THE WRITERS' CLUB

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 21

THE WRITERS' CLUB

BOHEMIAN LUNCH At the luncheon meeting of the Writers' Club Mrs. Colgrave presented a paper entitled, "Dreams in Literature," which gave a wide review of the subject. Amid a wealth of interesting illustrations, the speaker traced the change in the attitude toward dreams as illustrated by the way in which they were used by writers of different periods. Dreams which had been of the greatest interest from the earliest times, she said, appeared in many guises in literature. Herodotus dealt with theta in his history and they appeared also in Homer and Virgil. The earliest attempt to explain them was made by Epicurus. In Biblical times the dreams of Joseph and Nebuchadnezzar, with their interpretations were related. Dreams which served as warnings were used with great effect by Shakespeare, in such plays as Julius Caesar. Descartis, the great French philosopher, found the solution of his problems in a series of most brilliant dreams. Tartini claimod that the Sonata, "The Devil's Trill" was played to him by his satanic majesty himself during a dream. Literature was full of inspirations drawn from the phantasies of the droam world. Many people did not dream vividly, 6aid Mrs. Colgrave, or if they did, failed to remember that the true value of dreams was not realised. Yet they were the material of more than phantasy; they were of the material of revelation itself. The speaker was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks. In the afternoon the weekly meeting took the form of a social gathering under the presidency of Mrs. Cluett. A short play, "A Well-matched Pair," was read bv Miss iE. M. Johnston and Mrs. U. Craig. Mrs. H. Spiers recited A. A. Milne's "Forgiven," and Miss Gloria Rawlinson read a poem by Robin Hyde, " The Singers," and one of her own, " The Perfume Seller." Mrs. Cluett gave a short humorous poem of her own composition, and Miss E. K. Morton recited her poem "Daffodils." A competition was won by Miss E. M. Johnston. 'Miss Gloria Rawlinson was the club's guest of honour for the day.