The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-06
MRS. M'ILWAIN WILL BE HOSTESS
TO THE SHAKESPEARE
BROWNING CLUB.

MRS. MILWAIN WILL BE HOSTESS
TO THE SHAKESPEARE
BROWNING CLUB.
The Shakespeare Browning club
will<meet January 4th. 1922, with Mrs.
III. s. McIlwain. at $40 o'clock. Mrs.
McIlwain, leader
i Saul-iThis is perhaps the grandest
and most beautiful of all Brownings
religious poems. Browning uses the
title, Dramatic Lynes," for these
poems.
Depression Of mind, delirium and in
sanity were anciently attributed to evil
spirits, which were put to flight by
suitable harmonies It was for this
reason that David was sent for to cure
the mental arrangement of Saul.
What an inspiring, and inyigorting
effect is produced on weary soldiers
by lively march musici Where there
is most health there Is most harmony
in the way in which the bodily func-
lions are performed.
The almost total ignorance of the
lancients concerning physiological pro-
Acesses caused them to attribute to de-
mons the maladies which they could
not comprehend.
Music was prescribed for Saul It
mattered little to the patient, so long
as he was cured, whether music ex-
pelled a demon who was tormenting
him. or fabricated the wheels of his
nervous mechanism. David took his
harp to Saul's tent and began playing.
David the shepherd boy, who had
! lived close to nature, who left his flock
lof sheep among the mountains and
came to the summons of Abner to play
upon his harp and exercise the evil
spirit from Saul
The Bible story simply states that
David played upon his harp before
Saul, but Browning's wonderful mag
ination colors this music from the tune
all the sheep knew, the tune that drew
all the quail from the corn field.
Tunes of human association-eac ma
tion has had it's folk songs-and the
Hebrew melodies were rich in their
power to stir the heart. Many of them
have come down to lis through the
Psalms. Then he played the funeral
dirge, then the glad chant of the mar
riage, a great war march, and last the
religious choral intoned, "As the Lew
ties go up to the Altar Enthroned."
David paused here, for in the dark
4 ness Saul groaned. This was the first
! sign of life that Saul had shown. The
familiar hymn had touched him The
poem presents a series of e1imaxes.
Saul was grand even in his desolation.
David remembered the Saul of earl
| Ter days, full Of joyousness and vigor-
Gus manhood Again he bent to his
/ harp and sang 20, the Wild Joys of
Living" then he sang of Saurs past
, life from boyhood until God chose him
to be king over his people. In his
! eagerness to restore Saul he cried,
| saul, Saul" He was struck by his
name. and one long shudder thrilled
all through the tent till the very air
ltingled and the king was released and
awoke, and began to live again. David
had great love- a great pity, yearn-
ing to help Saul, to reclaim him, to give
him new life. new chance Divine
truth here seems to come to David
then the truth came upon me, no harp
more, no song more" From here on
he uses speech. Poet, prophet, seer, he
penetrated Sauls mind and a sympa-
thy broad enough to comprehend his
mood.
The poem anticipates Christianity
Note the argument in stanza XVII,
beginning. What, My Soul! See Thus
Far and No Farther etc Note
David's prayer in stanza XVIII, end
ing with the prophecy of Christ. David
left the tent and went home through
the night. There were witnesses, CO.
horts, about me, to left and to right
Angels. powers. the unuttered. unseen,
the alive, the aware" No one. to my
knowledge has yet stolen the Harp of
David Read the Bible story of Saul,
found in 1st Samuel, especially list
Sa. XVI, 1898.
A paper on the Bible story of Saul
will be read IN the class and the
poem taken UP line by line for read
ing and discussion.
Trace step by step the songs played
by David before saul Is there a def
mite progression in their subjects with
an intended effect on saul? Was
their order Of arrangement the order
best fitted to effect cure? Why?
Trace the steps of the sudden great
realization of divine love coming to
David. Was this revelation? Was it
natural he should throw his harp aside
The last ten sections were added ten
&rx