The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-12
TWO WOMEN'S CLUBS HOLD
VERY INTERESTING MEETINGS.

The members OF the Ardirhebiah club
and guests were entertained al the hos
pitable home of Mrs. George Darling,
corner Broad and Seekel streets, yester-
day afternoon, where one of the most in
teresting meetings I'm the history of the
club was held. The afternoon was in
charge of Mrs. Nellie Ii. Pettis and the
same was characterized as Shake
speare afternoon" the central attraction
being lecture by Rev. DIR. Dick, pastor
of the Mathewson Street Methodist
church, on "Shakepeares Henry the
Fourth" supplemented by reading from
the drama by Mrs. Harriet Miller, the
well known Shakesperean scholar and
teacher of elocution at the University
grammar school.
Several songs from Shakespeare were
also beautifully rendered by Miss Grace
Baker, the popular soprano OF the First
Baptist church quartet, and Miss Harriet
Mansir, the clever young pianist OF this
city, gave piano solos with marvellous
execution for one so young.
DIR. Dicks paper was most scholarly
literary criticism of the great historical
drama, Henry the Fourth" Indeed the
lecture in itself was work of art, as
was freely admitted by all those who
were privileged To hear IL. Referring,
In beginning, TO Henry the Fourth, as
one of the most interesting divisions of
Shakespeare's creations In the line or
historical drama, the speaker said that
regarding his historical writings as
structure five plays form the arch. These
are Richard III, Henry Nv, parts one
and two; Henry and Richard Ill OF
this arch, he said, Henry ~ is the key
stone, and Is, therefore, the centre of
interest OF the whole.
Among its puniary characters" he
continued, ARE found some of Shake
speares most interesting, and among its
secondary characters stands that one
which transcends all others of Shakes
peares secondary characters. and indeed
not only all other like characters OF
Shakespeare. but all other like characters
In all literature-Sir John Falstaff."
After this brief introduction DIR. Dick
entered into a most intelligent and al
together charming analysis of the his
torical characters of the drama-Falstaff
and his associates. Continuing, COM
parison of the first part of Henry Nv with
the second part of the same was given
and the fact clearly demonstrated that
the first part far transcends the second
part as a dramatic poem. These fine
points In the drama were explained by
the speaker. who read certain parts of
the play by way of illustration.
Turning to still another phase of his
subject Dr. Dick dwelt upon Shakespeare
as a character builder" and in this
connection he touched briefly upon the
ethical lessons of the play.
In closing his admirable lecture DR.. Dick
summed up his impressions OF Shake
speare in the following eloquent language:
Have we overdrawn his genius then,
II We say he stands I'm the centre OF the
literary casmas and the lesser lights play
about him like the plants about the sun?
lie was not satisfied to take characters
as he found them and delineate their beau
ties and weaknesses, but rather went to
the fathomless depths and riches OF his
own Imagination and created characters
that they might play through the whole
range of human experience. He points
q Shylock, and the Jewish nation stands
before you I'm all it's greed of gold and
hatred OF Christianity He sculptures a
Hamlet and the scholars of the world
puzzle their brains 10 known the mystery
OF the psychology. He gives you an
| Othello and you pity the imbecility of his
| love He paints n Richard III, and hell
| frowns upon his character. He gives
| you sir John Falstar. and you laugh
| but hate vice all the more.
| HE delineates Henry V, and you nave
I, a greater admiration of manhood He
gives you a Portia. Desdamona, n
Rosalind, and womRnhood stands out In
| all it's beauty-the wonder and admira-
! tion of the world. lie touches nature with
his pen and gilds her like a cloud before
| the setting sun.
| ''He touches the bubbling brook and II
| sings with all the sweetness OF n sym
phony. He lives I'm the worlds, one OF
| thought and one OF passion. In the
former he toys with thought like the
babe with it's rattle. ranging from the
simplest minded peasant 10 the most
| gigantic thought OF the philosopher. In
! the Inter he sweeps the whole range OF
| human passion. lie plays upon the pas
sons like one upon mighty organ of