The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-29
PAPERS ON
MODERN
LANGUAGE

The twenty-second annual meeting OF
the Modern Language Association OF
America held its first session yesterday
at d. m in the hall OF the Brown
Union. Brown University. About 100 pro-
fessors and teachers were present repre-
senting all the leading colleges OF this
country. Prof. George Lyman Kittredge.
of Harvard University. president OF the
association was i'm the chair and called
the meeting to order. This was followed
by an address 6f welcome by President
Faunce OF Brown.
The reports OF the treasurer and secre-
tary having been read and the appointing
OF the new committees with Prof Potter,
as chairman. concluding there were pa
pers read by the following men, Prof.
Schwill. Pref Galpin, Prof Hoyt. Prof.
Mite and Prof. Mckenzie. The meeting
then adjourned until p. IN.
President FaunCe I'm his address or wei
come. said I'm part: / welcome you, gen
tlemen, to this institution, where there is
always an open minded research for
truth and where I'm consequence truth
seekers are always welcome.
Last October we entertained the asso-
citation OF New England colleges and we
are now preparing for the entertainment
of other such associations. You are un-
der roof which believes I'm the study OF
languages and for which there is no sub
stitution.
our requirement for admission to the
degree OF A. Il. Is one ancient and one
modern language we offer here complete
courses I'm Greek and Latin and also
French and German OF course We teach
Political Economy. sciences and arts but
after all nothing comes so close to hu-
man life as language.
The laws. the progress and the art OF
a people are given through it's language.
There are some who say that modern
language cannot do for a people what
Latin and Greek did for the ancients, but
/ believe there are things In Goethe and
Dante quite as good for modern life as
anything given use by Homer or Virgil.
Therefore. gentlemen, hope have not
transgressed my duty OF welcome and
believe you will bring much instruction
10 this meeting TO which | heartily vel
come you begin.
SPANISH AMERICAN LIBRARIES.
The next speaker, DR.. Rudolph Schwill,
Yale. read paper entitled, The General
Condition OF Libraries In Spanish Amer
lea" This paper gives the Impressions
gained through a recent examination OF
a number OF public az well as convent IL
braries I'm several OF the Spanish Amer
lean Republics.
Only Euch DOCKS were Drought ITpnl spain
as were necessary. The libraries are situ-
ated i'm secreted places, and admission 10
obtained only with great difficulty. The
custodians are ignorant and the books are
I'm very poor condition. Various civil
wars have waged great havoc. The pub
lie libraries are inefficient.
The second paper was delivered by DR..
Galpin OF Amherst He defined the term
farce" II is OF Latin origin and In its
original meaning meant stub" II was
added TO the religious drama and grad
ually as 10 gained independence and In
dividuality 81 was produced alone. The
main difficulty is I'm the distinction be-
tween farce and comedy.
Between the second and third papers
Professor Potter OF Brown made the an
nouncement. that owing 10 illness. Pro-
fessor Manatt would be unable to lecture
Thursday evening.
MORTE ARTHURE.
The third paper. "wyntoun and tho
Morte Arthure" was delivered by Pro-
fessor Prentiss G. Hoyt. Clark college. He
showed the falsity OF the general accepted
theory that the Crete Gest OF Arthur
mentioned by Wyntoun In his Chronicle
Is Identical with the alliterative Morte
Arthure. The evidence r. drawn from
the material In the poems Themselves.
which has been grossly misinterpretaied
heretofore. The value OF the work lies in
the doath-blow n gives 10 many attempts
to prove the existence OF a great northern
poet. rivalling Chaucer In the south.
The fourth paper, The Source OF Cres-
ITEMS Train in the Light OF the Names
Laudine and Bunete." by Professor VIII
liam Albert Nitze. Amherst. The pres
ent status or Train discussion favor
theory of Celtic origin. A number OF