO the spirit of q poet, but the spirit
or negstion is often met With.
Some people say that doubt cannot be
productive OF fine poetry. but this can he
shown 10 he false by glance az Mat
thew Arnold" Emerson admits agnos-
ucism into his poems only in an abstract
way.
William Watson has given 70 the world
quite recently one of the hest expressions
OF agnosticism in The Unknown God "
sclence has Influenced nature poetry
much more by revealing the attributes OF
nature. We see this in Worisworth's 5
Excursion" and Tennyson's The Higher
Psntheism' Wordsworth as well as
Tennyson afhrms the eminence OF God IN
nature
Poetry in which the only excuse for be-
LIZ Is descriptions nature is very
modern. Not until the 18th century did
writers attempt TO display the nature
side alone Even In Wordsworth and
sheiley We find that this attention As
partly given 10 the moral and intellectual
side Keats, To be sure. loved nature
Tor herself alone, hut he was almost alone
IN ms daN. On the other hand exquisite
nature studies are now common. and this
may be aid 10 be due to science We owe
this Sublimest of all conceptions but one
which is God. 10 modern science. The
poets have been quick TO use these sub
blime thoughts. Wordsworth believed
mat God was In nature and that there
lore nature was = magnificent system
which natures and cares for mankind
4 change has come about through sci
ence. This world T. no longer considered
lne centre OF the universe. but merely one
planet In the system Natures laws do
NOT exist solely for man.
MANY men feel the indifference of ma
lure as or the indifference OF machine
Tor ne fesh IL crushes. or Of an iceberg.
Tor the ship IL sends To the bottom
Many of us may feel certain sympa thy
Tor that Athenian who voted 10 ostracize
oristldes because he had become tired OF
hearing him cal He'd "the Just" Perhaps
we are tired or hearing about science
Everything is scientihcs nowadays We
may expect To have our ashes carried
away DN "a Sclentinr electric system our
cooking has been reduced to a science.
even our children are brought up on
scientific basis. In the future | proph-
ecy that poetry will become less and less
new life and more req sonable religion. A
dramatic literature Will make its appear
ance- The Greek drama gave the classic
view OF man; the English drama gave a
Renaissance view Of man. and I'm the fu-
ture We shall see the scientific view of
man. Poetry is a nar1- Elha man. The
beauty is the splendor Of the truth"
The portrait OF Reuben Aldrich Guild,
one OF the most eminent alumni OF Brown
university and for many years it's libra
rian has been placed on the wall OF
Sayles Memorial hall. near the paintings
OF Nicholas Brown and Prof Lincoln The
painting is by John \. Arnold, the local
artist.
George Crime. Republican candidate for
ma yor OF Fall River. is a Brown alumnus.
graduating with the class of 1856. Slbse-
quently he entered the Harvard Law
1890
shortly after entering on the practice
OF law he entered into partnership
with NJ 6. B. Swift, of Fall River, the
latter's former partner. Judge Henry Is
Braley. having been appointed TO the
bench OF the superior court
The In firm OF Swift and Crime is one
Of the best known in New England. and
has an extensive practice. Mr.. Crime
was city. solicitor from 1898 to 1895. He
is one Of the special justices % the Sec
ond district court Of Bristol county.
Mr. Crime has taken considerable I'M
terest i'm the puhl4eAaHars OF the city.
but except when he was chosen city So
lcitor BY the city council has never be
fore been A candidate for public office.
lie enjoys considera BILE personal popu-
larity and in the rather bitter fight be-
tween him and Mayor Abbot for the
ma yoralty nomination he developed un-
usual strength and a large following. es-
pecislly among the younger element In his
partN, enabling him, 10 the surprise OF
everybody, To carry every ward in the
city at the primaries against his rival.