Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-05
BRINGS SWEDISH
MESSAGE TOCITY
Miss Hedvig af Petersens Lee
lures Here on Selma
Lagerlof.
WINNER OF NOBEL PRIZE
Speaker Describes characteristics OF
Famous NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
from Years of Travel.

Greetings were exchanged between
America and Sweden last night at Au-
gustana college, the occasion being
Miss Hedvig af Petersens' lecture on
Selma Lagerlof Before beginning her
lecture Miss af Petersens extended a
word of greeting to the people of this
country from the Swedish press and
from the Swedish people. At the con-
clusion of her lecture, DIR. Gustav An
dreen replied to the greetings in be-
half of the Swedish-Americans of this
country All Swedish-Americans, he
said, feel a just pride in the splendid
literary work now being done in Swe-
den especially by Selma Lagerlof.
The fact that Selma Lagerlof re-
ceived the Nobel prize last month for
having produced the worlds best liter
ature during 1909 added considerable
interest to the lecture. The interest
was also enhanced by the fact that
Miss af Petersens is also a writer of
note. and is an intimate friend of Sci
ma Lagerlof She spoke glowingly of
the work the latter is doing for Swed-
ish literature and the influence it is
having on the Swedish people. Miss
af Petersens was introduced by Pro
fessor Jules Mauritzon in a few ap-
propriate words
Sings Many Melodies.
''In her poetry" said Miss af Peter
sens, Selma Lagerlof not only sings,
but in doing so she reflects everything
that is Swedish. Swedish poetry
sings many different melodies. but the
undertone is always the same-dis-
tinctively Swedish. No one has done
quite so much in shaping and mould
ing the language as has Selma Lager
lof in her writings"
The speaker then told of the early
ambitions of Selma Lagerlof to become
a writer, and the encouragement that
met her. While a girl she wrote poor
prose and worse poetry and waited for
success. She thought of other great
Swedish poets and writer's. and she
felt confident that she had equally as
good material as they possessed. if she
only knew how to put it together. IT
seemed that the inspiration she needed
came to her as the result of several
years of travel through all of Europe.
Writes I'm Holy Passion.
When Selma Lagerlof writes best
said the speaker, "she seems to write
almost in a holy passion. She rarely
speaks about herself in any of her writ
ings. She is both legend teller and
a seer. She strives to attain that
which is essential. good and divine in
man. She writes in the same way as
the birds sing; she lets herself be
guided by true intuition. Greatest of
all, she is a true woman at the same
time as she is a great writer
"All her books are interesting They
all end well, and all sinners are con-
verted. Selma Lagerlof possesses
very sensitive nature and she is equal
~ sensitive of others feelings as she
is of her own. When she must con-
denim. it pains her. BY her art she
conjures up prehistoric times and peo-
pies. Her fountain of inspiration lies
deeper buried than the a, chives of
history
Gives Hope and Courage.
"She gives hope and courage to live
in all her writings. The language she
uses is simple and never involved or
cumbersome. She understands women
perfectly. but she does not understand
men. This, perhaps, is her only short
coming"
Miss af Petersens was given quite
an ovation at the conclusion of her
lecture. DR.. Andreen's remarks fol-
lowed and then a double quartet from
the Wennerberg chorus sang a selec-
ton. After the program a public re-
ception was held in order to give every
one who wished to do so an opportun-
ity to meet Miss af Petersens. From :
here Miss af Petersens goes to Mime
tn