selection from How Lisa Loved the King, and the whole of the beautiful
short poem, Oh May I Join the Choir Invisible. A description of her
grave in Highgate Cemetery in London, and its inscription, may conclude.
IX--ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
1. _Story of His Life_--Childhood and Edinburgh University. Travels on
the Continent. Trip to America. First writing for publication. Story of
his books. Samoa. Reading of passages from his letters.
2. _Short Stories_--His fantastic imagination. Style and how he
cultivated it. Readings from the New Arabian Nights. Analysis of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
3. _Essays and Sketches_--Variety of subject and versatility of
treatment. Readings from Crabbed Age and Youth, John Knox and Women, and
In the South Seas.
4. _Scotch Adventures_--Analysis and description of The Master of
Ballantrae, Kidnapped, David Balfour, Weir of Hermiston. Reading from
Kidnapped.
5. _Varied Romances_--Treasure Island, Prince Otto, The Black Arrow, The
Wrecker, The Ebb Tide. Note the great variety of material. Reading from
Treasure Island.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Graham Balfour: Life of Robert Louis Stevenson. A. H.
Japp: Robert Louis Stevenson. John Kelman: The Faith of Robert Louis
Stevenson. Isobel Osbourne Strong: Robert Louis Stevenson.
A program on Stevenson should certainly mention his poems. Read from his
A Child's Garden of Verse. Notice also his prayers, which have had large
circulation and use in the religious world. There might be a paper on
the varied appreciation of Stevenson by his biographers, noting
especially Henley. Show pictures of Stevenson, and especially of the
bas-relief of him made by Saint-Gaudens for St. Giles's Cathedral in
Edinburgh.
X--GEORGE MEREDITH
1. _The Man_--Story of his life and remarkable friendships.
Peculiarities. His style and satire. Compare his prose with Browning's
verse. Were they purposely obscure? Why is Meredith not more popular?
His later days. Compare him with Dickens and Thackeray.
2. _Richard Feverel, and Beauchamp's Career_--Analysis of the plots and
description of the chief characters. Have these books a moral? Discuss
the novel as a teacher of morals. Readings.
3. _The Egoist_--Analysis of the plot and description of the chief
character, Sir Willoughby Patterne. Is his refined and unconscious
selfishness a common occurrence? Discuss the proper limits of egotism.
Quotation of clever sayings.
4. _Diana of the Crossways, One of Our Conque
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