1936-01-08 — Page 11

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1936.

LITERARY PRINCIPLES ANALYSED

Thought Provoking Address By Father Byrne

OBJECT PRESENTED AND

SOUL REVEALED

There as good attendance at with all the freshness of a modern the third meeting of the Hong and all the authority of a great Kong Branch of the English Asso-poet. Still living he had had the at the signal honour of being included in was held ciation. which Helena May Institute yesterday, the "Oxford Poets"; an honour due when Father G. Byrne, S.J., gave a

very interesting talk on literary principles entitled "A Thing of Beauty is a Joy For Ever."

Sir Thomas Southom' was in the chair, supported by Mrs. Q. A. A. Macfadyen (Hon. Secretary). Among those who attended were: Sir Wm. Fornell, the Han. Mr. N. L. Smith, Lady Shenton Hon. Mr. M. K. Lo, Dr. R. H. Korewali. Prof. R. X. M. Simpson, Dr. and

· Mrs. M. O. Pister, Mr. and Mrs. G. P. de Martin, Com.. Uft. A. Bianconi, Italian Consul) Mr. H. C. MacNamara, Mr. W. J. Carrie, and Mr. M. F. Key.

After the minutes of the second meeting had been read by the Hon. Secretary and confirmed, Sir Thomas Southorn, in introducing the speaker, said that Father Byrne, required little introduction as hewas known as a learned lec- turer and as a rule always gave something that in addition to be- ing interesting, was provocating.

Before addressing the assembly. the speaker said that a concise summary had been placed in the hands of all so that ready refer ence could be made to the sources of his

talk. These proved in- valuab.e, and other lecturers might do well to copy.

A THING OF BEAUTY. Father Byrne said: -

Nearly a century ago addressing a Paris audience, on Tradition in Literature, ·Sainte-Beuve sald: "There is a tradition, who would deny it? It is clearly marked for everyone to see--opening out be- fore uske one of those immense, rather grandiose routes that once traversed the Empire and led straight to the Eternal City."

to one who combines the austere

antry.

.

"

WAR EDUCATION ROME ATTITUDE

เ

FOR STUDENTS

Cantón Project

Canton, Jan. 7.

A war time curriculum for Sun

and the emotion should stand out as one capable of universal sp- peal. The poet is playing on an acojlan harp to make it vibrate in maison with ale. Intelligence, imagination, sensibility, all must concur. Bo we get the first funda- mental law, or abiding principle, of Yat Sen University, whereby each great Hterature;

school and dëpartment is assigned. for defnite preventive and pasalva measures, was adopted this morn- ing at a meeting of professora at the old campus. The author of the plan is Professor Tsui Tsai Yang. head of the department of educa-

The greatness of the ar tist's utterance is in his re- lease of the varied powers which combine for the de sired effect.

HUMAN NATURE

นา

+4

CHANGING

NONPLUSSED BY RESIGNATION

New Interpretation Of Duce's Speech

Bir

are

חוז

the

Rome, Dec. 19. Signs of a new frame of mind are apparent in Rome to-night though newspaper comments n the peace proposals and an I glance at a dozen books on a❘tion.

Is this one or that While military resistance against Samuel Hoare's resignation

Journals. shop counter. one literature? It is if it be the aggression is left largely to the confined to extracts, from forelan

One of these signs is the mine fecting...

duly. History, modify their courses next semester work of all the artist's power at-military authorities, professors will

provided that dergraduates for war time work in and Italian opinion that the and masterful energy of Lucretius Phillcsophy, science, even a bank with the object of fitting the un-ilstakable effort to convince for-

thinking of with "a rhetoric coloured by the er's memorandum gold and blaze of Marlowe's page-the 'ght of his intelligence shine For instance, the School of Science Duce was not

through mine, his imagination co-is unsigned to produce gas masks peace proposals when he declared.. lours my imagination, and the while the School of Engineering in his speech at Pontinin yestar throb of his heart is felt in my will give courses in constructing day that Italy wou'd "fight to the

bomb proof dug-outs and military end." being.

engineering.

Bir Samuel's resignation bas Addressing the faculty and start obviously nonplussed Italian oh- To-night a Government of the University this morning, servers. Charicellor Chou Lou emphasized spokesman emphasised that "it that China is in danger of being was only an internal affair and po business of Italy's." He went invaded wholesale by Japan some time this year, "because Japan on:

"The resignation is not locked depths in spite of surface changes, wants to take advantage of the lack and the nature of the objects ex-of military preparations of Soviet upon in the nature of a Cabinet Sir Samuel Hoare acted as pressed. The hierarchy of the hu- Russia and the United States. The crisis

a member of Mr. Baldwin's Cabinet man powers is fixed. Imagination meeting then passed a unanimous and feeling may have their full resolution calling for co-operation when he spoke on the Abyssinian between faculty and students in conflict and formulated the text of play provided that they do not

and relief the pence proposals in conjunc- swallow up reason in a whirling studying defensive

tion with M. Laval Mr. Baldwin's eddy of sensibility, nor drown the measures in time of emergency.

The professors met the students | Ministry is still in office," and will in a surge of sentiment

at the new campus in Shek Pei therefore, we regard the stuation as unaffected by Sir Samuel's re- yesterday afternoon and told them that they had better study the war algnation"

FIELD OF INVESTIGATION Our field of investigation would be hopelessly vast unless we coa- Aned ourselves to one aspect of ilterary form. We select poetry, a realm especially chosen for un restricted freedom by the extreme Dadaists: "Freedom Dada Dada Dada, howling of shriveled colours. interlacing of contraries and all contradictions, grotesques, incon- sequentials: Life" (Tristan Tara). Any philosophy of poetry must study the three questions of the inspiration, the nature, and the function of poetry. Why does the poet write? What is the character of the poetry he writes? Why do people read his effusions?

All the powers of the poet co... operate, but their co-operation is arderly. He uses all the chords of bis lyre, not, however, with the same intensity of vibration. Two things will regulate the order: hu- man nature,

Invariable in ita

time curriculum than to go to the Villages in propagands work The faculty declared that their war time plan is concrete and can be applicable to the entire country.- United News

CANTON STUDENTS

In unofficial but well-informed quarters the opinion is that Sir Samuel Hoare resigned because he was the object of severe criticism and wished to facilitate the Bri- tish Government's efforts to satisfy public opinion in Eng'and." and also to end the Abyssinian

war.

I gather that Signor Mussolint has no intention of throwing the (From Our Special Correspondent) | proposals overboard. Nor will he Canton, Jan. 7. be luenced in his decision by

A last minute attempt of the what happened in London yester- Sun Yat-sen University to prevent day. He stands by his former the. student from leaving the argument that he is dealing with campus to go out or a speech the British and French Governi making tour was unsuccessful, as ments not with the League. the excited undergraduates left to-day for their native villages for propaganda' work and a little) rest.

The main dificuity of perma- Abercrombie's starting point is nent principles arises in handling that art is essentially a communi- the object. Here there is nothing ication not directly of Ideas, but of invariable. The object of literary I experience. The poet writes to expression is without end:--Man, make the reader share in his ex- the Universe, God; every throb of pertence. He does not alim, as pleasure, every pang of suffering. might a member of a "Hong Kong Tragedy. Comedy, lyrical touch Attractive" committee, as convin-All these reach us through an-

other soul, an cing people of the island's beauty.

whom they have He aims at making them fall under played, and who bids for our sym- the speil of its charm. There is pathetic response. The poet'a art a personal note, otherwise the ex- must suit the nature of the object. perience could not be communi- I must be gentle or strong; gay or cated. In real art, however, the severe; simple or grandiose; like. personal must suggest the univer the pale, cold light of the midnight sal. The realist stops at his sub-moon, or aglow with the rich co- Jective experience. He makes of it louring of the setting sun. the measure of artistic expression. Shakespeare is praised because no- He sings of the individual in the thing is too small, nothing is too conorete unlike Aristotle who finds big for the touch of his genius. there the universal. Homer, The language must suit the theme. Shakespeare, Dante. Sophicles. The theme must sult not merely Goethe plumb the depths, but the man but man. Are not the not as does the archaeologist.

Writers who No one of Sainte-Beuve's au- The archacologist examines every always respect the principle are dience would have questioned the brick

ancient "the

wall. always great. The one-time great eradition, but to-day a chorus of The poet has no difficulty in who neglect it become decadent. the "Psychologists of Literature" building the great wall of China So Abercromble passes judgment | professora," The reason is that] would drown the claim with the for his hero in a night and re- al-pervading voice of Personality.ducing it to dust that his hero Is not the perfection of great may escape by the morrow's son- terature to be found in the ex- set. Aristotle is right: the poet pression of a great personality, is not responsible for improbabilt and the characteristic of person-tles in his material. ality in its aloneness? No two per- sons are alike. The Swan__of_ Avon's dying song, would hardly re-echo from the banks of the Purlian's Paradise Regained. Was pot Wordsworth correct in his famous line?

"Thy soul was like a star, " and dwelt apart."

A strong

confirmation of the absence of any permanent prin- cipues seems to be offered by the failure of the critics to construct a complete theory of poetry, there any unity

|

ת!

A DUAL WORLD -Abercromble leads us into a dual world. An attractive Platonic dream, perhaps, but we cannot dream it. Out of the real world his poet spins an imaginary idea! made perfect by art, dissolving in a vision of fancy: a universe "re- moulded nearer to the heart's desire." The poetry of refuge" might, indeed end there, or the fairy plays

consequences clear?

on Swinburne:

||

Much confusion prevailed yester- day afternoon at Shek Pel when the students yelled "KE the traitor

the professors urged the students not to go on speech-making tours but to study emergency measures applicable in time of war.

Several dears were howled and hissed when they tried to persuade the students not to suspend classes. They had already packed up and wanted to go back to their villages

to lecture on "Sino- Japanese relations to their folks at home and people elsewhere.

"Swinburne began by discover- ing an extraordinarily individual technique........he then proceeded to repeat over and over again the devices which his youth had dis- covered. And why? Because he delighted in their beauty....the result is that he falled more and more to write poetry, for he be came more and more unreadable. His devices were at last not even beautiful: expression had deserted The students will take one them, and left only a sonority that month in furthering their propa- There will be no Dieases for the moment; and then ganda work! sinks into tedium. The nature of examination this semester, and month the beauty peculiar to poetry is professors now have one the judgment we pass on language | holiday. Classes for the next which achieves within the sphere semester will begin on February 7. appropriate to poetry, complète and just expression." (Theory of

of Shakespeare: but surely Everyman is not set in a Is world of ideal speculations, nor is Shelley's "ex-Othello a study of jealousy as it pression of the imagination," might appear in a Cloud-Cuckoo-Poetry, pp. 222-3)... Watts-Danton's "renascence of Land

•

a

It ought not to be more difficult wonder," Wordsworth's "emotion

to answer the question "what recollected in tranquillity," Ar- nold's criticism of life," Lessing's good book' than to answer the "illusion"-to mention but a few? question what is a good deed?" We may reply that the diversity of Our lawyers in the courts, and definition bringe into relief the commonsense in the streets, have permanent principles of our quest. dificulty about the The critics stress rather a univer- sal and objective value in poetry: the poets themselves are more pre- occupied, with the personal ele-

ments.

in

laiter.

Would it not be suicidal to dispair the expression of of ideals in thought, ideals of permanent value and universal application, it we admit ideals of human conduct which is the actualisation of thought?

Noble conduct and noble speech cannot be appraised, according to different standards. Anything is

'm'ght reflect on the work of Bent- ART FOR THE PEOPLE

ley and Pope in the days of The simplest test of abiding Queen Anne, and survey the Vlc-. values is to be found in history. torian revival built up on Greek Art is of the people and for the tradition: Keats, Cowper, Byron, people. It is personal; it is not for Landor, Arnold, Tennyson, Brown- the museum nor for the science la-

Ing, to say nothing of De Quincey, Even baratory. It is concerned directly Macaulay, Ruskin, Pater. with beaus,

and not directly with rival statesmen, as Darby beauty, not directly with truth:

Gladstone, meet in Homeric tradi- "a thing of beauty is a joy tortion, whilst the great critics, ever." Science has nothing to do Bointsbury, Lang, Butcher, Jebb with personality. It catalogues; it weave their criticism out of the - weighs. There is no place in its many-coloured but abiding strands scales for emotion. Science has of Greek thought... a patchwork history. Its medium 1s forever changing. Not so with Art. Even if the artist's medium change art remains a universal message of man to man.

मधे

G LECTURER THANKED.....

In expressing a very hearty vote; of thanks to Father Byrne for a stimulating address, Sir Thomas well done if it be done in harmony

Southern said that he was in with its nature and its end: there

The great names of all litera- agreement with Prof. Simpson must be due proportion in the con-

tures are the proof. Homer's bu- (who had spoken in a contradic-. stituent elements and the result man nature is ours. The artist tory vein on literary principles) proposed, Literary expression I may portray evil, not sensualised but admitted that the subject had must be in harmony with the na-

POOR IN WORKS English literature is "poor works on this question: Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and Fine Arta by Butcher is an outstanding work. Croce's Aesthetic has been trans- dated. 11 we read it in conjune- tion with Puffers Psychology of Beauty we have a strong contrast of the idealist's and the realist's

but purified by the ideal action to such magnitude that there was point of view. For Croce the

tyre of man and the end of speech. i which it may lead the sinner. We to be a great divergence of opi- Besthetic is in the pure-iden: it re-

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

might cite the penitential penims nion. Even if the meeting con- presents the states of the soul-- passion, feeling, personality; whilst In literary expression there are of David; we might think of Ham- tinued until to-morrow morning, against no decision, he felt sure in saying, the realist, re-echoing Ruskin's two things inseparably joined, on let stimulated to revält pathetic fallacy, would have you, object presented and a soul re the unweeded garden of the world would be arrived all With the German Lipps school, vealed. These are the essential because of his mother's crime, or ""moan with the wind and amile elements. The richer they are, the transformation of the shrink- with the rose and lle fat with the richer le the literary art. Per-Ing Beatrice Cenci into an aveng- painted horizontal: Enes.” Thefect expression is, therefore, to ing Nemeals. voice of the realist had become unfold the whole bject with the very loud. It was beard in the whole of one's soul It does noted to the canone which we have that the next meeting of salons frequented by devotees of stop there. The poet's sang is no been considering. Any the vital is to be held on Toyce and Pound and Virginis, mere singing in the bath-tub for stream of Greek innuence passes 14, when Protes Woolf. Fortunately there is a the sake of vocalzation. The through the course of Europeanion will deliver strong and sang reaction. Proong is meant to stimulate a sym-terature. Rome was humanized. Burrow, fessor Lascelles Abercromble pre-pather's chorus There should be through Greece. In England Staha. Big F sents us with the text and the an appeal to others to share in Thomas More, Linacre, Colet Lily, Caldecott ha example of one who can speak the significance of the emotion, led to the Filzabethan age. We on of taking

One thing was sure however, Father Byrne had given the whole assembly a great deal to think about. Great Greek terature conform The Chairman then..

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