616 George M. Trevelyan [Jan. 31, 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 



Friday, January 31, 1013. 



Sir William Ceookes, O.M. LL.D. D.Sc. F.R.S., Honorary 

 Secretary and Vice-President, in the Chair. 



George M. Trevelyan, Esq. 



The Poetry and Philosophy of George Meredith. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



The quality that differentiates Meredith's novels from other novels 

 is the element of poetry. In realism and psychology be is surpassed 

 by living Englishmen ; but he is so much more than an analyst of 

 motives. He makes us in love with life. Even in his comedy, 

 when it is successful [Richmond Roy'], the poetical predominates. 

 [Examples of poetical element in novels.] In his prose and verse 

 his poetry uses metaphors largely ; but they are compared ideas of 

 things, rather than compared visual images of things as in Keats. 

 [Examples.] 



Meredith's philosophy — attitude to life — also inspires his novels. 

 And he alone of the great Victorian poets accepted the scientific 

 [Darwinian] cosmology as the very basis of his ethic, and even the 

 inspiration of his poetry. [Examples : Spirit of Earth in Autumn, 

 etc.] He subordinates the individual, and his desires to the race as 

 a whole viewed in evolution. His attitude to Life and Death. 

 [Examples : Day of the Danyhter of Hades.'] 



Meredith of Welsh-Irish origin, on which he always laid great 

 stress. His genius [flood of metaphors, etc.] is essentially Celtic in 

 literary character. But, unlike Mr. Yeats and poets of the Celtic 

 revival, he used it for English purposes, on English themes, about 

 English life, and with the characteristic view of other great English 

 writers, that " conduct is three-fourths of life." The solitudes of 

 nature he loves passionately, but they always have a curious effect on 

 him ; they always set him thinking of London and the life of men, 

 and create desire in him to return to the thick of the fight. 

 [Examples.] Close connexion to his mind between the life of men 

 and that of nature. Earth " our mother." In the novels his men 

 and women get their superhuman grandeur when seen in contact 

 with nature. [Examples.] His drawing-room scenes less good. 

 Love in the Valley : Meredith said about it to the lecturer, " It has 

 something of dotvn there in it." "Down there " = of Earth. 

 Juyyliny Jerry, another example of connexion of soul of man with 



