The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-18
FINAL LECTURE.
Rev. Mr.. Dick Finishes His
Series at MathsWsun s.. Church.

The series of Illustrated lectures, given
in the Mshewson street NJ. f. church by
the pastor, Rev. Dr, Samuel NJ. Dick. dur
Ing tho past few months have aroused
a deal OF attention because of their hish
literary character and the unusual excel
lence OF the slides used in illustration.
The final lecture In the course was given
In the church, last evening. before very
large and representative audience, the
subject of the same being Dante's Tn
ferno" and "Purgatorio" with a glimpse
OF the Paradise The lecture-in itself a
work OF art from literary point OF view
was masnihcently illustrated with more
than 20 beautifully colored slides, repro
ductions of Dore's Illustrations OF the
Divine Comedy of Dante.
NThe slides were colored in oils by n local
artist of repute, each one a gem. In its
way.
Before presenting Dante's vision OF hell
in panorama DR.. Dick eloquently touched
upon the literary characteristics of
Dante's great poem.
"ln the literary world" he said, Dante
stands between Homer and Virgil. on the
one hand, and Shakespeare and Milton on
the other; and is a star OF the same mag
nitude as either OF them Dante was es-
sentially a moralist but none the less a
a man. We may study him as a poet only,
but not so with Dante; We must know
him as a man as well as a poet IL we
wouh appreciate him.
Following these words OF introduction
the speaker dwelt upon the political and
religious conditions In Rome at the close
Of the lIth century, conditions which in
spired the creation OF Dante's great mas
terpiece. Beatrice. the central figure in
the Divine Comedy, was described and
the symbolcal character and teaching
of the great poem explained.
The Divine Comedy" continued the
speaker ''is more than the beginning
of a new language or the Introduction
of national literature. IL IL, says Dean
Church. one OF the landmarks OF history.
IL is one OF those rare and solemn mon
uments OF the minds power. which meas
ures and tests what IL can reach to- which
rise up ineffaceabiy and forever as time
goes on, marking out It's advance by
grander divisions than It's centuries, and
adopted as epochs by all who come after
IL stands with the Had and Shakes
peares plays. with writings of Aristotle
and Plato with the Novum Organon and
the Principal with Justinius' code, with
the Parthenon and St. Peters. IL is the
first Christian poem. and its opens Euro
pean literature as the lliad did that of
Greece and Rome and like the Iliad. IL
has never become out OF date: IL accom-
panies, with undiminished freshness, the
literature which Il began"
Before leading his hearers In imagina-
tion. down into the depths OF Hades
with Virgil and Dante. a description was
given of the poets personality and the
experience of his own soul as described
in the poem Each step in the poem was
accompanied with the Dore pictures and
many parts OF the poem quoted by DR..
Dick
Leaving the Inferno the speaker con-
Quoted HIS hearers in panorama, on the
journey through Purgatorio giving in
closing, just a glimpse OF Dantes vision
of Paradise. illustrating the same with
few beautiful pictures.
Previous to DR. Dicks admirable lee
ture Mrs Dick gave an organ recital.
playing with marked skill the overture
to William Tell. arranged by Dudley
Buck