The Greeley tribune., 1909-05-19
Milto. Celebrates = Nesuna

Among the notable anniversaries
of this year occurs the tercentenAry
of John Milton, after Shakespeara
the most truly great man OF letters
that England has produced. The
celebration Of Milton's life and work
which has been SO abundant In the
land of his birth. ought to md place
wherever the English language 10
spoken. and especially wherever
Young men and women are being
trained to high ideals Of effort and
service. Those who care little for
the master stylist. and who and the
organ voice OF the epic poet too
lofty and too grave. cannot fail to
render homage to the great Puritan
citizen who for twenty years c0a-
tended for the cause Of liberty-lib-
erty OF the spirit. OF the press, Of
the civil power. And none will
withhold reverence from the deeply
religious nature that bowed under
the affliction Of blindness with the
noble words of the sonnet that has
consoled 80 many broken or inter-
rupted lives-"They also serve who
only stand and wait"
The celebration at the Normal IL.
however, to be carried ON chiefly
through the presentation Of piece
not written for q grave and solemn
occasion, but for = cheerful and
splendid festival. Comus does indeed
show us Milton's dominant theme.
the constant antagonism In this
world between good and evil. or
what may be called the problem Of
sin: but in this work. the poet has
chosen for his vehicle. the masQue.
which was, In those days. an elabor-
ate spectacular affair. This particu-
lar masque gives US the gallant al
;egory of a young man, In which
Virtue Is tempted by Evil in the
form of sensual pleasure-Virtue
represented by the chaste and beauti-
full Lady. Evil by the charming but
dissolute young fellow whom Milton
calls Comus. the son of the god Of
wine and the goddess Of love. For n
time the Lady is under the influence
of the enchanter; but she never
really yields to him. never joins the
gay throngs Of easy going worldlings
who dance and sport about her.
Then in time the Spirit of the place
asserts it's power. Vice is discomfitted.
the Lady is released from tempta-
ton. and the play ends in the victory
of righteousness.
That this light-hearted present
ment Of serious things may have its
most favorable setting, the celebra-
tion which would otherwise have oc-
CURED on Millions birthday. Decem-
ber s, has been put of until May
20, when it will be given ON the
campus of the Normal. The grounds
will be attractively lighted. with var
ious effects for the dance and revelry.
The original musical setting provided
for the first performance OF Comus
at Ludlow Castle in 1894 will be
rendered by J. C. Kendel OF Greeley,
with full orchestra and chorus
In striking contrast to the pagean-
try Of Comus, will be the unique
feature In which taste will be given
of Milton's great epic, Paradise Lost.
TAis feature viii consist In tAs dram
atiaing Of that part Of Book l in
which the fallen Lucifer and his In
fernal peers take counsel upon their
plan OF action in rebelling against
heaven. The scene will be offered by
the young men of the Normel fac
ulty. The whole dramatic presenta-
tion is held In charge by Miss Tobey.
1t was at first desired to unite the
city and the Normal In this celebra-
tion by drawing the performers
equally from the town ard from the
school. AS this plan proved imprac-
ticable for busy people, the city will
be further represented by Mrs. Pet
rikin. who will sing the part of Sa-
brina and by a prominent citizen,
who will speak a few words at the
planting Of mulberry tree In men,
ory of that which, according to ira
dition, was planted by John Milton.
while q student. and which still
stands In the garden of Christ's
college. at Cambridge university.
The proceeds of the celebration.
for which small admission of rs
cents is to be charged, will be added
by the Y. w. c. A., under the auspic-
es Of which the memorial is given, to
the fund which will eventually bring
to US some prominent scholar for
the higher study of the Bible-a
study which, we may add, was one
of Milton's greatest sources of in
spiration.