The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-15
HAW WTRORNE
Interesting Lecture by Leon H.
Vincent In MdttexSOn 81. Church

The second I'm the course of four lee
lures on literary themes by Leon III.
Vincent OF Boston occurred i'm the audi
torium of the Mathewson Street NJ f..
church at 5 o'clock last evening before a
large and Intelligent audience. Mr.. Vim
cents reputation on the lecture platform
extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
his language Is ready and eloquent and
he is always welcome speaker before
cultured audiences everywhere.
His subject was Nathaniel Haw-
thorne. which he presented I'm a most
agreeable way. dwelling more upon the
personal side OF the author than upon a
critical analysis OF his works. The lee
turer quoted Fitzgerald in beginning as
having defined Hawthorne as man of
genius. He then explained the term ge-
mus as applied to Hawthorne in liter
airy sense IF one has genius" he said.
"hc has creative power and that is
genius. Genius is a God given gift and
one who possesses IL has no more To do
with its endowment than he has with the
color OF his eyes or hair.
The man Of genius never works for
money, the creative genius. never works
for money The speaker then gave a
number OF Illustrations to show that the
man who possesses the creative power
pays no thought to the requirement OF
money. Hawthorne" he said. was this
sort OF man"
"A man OF genius" ne continued. has
the power TO lose himself in the work in
hand He pays little attention to the
world around him. never thinks Of what
to eat. Sublime simplicity marks the
man OF genius. as we'll as melancholy.
The expression OF sort Of duality Of
nature also marks the man of genius.
Such. explained the speaker. were the
marked characteristics OF Hawthorne"
Continuing the speaker 'dwelt upon the
physical side OF Hawthorne. giving first
an interesting picture OF his active. wide
awake hoyhood
The attractive personality OF the man
was then dwelt upon with reference 10 his
unusual physical beauty
He was OF two natures" said tho
speaker, "the one mysterious fantastic.
the other genial. humorous.
lovablc. vigorous. an untiring worker and
OF greatest possible activity. In short
there were two Hawthornes, the one shy
dreamy. melancholy--the other active
healthy and of vigorous mind and body.
and the two blended beautifully Mr.
and he cannot compare with such horny
handed. vigorous writers as Rider Hap
good. Walter Besant or Hnll Cainc."
Continuing the speaker pictured the
IDEAL domestic life ~ Hawthorne In all
the beauty Of its lights and shades. The
story was also told or how Hawthorne
wrote his flrst romance. The Scarlet Lot
ter''-and OF its instant and remarkable
success.
Mr.. Vincent paused IN his reference to
this masterpiece" as he styled IL. 20
,nalyze the chief characters therein
Hester Prynne," Arthur Dimmsdaie ard
Roger Chiilingworth.
Characterizing Hawthorne as roman
-er moro than mere novelist. the
-. -
tween these two terms from literary
point of view
The novel II tha pross of fiction and
The romance II the poetry of hotion." he
ieclared There arc three men whose
names stand es landmarks IN the history
" American fiction. Washington 1rvins.
Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Haw-
horne"
Mr. Vincent briefly outlined the char-
icteristics OF these thres men as rela ted |
% onoh other. after which tho lecture |
,aruo 70 q close.