THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
ltcgtndeufs'ra! gunk,
THE ANNUAL.
The past ycnr tins been unusually prolific In Incidents
of i startling nature. Various blood-curdling things
havo happened and as the year draws to a close the stu
dents havo felt impelled to give prodigious expression to
their latent "hurrahltlvcness," felt impelled to chronicle
the glorious deeds of tho past school year, felt In short
that they must follow tho example of eastern Institutions
and publish a College Annual. This pamphletic marvel
will consist of about no hundred pages, containing a
Aill and complete account of everything that has occurred
during the past year which can be worth remembering
(uncxaggcrated) written in English and in the most trags
ic style. In it will be found all the college "joaks" of
tho year, sketches of everything connected with the
University; of the literary societies and their work; the
debating clubs, Y. M. C. A., Greek Letter Fraternities,
Dutch Society, Bacsc Ball Club, Brass Bund, Cadets, Hes
perian Student, Faculty, Regents, Co-eds, Mods and the
"Slate." Iu fact it will contain a heterogeneous, conglom
ernted museum of heartrending tales and countless
monstrosities in the way of anecdotes, combined with a
vast awe inspiring .array of cold clammy facts, delight
fully seasoned with enough fallcious falsehoods to en
chant the reader. It will be fully illuminated with a
garralous gallery of graphic sketches taken at a safe diss
lance and all this vast accumulation of wonders under
one tent and for one price. It will also contain a cata
logue of the students and a complete directory of our
alumni, stating their whereabouts, the time of their grads
uation, how they are occupied and all concerning them
that it is possible to get. Six robust intellects have been
dcialled for the editorial part of the work. These young
mental giants are bending all their energies to the tusk
and will hare it ready for delivery by commencement.
Children cry for 'em, no family should be without 'cm.
Fifty cents per copy; lewe your order at the HEsrEM.Of
Studkxt office in person or by letter.
THE DKAXATIC PEMOD
The drama has never reached before nor since such
unparalied splendor as in tnc age of Elizabeth. The
literature before this volcanic outburst, had been pent up
by affectation, conceits and hypocrisy. In the literature
of a uation we can read its hisiory, if not politically, at
least socially. The gigantic form reared by a few in
spiTd writers still remains as a raouument of a period
in which the people walked in Fairyland. All flung
themselves into the midst of giddy passion, determined,
come T?ut might, to enjoy Ihemsclv s and satisfy their
loagings for excitement. Social life was quivering;
gallantry aud daring the true attributes of a man. We
cannot fully realize this age of passion. It is something
that has no counterpart In modern times. Ou the lus
kined stage tlie details of existence were represented, no
matter how coarse or ludicrous, for nolliinj: was with
held.
The Classic drama was & unit and a work of art. In
the Romantic, we wave a distressing jumble of time and
place; one scent may be in Italy, the next iu Spain, and
twenty years later than tho first. The ngo was full of
superstition and the pcoplo loved to dwell upon subjects
of terror and mystery. A few skilled hands reaped for us
tho benefits of this fertile period. Towering abovo them
all wc observoone who cared llttlo to bo remembered by
posterity the immortal Shakespeare. IIo enters tho gay
company and Joins in tho diasapatlon, but docs not suf
fer tho fearful consequences ns do his fellows. Coolly ho
observes and profits by tho misery of others. IIo is a
philosopher In very deed. Tho dramatists who proceed
ed him gained a footing for the Romantic drama, and in
those who succeeded him we behold its decay into mere
sensationalism.
Marlowe m tho "Tamburlali'o" rises to marvelous
heights of passion. It is grand, lofty and majestic, and
tho passion is of the sort which is exhibited by nations at
wnr, and in the cruelties of tyrants. Such fiery spirits as
Greene and Marlowo could not wait for lime to work
change, but lived intensoly as they wrote. It was their
desire to see results. Consequently, their lives, as
their plays, were tragedies having a crisis In each act.
Accustomed to hardships and adversity, they hud tasted
the bitter rather than tho sweet of existence and both
came to sad ends. Greene's style is liorkt: Marlowe's,
regal.
Ben. Jonson, entirely different from the others, stoo.l
colossal and alone. His redeeming fcaturo was his wide
and varied knowledge, which made his pluysrich In clas
sic lo:e. But iu perusing even his comedies we are con
scious of a labored ell'ort to reach some particular standard
of style. Almost by main strength he doposlts uach met
aphor and other flgurc of speech in its proper place. Tho
effect of the whole is stiff and strained. But at the last
moment, when sick and lingering near death's door, ho
departs from his chssicism, and the result is the fanciful
"Sad Shepherd", tho lust but not at all tho least work of
his pen.
In marked contrast, wo have Webster who loved to
liugcr near charnel-houses, to hear llio rattle of tho dry
bones and to contemplate subjects of extreme horror.
He had pierced the darkest rocesscd of the soul. Tho
"Duchess of Malfi" personifies the Intense life of the day.
Tho cruelties of tho two brothers are borno calmly by
their imprisoned sister; no mind of ordinary strc.iglh
could endure such persecutions. Tho danoinir m.ulness,
the appearance of the executioner with his tools of death
were tho tortures to which she was forced to submit.
The drama ends in blood. Webster cannot bo considered
fanciful ; he is powerful in tho full senso of the word,
t John Ford with his "melancholy hat," Is at his best in
he "Broken Heart." Some parts are truly pathetic, but
throughout wo notice a straining after form ; a frequent
use or ornate and extravagant language. This was large
ly for the purpose of effect. AMiouigh many times he
touches the feeling, he Is not a genius. Ills lays were
net the "nature wood-notca" of 8hakespeare. Llko
mauy of the others, he desired to bring himself Into
notice, and cared more for the quantity than for tho
quality of his work.
The versification of Beaumont and Fletcher is of a
musical flow. Wit and lightness are thu prominent fea
tures of their plays. In Philastcr, the constaucy of Bel
laris, the jealousy of Arethusa and the variety of passin
aud incident, make the play of deep interest. These
writers prepared the minds of the people for the license
i
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m.!