SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 210, 18 August 1934, Page 6

SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS

An Instructive Lecture ST. ANDREW’S MEN’S CLUB At the fortnightly meeting of St. Andrew’s Men’s Club, neld on Thursday evening, Dr. Conine presided over a fair attendance of members. The Rev. George Miller gave an interesting and instructive address on the works of Shakespeare, from whose plays, he said, more choice passages expressing choice thought, were culled, than from the writings: of any other poet. Shakespeare was a poet ol all nations, and his writings suitable lor all times. He was the greatest creative human genius, unsurpassed as a delineator of character. In all his great plays there was a solemn and earnest purpose, and the sublimest thoughts were presented in the current com of English speech. The speaker referred to the qualities or Shakespeare, to his tenderness, his unconsciousness of his greatness his wealth of imagery, his lov e of’ the beautiful the variety of the characters he delineated, and the moral and religious teachings in some of hie writings. Mr. Miller closed, his lino address with the following q'uctatiou, describing Shakespeare: “Equally master of the sublime and the lowly, endowed with the most comprehensive phenomena of life; gifted with a lordly imagination which plays with creation like a toy, and makes the stars the dust of his feet, wielding a vocabulary pliant and responsive to all purposes of thought, for whose refinement nothing is too delicate, and for whose energy nothing is tco great; with what wizardy of power did he pour forth from the rude playhouse of poetry, which at once took the world captive, and which, after the lapse of well-nigh three centuries, still holds it in thrall.”

During the evening, songs were rendered by Mr. Stamp, a recitation was given by Mr. Neilsen, and a Shakespearean reading by Messrs. H. E. Grainger, D. J. McKay, and Dr. Comrie. Mr. A. M. I«adley acted as accompanist for the vocal items.

An address on “Equilibrium,” by Dr. Comrie, was much appreciated, the hints he gave for preventing sea-sick-ness being attentively listened to. After refreshments, the meeting was closed by the singing of the National Anthem.