The Washington herald., 1908-02-20
Mertz and Mertz Co., 600 F Street
LECTURES ON SHAKESPEARE I
Prof. Griggs Tells of Works of the
English Bard.
First Of Series Given in the Church
of Our Father-Large Audience
Greets Lecturer.

Prof Edward Howard Griggs. Of Mont
clair n J.. entertained a large audience
Of admirers and students Of Shakespeare
at the Church of Our Father last night.
Prof Griggs gave the first Of a series
Of six lectures on Shakespeare, under the
auspices Of the Washington Fairgrounds
Association. These lectures viii be given
every Wednesday night until and incIud-
ing March ..
Spirit Of the course and the humanity
Of Shakespeare was the lecturers sub
jet He. said the lectures would have 70
40 with a number Of plays, expressing
the typical aspects OF his work and re-
vealing the unfolding Of MS genius and
the changes in his attitude toward human
life He said.
Though Shakespeare is the most objec-
tive dramatist in all literature. never
speaking through the lips Of the charac-
ters he p0rtrays. nevertheless the general
atmosphere and moral background Of
every play reveal the author: and while
the traditions Of Shakespeare outer life
are meager and unsatisfying. we may
know intimately the mind which created
these dramas. not only In It's essential
spirit but In The unfolding Of Its power
and the development OF its faith and phil
osophy Of life
Men Of genius so sstOnish Us that they
get placed apart from human life. on a
pedestal. as unexplained marvels descend
Ing from above We need 10 recognize
that genius springs from the deep soil Of
common life; that while talent may mean
exaggerated faculty, genius is humanity
| raised to a higher plane Of expression.
Men OF genius are more and not less hu-
man than the rest Of Us and the height
( OF their Interpretation OF life is always
measured by the depth OF their living and
/ appreciation OF common experiences
1t IS more necessary that we seek 70
appreciate This OF Shakespeare. since f-.
OF all masters in literature. is the great
est poet Of humanity. Less consciously
philosophical than Dante or Goethe. with
out the gloom. the spiritual aspiration.
and the moral sublimity OF the one,
without the subtle Interpretation OF the
( complex deeps Of personal life in the
other, Shakespeare. more than any other
poet. holds the mirror up 10 Nature P0r-
Z y.
and wakens from the countless chords OF
/ the human heart the strange, deep. beau
uful symphony Of humanity.
/ With all his facing Of these deeps
\ where mans spirit is in tragic conflict.
( there is no sneer. 10 bitterness in Shakes
( peare's portrayal Of life. He kept his
\ faith in human virtue; he kept his faith
I in human love; he kept his faith in the
/ worth and meaning OF human life Thus
/ 10 appreciate the range and depth Of
I character in all types of manhood and
+ womanhoOd. 70 understand. painted not
1 on the background Of a future world. but
I in cOlors OF life on the changing screen
! OF time and nature. the working out Of
I the great forces which dominate man s
I spirit. Shakespeare is the perennial source
\ % which we return
He said the aim OF this course is 10
/ appreciate the humanity Of Shakespeare.
/ 10 respond 10 his poetry and dramatic
I art. % make his age live again. to
/ know the spirit and unfolding OF the
I man who created these dramas-to study
/ his expression and Interpretation Of uni
versal life
He spoke Of the period Of Shake
/ sPcare-Jbe Eiizabethan age-as bear
\ ing the same relation 10 England as the
/ Renaissance holds TO Italy.
/ Prof. Griggs brought his lecture 10 a
/ close by reciting certain characteristics
/ OF Shakespeare through his work The
! second lecture viii be The ethical
/ awakening The Merchant Of Venice"
/ The committee on lectures represent
I ing the Washington Fairgrounds As
/ sociation are: Mrs. Henry T. Rainey,
/ chairman; Edith G. WestcOtt. Mrs
/ Giles Scott Rafter, Eugene l. stevens.
Anne L. Pierce, Arthur r. Ramsey. Rev
John Van Schaick, jr.. and James E.
L West