Universal Brotherhood, Volume XIII, No. 11, February 1899: A Magazine Devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, the Theosophical Movement, Philosophy, Science and Art — John Shaqi
Universal Brotherhood, Volume XIII, No. 11, February 1899: A Magazine Devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, the Theosophical Movement, Philosophy, Science and ArtVarious
Philosophy
Universal Brotherhood, Volume XIII, No. 11, February 1899: A Magazine Devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, the Theosophical Movement, Philosophy, Science and Art
Various
Theosophy -- Periodicals
So much interest had been aroused by the conversation on Art and the
Drama as an Educative Factor which I have already recorded, that there
was a larger attendance than usual at the next meeting of the Club.
Everyone was glad to see Madam Purple who it was known to all had
established a school to revive the ancient wisdom and to teach the laws
of physical, moral and mental health and of spiritual development and
for the purpose of accentuating the importance of Music and Drama as
vital educative factors had already reproduced one of the old Greek
Tragedies in such a way as to arouse the attention of the public and
astonish the critics, touching a new chord and awakening new
possibilities for the influence of the stage on the lives and characters
of the people.
Dr. Roberts had evidently not yet been convinced of the importance of
this work though he had seen and even praised the production of
Æschylus’ Eumenides, for he still reiterated his old objections. The
discussion so far had been on general lines, but now it turned more
particularly on the Drama.
_Dr. Roberts._—“I cannot see how the performance of Eumenides or any
play you may take from the ancients can have any such effect that you
claim it will have. The people who attend will see no more in it than in
any other play. Of course it will have its own characteristics and no
doubt its classical beauty, but will not these peculiar features appeal
only to the very few? How will you make it a factor in the education of
the masses?”
_The Professor._—“I do not think you understand the real character of
the ancient drama, Doctor. Probably, also with the exception of the
recent production, you base your ideas of the attractiveness of Greek
Plays upon the presentations which are occasionally given at one of the
Universities. Classical these may be in a sense, I admit, but certainly
they are severe.”
_Dr. Roberts._—“How can they help but be severe. I remember when at
college that one of these plays was acted by some of the students, but
for my part I saw nothing particular in it.”
_Mme. Purple._-“Was not that possibly because those who produced the
play and enacted the parts, themselves saw nothing in it beyond the mere
incident as told in so many words?
“The most beautiful things remain invisible to those who have not eyes
to see. Look at the hundreds and thousands in every large city and,
strange to say, more particularly in country districts, who know nothing
of the beauty and sublimity of the heavens and nature around them. Many
a farmer looks at the sky simply to note the changes of the weather. The
magnificence of cloud effect, the glory of the sunrise and the quivering
of the eternal stars, he never sees. And even those who profess to be
lovers of nature, how little more than external beauty do they see? Do
they indeed see any deeper than the surface of things and but rarely
pierce the veil to behold with awe and wonderment the reality?”
_Dr. Roberts._—“But, Madam Purple,....”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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