Meeting held at Reckitt House, Leighton Park: 22.6.32
Reginald H. Robson in the Chair.
1. Minutes of the last read. It was felt that Minute 6 needed some amplification, & Charles
Stansfield was asked to do this. His more than kind amplification is appended.
[...]
8. After adjournment for supper, the Goethe evening was begun by Mary E Robson. She sang
the song "Knowst thou the land". The music is by Beethoven. In this and her other songs Mary
Robson was kindly accompanied by Caroline Pollard.
9. A Reading from Goethe was next given by Mary S. W. Pollard.
10. Reginald H. Robson read a paper on the life of Goethe. If there were any who had thought
of Goethe exclusively as a poet, they must have been amazed at his vesitality. Philosopher,
poet, statesman, scientist, he seems to have been "everything by turns and nothing long",
except indeed a lover [...].
11. We had been much intrigued with Mrs Robson's description of the Sorrows of Werther,
especially when our friend warned us that those who came under the spell of this book usually
commited suicide after reading it. We felt accordingly grateful to Mrs. Robson who had read it
on our behalf, and flirted with death for our sakes, and not a little apprehensive when Janet
Rawlings read us an extract from it. All passed off well, however. [...]
12. George Burrow read a song from Goethe's Gefunden.
13. Mary Robson sang "My peace is o'er" from Faust.
14. A Reading from the same play was given by Elisabeth & Victor Alexander
15. Another song "Little wild rose, wild rose red." was sung by Mary Robson.
16. Finally Charles E. Stansfield gave us his paper on Goethe. He referred to the lack of the
political sense in the German people of those days, & showed Goethe as quite content to
acquiesce in the paternal government of his small state. He described the influence of
Herde[,] Klopstock, Lessing, Shakespeare, &, quaintly enough, of Goldsmith on Goethe.
In speaking of the poet's scientific interests he told us of his discovery of the intermaxillary
bone & of Goethe's ceaseless efforts to acquire truth.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary E. Robson Manuscript: Unknown
