The Doctor came over immediately to where Madam Purple and the Professor were sitting, and these meetings being more or less informal, the conversation was interrupted for the exchange of greetings.
Dr. Wyld is a very tall, broad-shouldered, spare man, I should judge about seventy years old, but carrying his age gracefully. He is one of the best known Greek scholars, of a keen and vigorous intellect. Dignified, yet with a keen appreciation of humor and fond of a good story as well as able to tell one. Not only is he a profound scholar of Greek and Neo-platonic literature, but of the world’s literature, ancient and modern. He is at once a mystic and a keen observer of men, and had led a very active life, especially in the literary world, as an author, and had also written for some of the leading newspapers of the metropolis. In this way he had met very many of the prominent public men, both literary and political, of the past half-century. It had been my privilege to spend many a delightful hour with him and in that way I have gained a clearer conception of the history of the United States than from any reading I have done, and also of the beauties of the writings of the old philosophers, especially the Neo-platonists.
His tall figure and dignified bearing would attract attention in any gathering, and as he entered the room with his long stride, all eyes were turned towards him.
The Professor rose to receive him. The room was beautifully yet simply decorated with hangings of harmonious colors, and the Doctor noticed these immediately and addressing Madam Purple:
Dr. Wyld.—“What a pleasure it is to come into a room where there is such harmony of tone and color. I can well understand what the Professor told me that your meetings here are always delightful. The very atmosphere seems conducive to harmony of feeling and the awakening of high thought.”
Madam Purple.—“That is true, Doctor, I hold that color ought to be made a very important factor in life, and that the harmonies of sound and color are essential features of true education.”
Dr. Wyld.—“And I think you have already struck the key-note of this in your production of the Eumenides, and I wish to tell you of the rare treat it was to me to witness it and the opportunity it gave me of really judging what a Greek play is like—such as could never be gained from reading. It had all the aroma of ancient Athens. One of my friends remarked that it had the beauty of a Greek statue, but I would go further, for it had also the grace and beauty of life. I do not mean that the performance was perfect but it was the spirit that pervaded it that gave it this great charm. And after seeing it I do not wonder in coming here that you also carry out your ideas of harmony in the decoration of your Club-room. It is a further carrying out of what you teach and which I fully agree with, that what is most needed in our educational system and in life generally is a sense of harmony and of the due proportion of things.”
Here the Rev. Alex. Fulsom, who had come in a short time before Dr. Wyld, and had listened more attentively than usual (without going to sleep) to the conversation, moved his chair a little forward as if to speak, but waited a moment. Although he always expressed himself as most sensitive to harmonious shades of color and adored—as he expressed it—Greek statuary, though he equally adored a pretty bonnet, nevertheless did not in any way support Madam Purple in her revival of the ancient Drama.
The Professor.—“Well, Alec, what is it now? Another objection? I’m beginning to think you belong to some objection society, whose main purpose is to object to everything on principle and for the sake of objecting. Come, tell us now, haven’t you pledged yourself to the following:—‘I pledge myself to always object to everything that may be proposed by anybody?’ But for once, Alec, put your objections on one side and enter into the spirit of the subject.”
Rev. Alex. Fulsom.—“No, Professor, I am not to be turned aside from my opinion by any method of badinage or ratiocination. And what is more, I think it my duty to express my views. As I have said before, it appears to me altogether beneath the dignity of a Leader and Teacher in such a cause as ours to be concerned in the production of a play—whether Greek or not—or to spend so much time and the energies of the Club in mere philanthropic work. The latter, doubtless, is laudable enough but the Club has other aims to pursue, and it seems to me to have departed from its time-honored methods of study. Indeed, the study of the philosophy seems to be almost completely overlooked nowadays.”