W.E.A. LITERATURE CLASS

Evening Star, Issue 19352, 11 September 1926, Page 10

W.E.A. LITERATURE CLASS

a. W. RUSSEL,L’S WORKS Last Tuesday evening there was again a largo attendance of students in the languages room at tho University ,o listen to Miss M. H. At. King deliver tho second lecture on tho poems and essays of G. "W. Russell. The lecturer, in her opening remarks, said that the writer’s prose works were Mostly in essay form, like his ‘ Candle of Vision,’ and covered tho topics of co-operation, his early life, mystical experiences, and observations and criti■ism of the social system. She did not know of any modern prose more limpid and pleasing than his. Scott tv as a uost careless writer, as were some others. Macaulay showed tho periodic stylo, though not so highly as Johnson. The outstanding modern writers like Galsworthy, Conrad, Hardy, were all very much more simple and good in their style. It was to bo noted that the color had almost gone out of use in modern prose tvriting. Tho lecturer treated tho class to a rcc’tal of Russell’s ‘Poems of the War,’ which included ‘ The Gods of War,’ ‘ Chivalry,’ ‘ Tho Now* Gods,’ ‘The Iron Ago,’ and ‘To Statesmen,’ he last pregnant in meaning, showing that only what is sown can he reaped. The outward show was not tho reality, for the “ inward ” was the cause and creator of the “ outward.” It was to be remembered of this writer that, although ho is an interesting practical man, be is also a mystic of mystics. He is speaking from personal knowledge of an experience not common, and why should we _ not allow this to be true because it is not cxr experi3nee? Most of our current psychology ionics from those who have no vision, >hey being content when they have affixed the label. They are therefore not qualified to speak. G. W. Russell docs not offer a complete explanation of things mystical because he has not arrived at such. This is an evidence of his sincerity. _He has, however, given to imagination a much higher meaning than is usually attached to it. Ho has trained himself in meditation ind concentration, and describes such as being much harder on the body than severe manual work, knowing, while he says so, tho nature of both. Ha maintains that it is only those who compare what is “without” with what is “within” that can see the answering torches gleam. Talking of destiny, ho holds that there is none made for ns in tho scheme but that wo have made for ourselves.

At the close of the lecture a most interesting discussion took place between the mystics and the practical folks. Next Tuesday will bo given the last of this session, and it will be taken up 'by a “going over” of the writer's dealt with during that period.