ROMANCE OF POETRY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 10, 11 July 1930, Page 4

ROMANCE OF POETRY

Quite a number of members o£ the Amateur Arts Society and their friends spent a very interesting and instructive evening last night in Nimmo's Hal), when Miss Clodagh Russell gave a lecture-recital on poetry. Ancient and modern poetry was dealt with. Of the ballads of the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries, some crude and some full of artistry, Miss Russell had much of interest to say, reciting extracts io illustrate her remarks. She explained very lucidly how these ballads underwent evolution at the hands of the minstrels, and how the refrains signified the communal aspect. In the study of these refrains, she suggested, members of the society had much material upon which to work. Speaking of carols, Miss Russell said that these were inspired by the sound of bells. Too few, unfortunately, appreciated the beauty of the words of some of the carols. Those that Miss Russell recited certainly had new beauties revealed, and it was the same with the other recitations. The major poets Miss Russell purposely did not touch upon, except to quote what Shakespeare had to say about ballads, but the lesser poets and the modern poets were discoursed upon in a most novel and charming way.