HESE essays have been given

as addresses b e f o r e many

W e s t ern audiences . Not

tha t the voice of the speaker

e in is stilled. their appeara nc

' n printed form should continue theu helpfulness. I

the field of literature and of art one can do little

for others but shots the pa thlvay of his wander

i ve been re ings. pointing out the beaut es tha t ha

s s his limita tions vealed to him. expressing. o far a

l o allow. the elect upon himse f f

Suchis the purpose of this book.

INTRODUC TION .

A R ELY in a community w here material

things overshadow the intellectual and the

a thetic does a man have the love of A rt

for its ow n sake so firmly established in

his nature as to make him its open and

8 met Dewey essayed. Born m Victor. New York. in l 59. he a stered the turhulent transition days of Kansas at the age of W est mimbued w itheagerness to heco me a factor in the upbuild

of t ing the Sta e. His profession. the law . eonfined neither his

' ature. and oi the proper expression of the best ideals of man s

'

soul. mto wider fields.

A s yeass passed. he grew in mental stature. He felt the

i c e mpulse of the advo ate. the inspiration of the nthusiast. He gathered under his home roof those w hose friendship he cher

- v r . shed. and there unfolded new ly acquired joys of disco e y A bilene his home tow n ior tvvo decadu soon lea rned to respect and trust his literary taste ; the stamp of his approval w ent far in the estimation placed on any w ork of literature

of - t or art . So definite and w ellfounded w ere his ideals. hat he w u deferred to hy his towmmem m d later by the best thinkers of Kansas. He became reoognized as an authority on the things fi at it pleu ed him most to iudge and in a sense this w as a realization of his d r d ea est reams. His pow er as an uplifting factor in many lives came from his strict adherence ' to the w orld sesta blished ethical and a thet ic canons.

Essentiall w rou h y he as a critic. He analyzed. he saw th ¢

POE TRY I N SONG. ll the shsms. He w as so attuned to harmony. be it in literature. reli ion usic ct v g . m . art o r archite ure. that iolation of perfect form in any degree aw oke his impatience. Out here on the ’ o le plains. in the constructive period of a State s making. pe p t think do violate form; they hurry to results. or to w hat hey are results. This he w ould not tolerate. and his insistence on

for right methods because they w ere right. his demand for art ' — not its own sake. because it satisfied the artist s ideals and — e because it w as popular a w oke in some a timid reluctanc .

a never lived lest their theories be sh ttered. But kinder critic : a more helpfulhand w as never reached to him w ho sought the good things of this w orld ; a cleaner example of dignity and respect w as never set .

' A first Mr. Dew ey s literary grace w as a grow th. t the it came from earnest study and thoughtful edort to master the — fixed forms of verse eu outcome of his instinct for harmony. From this study he learned to Oppreciate the w hole realm of

c er Shel literature in its purest sense. Su hinterpreters as Lani .

th tenderness ley and Keats appealed to him. He drank in eir .

o of he reveled in their mysticism. When he w rote r spoke them. it w as w ith a personal sympathy that told of his ow n ' w o b mind s likeness to theirs. With leisure. he uld have een

o v w r tten a critic of rank w ith the masters. He w uld ha e i ' literary essays to measure up w ith the w orld s best examples.

It w as in this that ce ed for he ex ll ; this his mind w as fitted.

' C om arativel li o p y ttle f Mr. Dew ey s w riting appea red in

i t— e e iev s o pr n h b l ed in the p ken w ord. He made a w orthy

o T efi rt to establish in Kansas a literary magazine. he A gora .

for years he selected the verse printed in a leading new spaper. but only his close friends knew it . He w ro te editorials for

v w hich others recei ed undeserved credit. If his judgment of

e lit erary w ays had fault. it w as this : he so feared the charg

POETRY I N SONG. 12 of commercialisrn that he did not seek more freely the vast

his influence far beyond the sphere of the platform.

us. Not as a creator of lit erature die . Dew ey come to

r He w as an interpreter. His lectures and essays he ein pub lished w ere a sincere attempt to bring to others the same thnll

- s re d of new found delight he himself felt . He sought to p a

is the love of literary grace w hich inspired his ow n soul. It in this understanding that these essays and addresses should

-sto the be read. Thus accepted. they beco me stepping nes to temple in w hichhe w as ever a w orshiper.

ove It w as inevitable that. w ithhis taste for music and his l

D t stud for literature. Mr. ewey should find pleasure in he y of — t o v H fines literar poetry and in the w ri ing f erse. is t y addresses are on the relation of poetry to life and its trans

be lation into better living. His ow n verses. few though they . breathe an artistic spirit that marks the true student of the

’ w orld s great poets.

ha dee l felt Masonry had for Mr. Dewey a c rm and a p y

i o until ran Mas attraction. He rose in ts h nors he became G d

r ter of Masons in Kansas. and his addresses before the c aft w ere messa es of w or a dcliv g great th. M ny of these. being " " ered in the tiled communications of the lodges. cannot be here rep roduced. but they made better men of all w ho hea rd

He received from the C ollege of Emporia the degree s of

A . B . . A M. and He w as president of the Kansas

A cademy of Language and Literature. a trustee of Midland

o College. and f r some years before his death at Topeka. in

June. l9o6. he w as R eporter for the Supreme Court of Kan sas. Many honom a sch as are the portion of him w hom the i — community cons ders a good citizen. w ere his and he filled of State of church of c o f t r . . edu ati n. o fra e nity and of society. — he did all his art . His v p de otion to home. t o w ife. dansh ter and sons — w as . in keeping w ithhis manly character. His friends w ere m hips any and strong.

A llthese things. w hen added to the dernands of his profes

i ma b s on. de up a usy life. That it w as a useful life every

a — acquaintance knew . Kans s lost much in his death a per sonality that stood for higher. nobler literary ideals. and the courage to live up to thern. His intellect w as a helpfulmonitor ' irr the w odd of literaturg of musiq and of all A rt s highest

C . M. H .

T POE RY I N SONG . 14

POETRY IN SONG .

USIC and Poetry have become w idely sepa

rated one fro o e o m the th r. N w adays the

best poetry is not intended to be set to

music and the best music is not intended

to be set to poetry .

in olden times the Egyptian devotee san and danced and erha s la ed g p p p y , d ment before his god. and the three arts of Music. Poetry an

Dancing w ere united in the closest bonds. The same w as

- D t rue to a certain extent among the Jew s. avid danced and s his ow n o rac ang poetry bef re the A rk. Even the Greeks p

io D v ticed this tr of arts together. ancing. how e er. early he — came a distinct and sep arate art . perhaps. because all the

c f poets could not do it gra e ully. If there w as any one thing

- that an old time Greek could not endure. it w as aw kw ardness. i and w e are considerably like him n that respect . it may be that music beca me divorced from poetry be b cause all poets could not sing. ut history is silent upon that point as w ell as upon the other. It w ould be a blessed law t eve l s v o require ry aleged poet to ing his ow n erses now adays. for it might force the people to resort to that old Greek cus

h of much ad poetry . it gives an added charm to the w onderful w orks of that

ric oets i vi greatest of all ly p . K ng Da d of Israel. to think of

su ca t d his Psalms as being ng. One nno help imagining an longing to know the melody of the music to w hichthe Tw enty t hird Psalm w as sung. No oratorio or grand opera of mod

O I N N P ETRY SO G. 17 vid marched u to the ates of the new Israel. led by Da . p g

e a tes Lift up your heads. 0 y g everlastin doors A nd be ye lift up. ye g : " A nd the King of glory shall come in.

A nd then ca me back in holy song the chorus from the

Who is this King of gloryP

and the answ er of the men w ith the A rk.

The Lord strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in ba ttle; and then the final answ er after the command and had been sung again.

o d o os e e in The L r f h ts. H is th K g of glory.

so There is mething more than beauty in that. It is sub

It moves and elev t e ou — th t is th true lime. a es th s l and a e

o object f music and poetry .

W e do not often think of Moses as a musician and a poet . but he w as both. He w as the only man who ever saw God

ve upon earth. and it is hard to believe that God w ould ha revealed Himself in person to one w ho w as other than a nu ' said sid es: and a poet. Moses songs are few . but he w ho is to have w ritten the Ninetieth and Ninety-first Psalms deserves

- the laurel. How maiestic must have been those w ellremem bered w ords. w hen sung : “ He tha t dwellethin the secret pla ce of the Most High l o o Shal abide under the shad w f the A lmighty.

A nd nothing but music could have show n the full tender ness of those sw eet w ords w hichcome later in the same Psalm

POE I N NG TRY SO . 18 ive e e For He sha llg His ang ls charg over thee.

To keep thee in allthy ways. l ee u i h They sha l bear th p n t eir hands.

Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

You had quite forgotten that Moses is supposed to have written that and did it a thousand years before Sappho sung her songs in Greece.

The history of music and of poetry show s that about all the lyric verse that w as w ritten from the days of Moses

Davi an lomo sun — and d d So n w as g from Pindar. w ho w rote so many and so good hymns and odes that A lexander the

are ho w he Grea t sp d his use n he w as reducing Thebes. dow n to the time of the Minnesingers in Germany and the Tro u badoura in F rance. w ith the possible exception of the expres ' ' o D sion f Petrarchs love to Laura and ante s to Beatrice.

For three hundred yea rs the lines of music and poetry have been diverging. w iththe inevitable result that they are farther

- t o apart to day han ever bef re.

? o w ow how Is all this w ell T ans er that. one must kn these arts nfiect us and how this separa tion has afiected these

arts.

The best use a man has for his mind is not the draw ing

of conclusions. but the construction of ideals. A nd if the con

res activi struction of ideals be the highest . richest and pu t ty

of the mind. then those sentiments or emotions w hich induce and accompany this mental activity should be and are the

time a sens highest. richest and purest. When these sen nts re uous ob ec o the beauti ul and j tive. resulting in a feeling f f . th ca our ey are called aesthetic. You hear music that uses y heart to sw ell and your eyes to become moist and your mem cr to ou y w ander back to days of old. The feeling w ithin y is a t is ca es a o b u sentimen . It lled a thetic bec use f the ea ty that is in the object inducing it and because of the beauty

POETRY I N SONG. 19 t that is in the feeling itself. Now . not everything hat is sens

b H hat uously agreea le produces an a thene sentiment. ence w is it that distinguishes this feeling of the beautiful fro m ordi

nary feeling? It is imagination.

No evidence or argument is required to prove that e s thetic sentiments are produced mainly through the senses of

and sight and sound. W e have to do w ith the latter only.

u oe it includes music and poetry. So if m sic and p try .

tion through so und. produce a thetic sentiments. then imagina

m c must be the distinguishing element of their power. If usi w and poetry produce c sthetic sentiments. hich comprise the

construction of ideals. and the construction of ideals be the

o highesn best and purest use of the mind. then it w uld be

good manners. at least. for some persons to cease throwing

o m stones at ur usicians and our poets.

A ll good music is the result of imagination. The com poser creates his harmonies and melodies in his mind and hears them w ithin the concert-chamber of his ow n brain before he

plays and w rites them. W e read of Mozart that the airs he w rote or played impromptu w ere only a part of those

w ic v a he h h the di ine faculty played for him to hear. nd that could not w ell avoid list ening to w hat w as going on in his ears or stop it sounding until it had been cast forth upon pa

per. It is said that W agner w rote w hole operas w ithout

touchin a i r g n nst ument or hearing the sound of a single note. In so me degree the mother w ho croons over the child in her arms and the boy w ho w histles w hen Saturday comes imag

the so s und that they utter. The imagination. o f course.

is as crude as the music.

There never w as a man w ho had fallen in love w ithGod

o an ho o or a w m w did n t try to sing soon after. The music

w as in his heart and he w anted to hear it . If men w ere so

endow ed that they might utter all the music and poetry that

N POETRY I N SO G. 20 music. A learned jurist and litterateur in Kansas remarked ' t to me tha he w as reading Scott s novels again. and he said

that it w as the art that made him do it. Of late there is a tendency in some quarters to make sport of the idea tha t the form of literature is of quite as much importance as the sub m stance. but let me say that seldom does a person rea d a poe o a s o c n r t ry a se o d time but for the form. The good simple

o o b b ov o soul. w h se nly oo k is the Bi le. reads er and ver the same beloved chapters ; not for the thought - she has that b t o o o o of u f r the f rm f the th ught . Every morning w e read

ri l c ts m most th ling in iden in the new spapers. and forget the

fore un W a s be l ch. hen rt teps in and clothes these same inci d s w i h o o e ent t the f rm f pure literature. then w e rememb r them forever and turn to them again to be thrilled again!

Now . how does poetry affect us difierently fro m music ?

In the matter of sound there is little difierence in the

o v method. The rhythm f erse is no more than quantity in

a d music. n the meter of verse is very like time in music. but

t har the la ter is not so varied. The diflerence in sound is in mony and melody. Verse has no harmony . and its melody

limited usi is is . M c a set o f specially related sounds. So is verse. It impresses itself upon the ear as verse only by means of certa in relations existing among its w ords considered

s o s de s. purely a s und . w ithout reference to their associated i a t If this be doub ed. let some person read to you a selection from an unknow n tongue and see how quickly the difierence

d e betw een prose an v rse w ill be detected. Or take a formal poem in our language and substitute other w ords w hich p re

ac o serve the alliteration. centuation and rhyme. but convey n

eas to mi v s ct be id the nd. The erse tru ure has not en immired. The rhythm is as charming as before and our thoughts w an ff o der aw ay uncontrolled. St range is the e ect this rhythm f poetry and music has upon us. and it is the most common thing

POE TRY I N SONG. 22 a i — in the w orld. R hythm is no more than a sw y ng. a recur

rence of something at regular intervals of space and time. f b W e see it in the rise and fall o f the lea y ranches. in the w inding curves of a river. in the billow s o f the sea . We hear

it in the songs of birds. the moaning of winds. and w e feel

it in the beating of our own hearts .

o music Thus. w e have seen that . considered as sound nly.

m o the and poetry aflect us in like anner. differing nly in

u ti o e o sw th so q an ty . Music has unparalleled p w r t eep e ul along in the currents of pure but indefinite feeling and to cause the mind to construct great but indefinite ideals because its sounds are so pleasing and its harmonies and melodies so

res c T varied. Verse never can reach it in that pe t. herein lies the difierence betw een the singing tones and speaking tones

s and thro ws us into the realm of phy ics.

Both the quantity and the quality of imagination incited

e tl by music and verse. considered as sound only. depend gr a y — on the listener that is. on difierent listeners. and on different m b conditions of the same listener. To some. usic rings noth

— r c ing more than agreeable feelings. a so t of satisfa tion that is akin to the satisfaction that comes w ith the gratification of ' one s appetites. Such a feeling is not a sentiment because

tho t o toi oes Ibere is no ught in i . T ls g so far as to say that

some music is so sensuous that it is obscene. w hich cannot be

true. It is tru at e th it has a hypnotic efiect on some people. Every man w ho has loved a w oman or seen a religious revival

now s t k tha . Science has not yet explained the peculiar sym pathy betw een certain musical tones and the physical organ ism I stri e mi or cho k a n rd on the piano and you are sad.

- — The long draw n out notes of a violin w ill melt your heart and ou know not w h y y. any more than you know w hy the lone dog how ls w hen the church-bell rings and the coyote bar s w hen t w histl b k he e lows. There is no imagination in

T POE RY I N SONG. 28 hat these instances. This unaccountable sensuousness is all t

some people get out of music and poetry . One can speak only incidentally of the imagination ex a es thin pressed ia poetry. w hich I believe to be the gre t t g

that has ever come fro m the brain of man. It is the one thing

a Ever t hi else in oetr can be that makes poets gre t. y ng p“ y oe ima atio and so Poeta nasci made. God gave the p t gin n. " tur non t secret of Sha e . fi . has been said. Therein lies the k

' ' speare s kingship and therein lies the secret of Shelley s w ax ins sloo

A s ima gina tion bodies forth o e The forms of things unknown. the p et s p n

Turns them to shapes. and gives to airy nothing e A localhabita tion and a nam .

Poetic imagination is the faculty of seeing w ith the eyes

closed and hearing w ith the ears sealed. and feeling things ’ w hich exist through the w ill of the poet s genius.

Keats expressed the idea in an early poem.

Lo I m l . ust tella ta le of chiva ry. F or lar e hite lume e d nci g w p s ar a ng in mine eyes.

v The poet must not only ha e the faculty of this seeing. i hear ng and feeling. but he must be able to hold these con

ce tions so w ell in in v p m d as to express them. E ery man in

some de ree is a oet in his ow n soul but he is not one os g p “ . e o i pap r. In the w ords f another. The true poet has a min ! full of very clear _images. w hile ours is filled with confuse " desc tio b rip ns. W e drea m and uild castles and beco me t

oe W o W cited and think w e are p ts. e are n t. e are simrly getting into a condition to recognize a poet w hen w e see him

w o er We mistake the ish to create for the creative p w .

o c o s his s b utiful visio s comm“ The p et l se eyes. ees ea n . as w ith them and then tells us all about them. or as mucl m hin o . He le ves so e w e need to know . He does n t tell all a g

E I N PO TRY SONG. 24 never uite for our imagination to do . Nature is thus. She q

ds w ith the discloses all her w ealth of beauty. but lea us on hope and the know ledge that there is something more beau

There is an old tradition that once Nature disrobed her hen w hole self to a poet and show ed him all her beauty. T that she killed him for fear he w ould tell the secret. A nd h ell i . t hat w ill make many think of Shelley . and w t may I long seemed to me that Nature disrobed more of her beauty — t Shelle whose to him than to any poet w ho ever lived. tha y “ Sensitive plant in a garden grerv A nd the young rvinds fed it with silver derv: I t opened its fan-like leaves to the light

A nd closed them benea ththe kisses of night.

Did Nature ever show you as much? She show ed it to — Shelley and then she killed him. What does poetry do for us that music does not ? It takes this imagination of ours that is put in play by t the sensuousness of these arts. and directs it. and guides i . mi run and elevates it. and inspires it. It does not let the nd — not wild as music does. o ften in directions w here it ought still to go. But it leads it among green pastures and beside

i rt w aters. It rocks it upon the bough of the tree and carr es

w ell up tow u d the summit of the mountain. It makethit to d

s c in the e ret places of the Most High. there abiding under

o ov it . the shadow f the A lmighty. lt giveth angels charge er The effect separation of poetry and music has had upon the arts themselves is this : When they w ere together music

e ed o a — d pmd up n poetry for its im gination. its thoughts. and he poetry depended upon music for its sensuousness. Had t y c e v of ontinued together. the world w ould have been d pri ed

most of its really good music. W ords have never been set

to est o a the b music and never w illbe. How about grand per a w ill nd oratorio ? They are not the best music. Who dare to limit a symphony or a sonata to the close confines of language ?

This isolation of music has remlted in a class of higher

com ositi on ca e p . lld program music. w hich is intended to con

v ey to the bearer. by means of instruments and w ithout the

use of w ords scri t o . a de p i n or suggestion of definite objects.

scenes or ev ents. In other w ords. p rogram music endeavors ' v to controlone s thoughts. In the master hands of a Beetho en

or a W a er t e hose gn . he effect is delightful. Manag d by one w

soulis not ohre w ithinspiration it is a travesty on musical art .

No rule exists for creating harmony in poetry any more

o ou than there is a rule for composing mel dy in music. th gh the presence of pronounced vow el sounds is accepted as a dis ' rea sonnet tinct value. Take that famous line of Keats g t . “ Silent upon a peak in Darien. i " T That long in silent stands out like a peak . hen ' o remar w atch all those vow el sounds. Keats w hole w rk is k

o i o able f r ts mel dy. Take a line from Tennyson. “ A llday the mind brea thes lorv rvithmellower tone.

usic is mas M not sw eeter than that . But Shelley w as the

r o this m f be ore te f ele ent o form in verse. No Englishpoet f

me him or since has equalled him in that respect. Keats ca

for nearest. A nd here I w ould like to quote line upon line. in the Shelley songs you catch the fullbeauty of his w ork in " " W W r a the that respect. In his Ode to the est ind. pe h ps

o grea test lyric in our language. there is a w ealth f it.

“ ’ 0 wild Wes t Wind, thou brea thof A utumn s being!

and later in the same poem. “ " Malee me thy lyre. even as the forest is.

A nd I cannot help noting specially the first lines of the " Sew ade

W I N ON ETRY S G. 20 l arise from dreams of thee

In the first srveet sleep of night. When the winds are brea thing law " e i A nd th sta rs are shining br ght.

s th It seems uch an easy ing to do . but few of the poets

attain it in great degree.

fi Such. briefly . is the e ect that Music and Poetry have upon us and the efiect that their separation has had upon

v l themsel es. and sure y it is w ell that they have become thus

separated one from the other.

But let us bring them together again. each to the other

ov v u s ve m in l e. Ha e yo in your mind a ingle piece of rse. co

mitted to memory . that you have not tried to sing in your ow n — w ay and to your ow n tune w hen w alking over expanding

prairies. or w hen alone and all the w orld has passed w ithout t ' your souli Let another sing them to another s tune and per haps there w ill come to the somew hat of recognition and ' o and satisfaction. One s mind gets full of unheard meldies.

s ut fo to-da such are the sw eetest of all. says Kea t . b . just r y.

let us replace them.

rel ree. In making selection for this. one cannot be enti y f Many of the w ords w e w ould like to hear sung have not been set to music and very muchof w hat has been set to music has

b b rat tha the een ruined y the composer. The poetry her n

s e B learn mu ic has be n kept in mind in these illustrations. ut

r d this : Good poetry can be sung quite as w ell as dogge el. an

it s el r u rre w rth i an infinit y bette thing to do . I have no q a l

the person w ho enjoys many of the popular songs of the day.

difiere t The melodies are entrancing. but the eflect is not n

om w a T human fr that hich comes from a dreamy w ltz. he

o t to voice is something more than mere mechanism. It ugh

cannot do something for us that a violin. a piano . an organ

h o iv ex do . The music of it ought to give us a thoug t. r g e

O POB TR Y I N S NG. 27 tr son pression to our ow n best droughts. Good poe y . in g.

w ill do that.

There is a prevailing tone of sadness and soberness run ning through most modern lyric verse w hich results from the

to nu extreme tendency tow u d loo king w ithin. It is easy

ot uch of it in derstand the cause of it. There w as n so m

so m ch to re ret earlier times. because the ancients had not u g ' melanchol in David s nor so much to attain as w e. The y lyrics is a diflerent sadness from that w hich pervades modern

new w here stood it . and understood the cause of it. and he k to go for the cure of it.

o or ever? How long wilt Thou forget me. O L rd? f How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?

How long shallI take counselin my soul. " Having sorrow in my heart daily?

David rebelled against taking counsel in his ow n soul.

The late oets cultiva When sit alo and oo in te it. w e ne l p _ k to our ow n hearts w e are very liable to be filled w ith bum ing regret for the past or intense longing for the unattainable of the future. W e do not try to drive it out. W e nurse it and tendedy keep it and poeb express ih but there is not the less beauty in it.

’ There is not much of this m lancholy in Tennyson s po etry . He w as too objective in disposition for that . He had

o a deep love for Nature. but Nature never became a part f

H nev r atta that clo to it t W ordsw o h him. e e ined seness tha rt did. notw ithstanding he w as much like him. Tennyson w as

- s H pro eminently a religiou poet and a religious man. e knew . w as David knew . w here to find peace. A nd so henever a li a shadow may appear in his poetry . underneath it there es

POETRY I N SONG. 28

seem only commonplace. and the co mmonplace w ill seem sub

v - — he rt lime. The w a e line of the emotions has changed the a

has sw elled at difierent intervals. No better or other argu

a t lon oe ment ag ins the g p m is needed. h To be sure. there are hills and valleys of emotion in t e

drama and in the novel. and muchof their w orthdepends up

on their natural arrangement. The novel leads one over land

reader and w ater. but the poem is a sea of emotion: hence the

may be controlled in the story much more than in the poem.

ov l a l but The n e ist can make his reader rest at cert in p aces.

i e w hen the poet undert akes that he draps into prose. E very ln

of verse that is not emotional is not poetry . No person cares much for Homer in translation; he is great only to those w ho

e o t have been ducated to discover the beauties f he original. Great poets have translated his w ork and transferred much

of his beauty to our ow n language. but they have w on for

i act him few lovers. Does not one reason for this le in the f that the student takes the original in small portions so that

s or w erea w o it becomes a series of h t poems to him. h s he h

depends upon a translation is very liable to undertake too muchP There is only one w ay to get enjoyment out of a long

n o e t o f poem. and that is to stop readi g as s on as th reac i n o

the emotions begins. Something of that same philosophy has been used by that

i L i S elle of great A merican poet . S dney an er. He is the h y

n s t e l h A merican song. in i ten i y of f e ing. and he is one of t e

f rh th that s ve v verse greatest masters o y m ha e r li ed. His - ’ ' o v e b he lacks Shelley s mel dy . as does e ery other po t s, ut could put as muchbeauty into a salt-sea marshas Shelley could

dr fro the w ind an the moon an th sta Bu Lanier aw m d d e rs. t

in e had one great th g that Shelly lacked. He had a God

w s o the One ho i y ur God and my God.

" e ars - en sec etl l s A s th m hh r y bui d on the wa tery sod. B ehold I willbuild me a nes t in the grea tness of God;

POE TR Y I N SONG 80 I willfly in the grea tness of God as the marsh- hen flies ' In th fr edom tha t fills all the spa ce twixt the marsh and e° t:e skles. “ By so many roots as the marsh-grass sends in the sad I willheartily lay me a-hold of the grea tness of God; Oh! like to the grea tness of God is the grea tness within e ars es t e liberalmarshes l The range of th m h . h of G ynn.

W as there ever more entrancing rhythm than that ? Hath truer w orship ever been told? He praised God beca use God

th t r tn s he built is great . not out of gratitude. and in a g ea es “ ” - sin s himself a resting place. But in this Evening Song he g to h his w ife. and you w ill note how he has caug t of Shelley.

e Lo ok of . dear lov . across the sa llow sands.

A nd mark yon meeting of the sun and sea . How long they kiss in sight of allthe lands;

A h! longer. longer. me.

' w i se e a e No n the a s r d vint g melts the sun. ' s s ea ldissolve A E gypt p r d in rosy wine. ' l o i ht r A nd C e pa tra N g d inks all. Tis done;

Love. lay thy hand in mine.

' C ome forth. sw eet stars. and comfort heaven s heart; Glimmer e waves ou lse , y . r nd e unlighted sands. ht divorce o 0 Nig . ur sun and sky apart " Never our lips. our hands.

Muchof the w ork of some poets seems to have been w rit

ten to a cularl r be sung. Th t is parti y t ue of Tom Moore and R obert Burns. and like unto them is Jean lngelow . next to

the a o w o oe s gre test f men p t . Her verses almost sing them

v e sel es. They should be in very household and rea d to the

c r s absence o s the — t in hildren. The e i an f inten ity in m tha

ex rien o ciatio for tensity w hich requires pe ce f r its appre n. and

POE TRY IN SONG 31 that reason they are adapted to young minds. They are fresh

and healthful and not tainted w ith the disease of introspection.

- omin afte ov o . C g r most l e songs. it is like a rift in the cl uds

There is the joy of new love in it .

One mornin oh! l e g. so ear y. my b loved. my beloved. A ll the birds er sin in li l w e g g b thely. as if never they wou d cease ’ “ was a thrus sa n T h g in my garden. Hea r the story. hear the story ' A nd the lark sang. C ive us glory ‘ ’ d v A n the do e sa id. C ive us pea ce.

Then I listened ! so e m e e . oh a rly. y b lov d. my beloved. To tha t ur un' rom the oodla o d r f w nd f the ove. my dea r, tine zave : “ a When the nighting le came after. Give us fame to sweeten auty “ ’ e When the wren sa ng. Giv us bea uty. ‘ '

She made answer. C ive us love. “ S eet is s rin and s eet the mornin m e d w p g. w g. y b love . my beloved

' Now or us doth s rin dothmornin ai f p g. g. w t upon the year s

increase. ‘ ra e oes u Oh! ive o A nd my p y r g p. g us cr wned in youth with

marria ge glory. ' C ive for all our life s dea r story e e e Give us lov . and giv us peac .

ticu fi o o tr s let Before leaving this par lar eld f p e y in ong.

th f o th t oe o ho speak of some ing r m a p t of the pe ple. w struck the sincerest note in lyric verse and w ho found that

universal chord in literature to w hich all hearts are attuned.

- He never soars as Shelley does. sometimes beyond our sight

-but his feet are firm upon the earth and w e stand beside

tell lovin as e loves. He s us him. seeing as he sees. and g h n m reco ition w hat w e already know . and his so gs see a gn

POETRY I N SONG. 82 rather than a revelation. A nd hence. perhaps. of these songs

be of love. this one from R o rt Burns w ill vibrate longest in the your memory. In this connection let me call attention to

t of oems w onderful singing quali y his songs. They are not p

- ere set to music. but are songs songs that are to be sung. Th

e h seems to be nothing in lit rature quite like t em. except it be the little verses that are scattered throughout Shakespeare.

ro u W hen Shakespeare int d ces one of his songs. he so changes the form that it is necessarily associated w ith the idea of music.

ull a thom ve a F f fi thy f ther lies.

Under the greenwood tree " Who loves to lie withme.

’ Har ar ! the lar a t eaven k. h k k h s ga te sings.

I no a ban here the il k w k w w d thyme grows.

' Now take the first lines of some of Burns w ell-known

0 t Mary. a thy window be.

Oh. my luve is like the red. red rose!

“ ' t a - Swee f s the eve on Craigie burn.

" Flo entl s eet A ton amon e w g y. w f . g th green braes.

’ ' Thou lin rin sta ithl g g r. w ess ning ray.

is Th singing quality is of the very essence of song. as im t agination is of poetry. Burns sacrifices nothing of sinceri y " ” to attain it . The piercing w ail remains in his sorrow . and " " the purest ra ture in his jo . His songs are ever p y ‘ “ Sweet as the smile when lovers meet. ” t e A nd sof as thir parting tear.

POE TRY I N SONG. 83 Oh! ert tha i w n n the could blast. On ond y er lea . on yonder lea : M laidie to y p the angry airt. ' '

I d shelter thee. I d shelter thee ' Or did misfortune s bitter storms A round thee blo w. around thee blow. Th shield ou y sh ld be my bosom. ' ’

To share it a . to share it a .

Or were I in the wildest waste. Sae bla c a ar k nd b e. sa e black and bare. he es T d ert were a paradise. I thou ert th e i o f w er . f th u wert there. Or er I onarc w e m h of the globe. iththee to rei it W gn. w hthee to reign The brightest jewel in my crown Wad be m ueen wad be m y q . y queen.

ssentialelements of oetr are eau E p y b ty and truth. but this

th that is o tru in p etry has nothing to do w ith facts. Hist ory

Tru o f cts. W rec rds a th in poetry is truthof perception. hat ever seems true to tbe poet is true. W e may never have seen

it so, but because w e have not seen a thing a certain w ay is

o no reason f r denying that it is so . The great artist Turner

w as show ing one of his masterpieces to a lady. and she said : “ ' " “ I don t see those colors in the sunset . Turner replied : I ' ” s ? dare say not. but don t you w i h you could Turner saw

them and they w ere there. How many of us could see the difierent colors of the rainbow until w e w ere told they w ere

there?

Those w ho have been fortunate enough to cross these plai n to the mountains know that at first sight the mountains so seem to be clouds. To the poet they are clouds. and he

a t b truth in oetr 1111 says. That is w h t is mean y p Y. d ' C i s arts more. Shakespeare saw up d d

oon ! uenched in the chaste beams of the wa tery m .

POETRY I N SONG. 84 Milton looked at the Milky W ay and called it “ A broad and am le road p . whose dust rs gold

A nd pavement stars.

“ ’ Heaven s ebon vault Seems lihe a canopy whichlove has spread o in T curta her sleeping world.

Keats sh od before a Grecian um and looking at the

sion of carven figures, said :

Thou silent orm os e . f . d t t ase us out of thought

A s doth eternity.

This pow er of perception is w hat God put into some men

and w omen and made arti a oet sts nd p s out of tbem. One ' little poem of Bret Harte s brings out this idea of poetic

truth beautifully. A w oman hated the w ind in tbe chim ney because it reminded her of her dead child z tbe chil dren tbought it a sound from w itches and fairies : the poor ' man lamented the extra fuel: but to the poet it w as C od s

own harmony.

A nd now let us go to the sw eetest and dearest realm 0f — ' life and literature childhood. The charm of children s verse

' lies in its appeal to the young mind s fancy. and fancy is the

nost charming thing m literature. It rs a miniature form of

r . ’ ‘ —b ours imagination. It is not the children s ow n ecause it is

While the child has not the hi her forms of ima as w ell. g g

t t less fr throu h ination to make him free. yet he is no he ee g

t o his a iness t as therein fancy. Therein lies the secre f h pp . jus

strad lies the secret of ours. It is his nature and his right to

them dle a stick and callit a horse. to nurse old rags and call

m olists the are ! Ev means some a baby. What sy b y

POETRY I N SONG. 35 thin fanciful or fantastic g . They are little poets. They not

on re uce t r ly prod . hey ecombine. They crea te.

' child s min is — A d a w ild thing w ild because it is free.

A nd it is this ildness hic m w w h akes us love them. W e like

nature in that w ay. and hence w e go up to the mountains and

dow n to the sea . A nd w e are happiest w hen w e are w ild

st our o e in w n minds. W e are alldreamers. more than most

of us w ill admit. and then only are w e free. The greatest boon that comes to us through the faculty of imagination is

s w o e t u ht thi nd rful impression of freedom. The w ings of ho g

never tire and neither w inds nor storms. neither land nor w ater.

i o neither God nor man. retard their fl ght. They carry ne to the high mountain w here he may see all the w orld pass by

and call it his. w ithout falling dow n and w orshiping Satan

in return. This w onderful impression of freedom has not

come to all men. They are like the poor shepherd. w ho.

bli - o nded and lost in the snow st rm. perished w ithin a few

feet of his cottage door.

We W e are getting altogether too practical now adays.

a d are afraid to let the mind soar. W e laugh at the poets n t call them dreamers. Poets are not only free. but bey make

others free. The ancient British bards had for the title of ” their order. Those w ho are free throughout the w orld. How are they free? Througb symbolism. the same as a child is. To tbem the lengthand the breadth and the sw eep of a salt

e o r sea marshmeans the gr atness of G d. and the green pastu es

- and still w aters mean His loving kindness. A n old soldier w ill laugh at a poet. but he w ill throw up his hat w hen the " " band plays Marching throughGeorgia.

s lit W e are all symbolists. A s Emerson ays : In our po

e em See icalparties. compute the pow r of badges and blems. the huge w ooden ball rolled by successive ardent crow ds from

roces io s Low ell Baltimore to Bunker Hill. In the politicalp s n .

O N P ETRY I N SO G. 36

’ — There are tw o kinds of children s verse that w hich gives ’ expression to the child s own best thoughts. and that w hich ' leads the child s mind into a new realm. In fact. this is true

b the of all poetry. but the distinction is more noticea le in

iuvenile field. The true test of the w orth of alliuvenile liter

ature is w hether or not it interests the adult mind. There is " lace no place for baby in literature. There may be a p

reat co versations carrie on be for it in the nursery. G n “are d v tween mothers and babies, but they are pri ileged connu " verses nications and are none of your business or mine. Of for children I m te especiafly the w ork of R obert lp uis Ste venson and Frank Dempstee ermam whose books ought to be in

My bed is like a little boa t Nurse helps me in when I embark ’ She girds me in my sa ilor s coa t

A nd starts me in the dark.

A t night. I go on board and say C oed-night to allmy friends on share:

I shut my eyes and sail a way.

A nd see and hear no more.

A nd sometimes things to bed I take. A s prudent sailors have to do;

- Perhaps a slice of wedding cake.

Perhaps a toy or two.

A llnight across the dark we steer.

B ut when the day returm a t last. Sa e in m room beside the ier f y . “p . I find my vesselfast.

Have you ever thought how destitute of everything concem ing children is A ncient Literature? In the poetry preserved to us there is little mention of them until the present century. and most of that is the product of the last decade. There are touches here and there throughthe classics. Homer says

Why weeps Patroclus like an infant child. T a t a o h pr ys her m ther. by whose side she runs. e To take hr up. and. clinging to her gown.

Looks in her face. until she takes her up ?

' A nd there is a fragment of one of Sappho s songs which seems to have been a part of a lullaby :

Hesperus brings all things back Whichthe daylight made as lack

B rings the sheep and goa ls to rest. ” B rings the baby to the breast.

There is the one touchin the lliad w here the little ' becomes frightened at the plumes in his father s helmet

’ Thus having spoke. th illustri ous chief of Troy ' Stretchd his fond arms to clasp the lovely boy. ’ The ba be clung crying to his nurse s breast. ' Scar d a t the dazzling helm. and nodding crest. ' Withsecret pleasure ea chfond parent snuld A nd Hector ha ted to relieve his child:

The glittering terrors from his brows unbound.

A nd placed the beaming helmet on the grorrnd.

' It has been mtimated. as a reason for the scarcity of refet ences to child life by the ancients. that in the early world the generalspirit of man w as more childlike and tmder lives w ere looked at withless w istful eyes than our own.

But w e. less filled w ith the ioy of living. more tired of the market and tbe fomm dilm wd w ith the lying and de

bounded capacities for love and faith. w itb its wonderful sense of the very goodness of eaistence. There is nothing on earthwhichcomes nearer to our hearts than songs and venes a out chil m b dren. They may not carry us so far up a ong tbe clou the firml ds as deeper songs do. but they keep us y in touchw ith that w hichis best in life. They melt our hearts

no other literatu nd as re can. They make us better men a t w omen. No hing outside of heaven w ill so quickly crow d a ' bad love out of a man s heart as the love of a child. and the ' — next best thng to the reallove is the expression of it in songs

and verses.

o red Take. for instance. these tw o charming p ems by F “ I recollect a nurse called A nn.

Who carried me about the grass. A nd one the day a fair young man C ame up and kissed the pretty lass She did not make the least objection; ‘ Thinks I . A ha ! ' ’ When I can talk I ll tellmamma. ' " A nd tha t s my earliest recollection. — The widow s he had only one A puny and decrepit son;

B ut. day and night.

Thoughfretfuloft. and wea k and small.

A loving child. he was her all '

The widow s mile.

' — ’ The widow s mite a y. so sustain d.

She ba ttled onward. nor complained ' Tho friends were fewer:

A nd while she toiled for daily fare. A little crutch upon the stair

Was music to her. “ I sa w her then—and now I see ' Tha t. thoughresign d and cheerful. she ' Has sorrow d much

She has. He gave it tenderly.

Muchfaith: and. cheerfully laid by. "

A little crutch.

POETRY I N SONG. 40 Or this on The C radle. by A ustin Dobson

“ ’ How steadfastly she d worked a t it;

How lovingly had drest. ' - With all her would be mother s wit.

Tha t little rosy nest.

“ ' How lovingly she d hang on it;

I t sometimes seemed. she said. There lay berna thits coverlet

A little sleeping hea d.

l est He came at ast. the tiny gu . Ere bleak December fled Tha t rosy nest he " Her coflin was his bed.

’ What could be more delightful than Charles Kingsley s “ " The Old. Old Song ?

When all the world is young. lad. A nd all the trees are green;

A nd every goose a swan. lad. A nd every lass a queen

Then hey for boot and horse. lad. A nd round the world a way;

Young blood must have its course. lad.

A nd every dog his day.

When allthe world is old. lad. A nd allthe trees are brown:

A nd allthe sport is stale. lad. A nd all the wheels run down o e e o l Creep h m . and tak y ur p ace there. The spent and maimed among God grant you ind one face there o Y u loved when all was young.

In all my searchfor poetry about children. I have found nothing contai ning such a combination of strength and tender “ "

b al . as Mother and Child. y Dr. George Macdon d Th e is not much peace in it. but rsther tbst sw eet unrest

that hss ut into our p hearts to make us long for Him. “ My child is lying on my knees The signs of hea ven she reads: M ace is all y f the heaven she sees. Is all the heav en she needs. I mean her ell w so earnestly. Unchanged in changing mood li o My fe w uld go without a sigh. ' To brmg her something good. “ I a lso am a child. and I A m ignorant and weak I aze on t g up he starry sky. nd e A thn I cannot speak. F or all ehi b nd the starry sky.

B ehind the world so broad. ’ B ehind men s hearts and souls doth

The infinite of God. “ Lo Lord I sit in Th id . . y w e space. My child upon my knee: loo ethu She k p unto my face. " d oo A n I l k up to Thee. — first piece I ever spoke after I became feet and ' “ " ou inches tall—w as Eu ene ield s Lit e f r g F tl Boy Blue. A t that fime m permn in my audience had heard it now

rso in au cannot find a pe n any dience w ho has not heard it.

It has gro wn old but . somehow . it has not ro wn hackne ed. g —y It illustrates the idea brought out earlier in the lecture tlnt it is the form rather than the suhstance in literature that makes

llfi ht it dear to us. The incident recorded in this little poem s ' - r occur in our next door neighbor s house. and w e w ould fo “ ” get it before w e w ould forget this Little Boy Blue of Eu ' ' as gene Field s. To some it may brug a memory of the p t oi some other little blue-eyed boy w hom you loved and w hose bring the image of a dreaded future. and a fear that an angel “ ” son ma aw a en a Little Bo Blue of ours and his to s “g y k y y . y o grow red w ith rust. A nd w hat a haunting fear tbat is t the parent of a childl

The little toy dog is covered with rust. B ut sturdy and stomachhe stands:

A nd the little toy soldier is red withrust.

A nd his musket molds in his hands.

Time was when the little toy dog was new. A nd the soldier was passing fair: A nd that was the time when our Little B oy Blue

Kissed them and put them there.

‘ ’ ’ Now. don t you go tillI come. he said. ‘ ' ’ A nd don t you ma ke any noise.

So. toddling of to his trundle bed . He drea med of the pretty toys:

A nd. as he was dreaming. arr angelsong A wakened our Little B oy Blue e Oh! the yea rs w e many. the y ars w e long.

B ut the little toy friends w e true. “ A ye faithful to Little B oy Blue they sta nd. E achin the same old place

A waiting the touchof a little hand. The smile of a little face:

A nd they wonder. as waiting the long years through

In the dust of tha t little chair. What has become o our Little B o Blue f y . “ Since he kissed them and put them there)

It and if you willlook into your own hearts. you can tellw hether or not poetry has a mission for you and w hat tbat mission is.

‘ ’ ’ m ri ht harles Scnbner s Sons py g , C . sion of art o and the purp se of the artist . It matters little to you or to me w hether or not these poets had a w orthy pur

o w the p se hen y w rote these songs. but it matt ers muchw hether or not these songs have eaerted a w orthy infiuence upon you

and rne. W hat is meant by this myster“ious ethicalnature of poetry ? Sim l : p y this It should make us larger. freer. more sensitive.

o s m re a piring. more tender. quicker to seek w hatsoever things "

e ort. are pure. and w hatsoever things are just and of good r p uic en It should stimulate our interest in men and w omen. q k ou o r dee est r sympathies. start our tears. and call out u p

— ust is hard very hard to define ourselves. W e do not know j w here w e are. There seems about us some sw eet influence

este the y rday. Some ethicalpow er hathw rought it . If from absorp tion of poetic ideals shall come into our hearts a kind lier sentiment for e man or a w oman or a child or a fiow er.

t vibr now because of w ha ates in our memory. then shall w e k that poetry has a mission for us.

A man remarked to me recently that poets and students of poetry w ere dreamers and that there w as no place for them ks i touicati ors in this day and age. That same man drin n ng liqu

w h S m o himself every day that he lives. For at ? i ply t make — t dream to make his life seem less sordid. It is infinitely be

dr it ter to get intoxicated on poetry than on strong ink. and ' is less injurious to one s health and family and friends.

Why should a man not dream? Why should a man not " b t have visions ? Call them baseless fabrics if you w ill. u the truthstillremains that it is only throughsuchidealism that o n the w orld is made better and souls are saved. On suchf u dations are our churches huilded. on such foundations is our

D Y SI NE LANIER .

T IS generally admitted tbat no poet can

tho o r ughly underst ood. It may be that in tbese days the veilhas been w ithdrawn — too far in truth. it seems as though cd itors and publishers have been vying w ith one another in bringing to light the very things tha“t famous v men w ould not care to ha e the w orld know . Yet . personal ” “ o ity is the most p t ent teacher. another has said. and happy " r ou ht is the nation that know s its ow n grea t men. The e g to be nothing in the life of a man w ho tells a noble truth to

° make one questmn the sincerity of his utterances or w onder: tbat suchbeauty in the tbought should failto beautify the life. Many a heart w ould find more comfort in tbe inspired songs

- of David did it not know the story of BathSheba. Great

’ responsive chord comes from the reader s breast and he can not help w ishing that he knew less about tbeir lives. But

is rit a l s there a beauty and a pu y. onging and a orrow ing in tbe life of Sidney Lanier tbat give his w ords a charm that

enthralls.

Hrs song was only living aloud.

His work. a singing with the hand.

v One does not hesitate to w ithdraw the eilfrom his life. though

some of it seems too hallow ed for thee and me. I sbould hesitate at times had not the revelations come w ith the con sent of her w ho w as best beloved by him. She hesitated. too.

O I N P ETRY N SO G. 46 because w but not there as aught to be concealed. but because

ha f much of it d been or her only. What she has given to iv i tbe world. she has g en hop ng tbat thereby she might w in tbe love of others for him. believing tbat his w ays and words

to her w ould touchother hearts as w ell.

[d enier w as born fifty years ago. at Macon. Os . . in the land of the marshes. He w as descended from a Huguenot family w hose earlier members w ere famous at the court of the

Stuarts for their gifts of music and love of art. In the early me part of the last century they came to V irginia. and the na Sid i honored throughout the South. A t the age of fourteen ney entered Oglethorpe C ollege as a sophomore. A ft er he w as graduated and w hile he w as tutoring at the college. the

o w ar opened. and tbe first call t arms from the Confederams found him marching tow ard Virginia. He and a beloved younger brother enlisted as privalss. They w ere tent com

i command they w ere at last separated. each being placed n until of a privateer. Sidney w as captured and not released ema a few days before Lee surrendered. He rea ched home ' d th ointed and feeble. only in time to w itness his mother s ea — from consumption that dread disease w ith w hich his own f w li e as ever after a prolonged struggle. The next few years

t cler do to he spen king and teaching. and finally settled wn study and practice law w ithhis father at Macon. having mar ri ed in the meantirne. He w as now thirty years old. just ready

o d t begin life. and there came to him the conviction tbat he ha b t a - to u short time in w hich to do his life w ork. He w ent

b t change of air. u he w as not healed.

Having determined to devote w hat remained of life and more 8 73 strengthto music and literature. he w ent to Balti in 1 .

POETRY I N SONG. 4 7 to fin o t d ppor unity for broader study. supporting himself there

b la in ute y p y g the fl in the Peabody Symphony concerts. His studies resulted in his being offered a lectureship on English

the literature in Johns Hopkins University. bringing w ith it

assurance of a fixed income, the first since his marria ge tw elve

tho h for years before. Little benefit did he get from it. ug .

a a fourteen the final fever came upon him a year l ter. and fter

life months of a hopeless struggle for brea th, the light of his f w ent out in the mountains of North Carolina. Only his w i e

w as there. They w ould not have had it otherw ise.

But there w as more in the life of Sidney Lanier than a

a death—there birth. a w ar. a marriage. a professorship nd a

e rl e he show ed w as music and there w as love. A t a very a y ag a passionate fondness for music and w onderful pow ers as a

u o mus instrume w hich musician. He could play p n any ical nt

s came w ithin his reach. but his favorite w as the violin. Thi . ' i his fathe s how ever. he laid aside for the flute. y elding to r

ltimes fear of the fascination of the violin. It is said that severa

in his boyhood he passed into a state of trance w hile he w as

of playing. Yet w ith all his inclination and the natural bent

s rin his nature to music. up to maturity he could not help ha g

the common idea that it w as small business and that he must H n hold himf in chec . e could not do it thou h and eve k . g . “ - in his college days w e find in his note book the question. What

rov of si i of o He is the p ince mu c n the economy the “w rldi answ ered that question soon after w hen he said : Music means — harmony. harmony means love. love means God l A fter w ard. w hen in New York. he wrote his w ife :

I have so many fair dreams and hopes about music in these days. It is a gospel w hereof the people are in great need. A s Christ gathered up the ten commandments and re dis tilled them into the clear liquid of that w ondrous eleventh. love God utterly and thy neighbor as tlurulfi so l think the

POETRY I N SONG. 48 time w ill come w hen music. rightly developed to its now little foreseen grandeur. w illbe found to be a later revelation of all gospels in one. Only think how it is beginning to do the ' " people s w orship in the churches !

Tow ard the end. w hen he had enriched his mind w ithmuch

i and cultivated it w ith much clo learnng se reasoning. he an sw ered that question again. declaring “ That music is the characteristic art-form of the modern time. as sculpture is of the antique and painting is of the

That this is necessarily so in consequence of certain curious relations betw een unconventional musical tones and the — human spirit particularly the human spirit at its p resent stage

f r o owth. g“ That this growth indicates a time w hen the control of m e c unit asses of men w ill be x more and more relegated to a h

of thereof. w hen the law w illbe given from w ithin the bosom — — eachindividual not from w ithout and w ill rely for its sanc ’ tion upon desire instead of repugnance.

" ' That in intimate connection w ith this change in man s ' spirit there proceeds a change in man s relation to the Un

b t becomes know n. w here y ! among other things) that rela ion

f r one of love rather than o terro . “ That music appea rs to ofler conditions most favorable to nin both these changes. and that it w ill therefore be the reig g

rt ard a untilthey are accomplished. or at least greatly forw

A fter all these five declarations mean ust w hat he said . “ j fif teen years before : Music means ha rmony. harmony means

R etuming to that time. w e find that ever after he and his

ute w ere b w ar fl insepara le. E ven w hen taken prisoner in the .

he sli ed of pp it up his sleeve. and during those long months

confinement he made the burden li hter to those around him. . g

E T N N PO RY I SO G. 4 9 In the earl ears succeedin the w r y y g a . music w as his life. He

even took dow n the tones of birds and spent his leisure hours

in settin his ow n son tho g gs. then very/ few . and se of others o to n tes. There w as not muchelse for him to do at that time.

for w ith the younger generation at the South pretty much the

w hole of life w as merely not dying. as he w ro te B ayard Taylor f a terw ard.

It w as du sta ring his y in Texas. five years after his mar

riage. that he finally yielded to the conviction that special tal ents had been given him and that there w as a holy obligation resting upon him to make use of them during the short life that

rem fo the ained r him. It w as then that he first opened wide

o o w ind w s f his soul. He w as even happy. thoughbattling w ith

o the dread consumpti n. To his w ife he w rote

Were it not for some circumstances w hich make such a

that I am shortly to die and that my spirit hath been singing its - b s ha een sw an song efore dissolution. A llday my oul th b

uns ea a le cutting sw iftly into the great space of the subtle. p k b

od deep. driven by w ind after w ind of heavenly mel y. The

- bi - very inner spirit and essence of all wind songs. rd songs.

- - s - - s so -son s passion songs, folk song . country songs. sexsong , ul g . and body-songs hath blow n upon me in quick gusts like the

in sea of vast d eams brea th of passion. and sailed me to a r .

m od w hereof each w ave is at once a vision and a el y.

A fter deciding to make Baltimore his home and having entered upon his engagement w iththe Peabody Symphony So

e of ustificatio and ciety. he wrote his father a long ltter j n. among many other things. said :

" — can set m self dow n to a Why should l nay. how I tle y

- of m little life third rate. struggling law yer for the balance y . as long as there is a certainty also absolute that I can do some b r rsons fro w hose other things so much etter? Seve al pe . m

N POETRY I N SO G. 60 be n a eal have told iudgment in such matters there can o pp .

he reatest ute- la er in the me. for instance. that I am t g fl p y w orld ; and several others of equally authorit ative judgment

have given me an almost equal enouragement to w ork w ithmy

t e necessit w hich ma es pen. ! Of course. I protest agains th y k

ecause so me w rite suchthings about myself. I only do so b I appreciate the love and tenderness w hich prompts you to de sire me with you that I w ill make the fullest explanation pos sible of my course out of reciprocal honor and respect for the

motives w hich lead you to think difierently from me. ) My

overt dear father. think how . for tw enty years. through p y.

s o the throughpain. throughw eariness. through sicknes . thr ugh uncongenial atmosphere of a farcical college and of a bare

ar my and then of an enacting business life. through allthe dis couragements of being w holly unacquainted w ith literary peo

w s — ple and literary ay I say. think how . in spite of all these depressing circumstances and of a thousand more w hich I

could enumerate. these tw o figures of Music and of Poetry have

steadil e t m rt y k p in y hea so that l ould not banishthem. Does

it not see to o b m y u as to me. that l egin to have the right to

enro sel o the ll my f am ng devotees of these tw o sublime arts.

a ter havin follow e th f g d em so long and so humbly. and " throughso muchbitterness ?

The battle w as now fou ghh and A rt had w on.

an academ he married Mar D y. y ay. The marriage w as a

a stru le for necessaries even gg . and he surely drew a picture of

O P ETRY I N SONG. 61 himself in that earl o m un Dreams in anu en y p e . J e J ary. w h he tragically says

‘ oot R ead me. he cried. and rose. and stamped his f “ ’ lmpa tiently a t Heaven. read me this. ' Put n l a ti g th inquiry fu lin the f ce of God.)

hp ca n we poets dream as beauty. so.

B ut cannot dream as bread 9 Why. now . can I — e Make aye. cr a te this fervid throbbing lune

Out of the chill. chillma tter of my soul. Yet cannot ma ke a poorest penny-loaf

Out of this sa me chillma tter. no. not one o arve o ” F or Mary. th ughshe st d up n my breast . e A nd then he f llupon his couch. and sobbed. ’ e eart leane A nd. la te. just wh n his h d o er e o bre in a The very edg f ak g. f in to fall. " God sent him sleep .

There w as a communion betw een this man and w oman

a as for that w as very tender. The best th t w w ithin him w as — her no joy seemed co mplete w ithout her. The few letters that she has permitted others to read disclose a life and a love

o that have come to w omen rarely. A b ut tw o years after their marriage he w as in New York and there in the silent night he w rote to her

" ’ ‘ ’ I ve just co me from the Tempest. at the Grand Opera b House. and my heart has een so full that although they are

hts must scr tc l e t c about to shut 03 lig . I a h a in o arry my last thou h t o e te t e g t o you bef r I sleep. In one in rlude betw een h

v scenes w e had a iolin solo . A dagio . w ith soft accompani

en d ment by orchestra . A s the fair. t der notes came they opene like flow er buds expanding into flow ers under the sw eet air of

seat the accompaniment . Kind keavenl My head fellon the in front ; I w as utterly w eighed dow n w ithgreat loves and great

each ideas and divine inflow ings and devout outflow ings. A s note opened and became a bud again and died into a fresh

v birthin the next bud note. I also li ed and grew and expanded

POE TR Y I N SONG 52

A nd diamonds and the rvhole a n d round O littles tha t lar e li e om o f g f c p und. ' A nd love o Go f r d and God s bare truth. nd lov o a A es f r M gda len and R uth.

" Dear e d yes. ear eyes and rare complete B ein heavenl -s e n - g y w et a d earthly sweet. l el ha o marv t t G d made you mine. ' F or en He ro ns is en wh f w . t th ye shine.

ch w as the w oman that idn Su S ey Lanier loved. She at W least w as suchto him. ith the halo of his w ork above her.

o rofo d she merits ur p un est admiration and love. In a letter

e to me she s ems just the one he described. She says :

Whoever cares for my husband is sure find my interest b aw ake. and I could not easily tire of making him etter know n

o a w w hile t ny ho seek that know ledge in love or in need of him.

rema ed most there in to me any strengthfor the endeavor. But of m life—even — y my physical life left me w hen he left me. and have lon e l te I g b en a confirmed invalid. unable to comp e any good w or

Cons tu ti ted as he w as. how diflerent w ould have been his life and w ork w ithout her ! Of her help to him he told w hen

“ B t or ei s y he m e h ght of thy weet sta ture grown. T ic -e e i a o w e y d w ththy gr y visi n set in mine. e nd I k n far la s to rvifeless men unknown. com ass s s e-sexed 1 p tar for on eyes too fine.

From w hat has been said one might conclude that Sidney

w as Lanier w as only the musician. the lover. the dreamer. He W e more. He w as a scholar and a student. hile he hedg d t th him his music and poetry w ith a sort of divini y. yet w i in there w as a dee realization of the necessit of the rofound p , y p

o r m fore est scholarship. and he did not hesitate t exp ess hi self

O P ETRY I N SONG. M ibly in regard to the lack of it in some of his contemporaries.

r There w as nothing w eak about this man except his poo .

w martial frail. consumptive body ; yet w ithin that there as a H spirit and a Christian manliness that commanded respect . e

it . came very near his ow n ideal. although he did not know

e th all With Whitman. a great stalw art man. in perfect ha l . With braw n and rude muscle. w as the ideal of strength.

- much Lanier. a self sacrificing invalid man or w oman meant

and more. WithWhitman. a republic w as made out of muscle

rairies c W w as p and ro ky mountains. ith Lanier. a republic

o - each made f the spirit. depending upon the self control of

arded member. WithWhitman. the true democrat w as the be ’ " d r t w as one rough. combative and strong. but Lanier s emoc a who w as strong enough to handle hell and play ball w ith the ’ t o s one earth. albeit his stature may be no more han a b y ; w hose height shall be the height of great resolution and love

io and faith and beauty and know ledge and subtle medita t n. w hose hea d shallbe forever among the stars.

I have given you this much of biography because w ithout

— — There it his poetry much of it w ould be unappreciated. is much more that is sad and sw eet and beautiful and pure

true w hi and ch ought to be know n. but it is far beyond the

b e e c limits of this study . You have e n told enough to xpe t much. and I am confident that every student has found in his poetry just w hat the story of his life w ould cause him to look

verse for. He w as a most devout w orshiper of beauty and his

man is no more than the expression of that w orship. A s every

e c this creates his ow n God in great dcgree. so Lani r reated not beauty and sought to have us see it as he saw it. We can

b o r the do that. ut the l nge w e look the more w e can see. and more familiar w e become w ith his personality the better eh

w e to s i abled are tand n his stead. W hatever l may say in regard to his poetry w ill be told ' — withPoe s definition in mind that poetry is the rhythmicalcre

POETRY I N SONG. 56 ation of beauty . It is beauty that transports and elevates the

r W de i at o of soul. Mr. R icha d atson Gilder said at the d c i n the Fine A rts Building in New York

In dedicating your Temple to the sacred and saving — name of beauty that name w hich no cant or familiarity can — w ill degrade. w hich age cannot w ither or custom stale you

m beaut dedicate it to joy. for that is one of the ele ents of y : t to perpetual youth. for beauty is alw ays young ; to chari y.

r ever for true charity resides ever in beauty ; to t uth. for. as y

b beaut poet has sung. eauty is truth. You w illdedicate it to y of li e to bea t so fel f . uty of hought. to bea uty of ul. Yes. my low artists. there is no such thing as superficial beauty ; the spirit of beauty is strenuous ; it does not dealw ith prettinesses and pettinesses ; it is severe ; it is sometimes touched w ithharsh ness. and alw ays at its highest w ithsolemnity.

L be i a He beli ved that there anier leved ll this and more. e " could be no true art w hich is not in harmony w ith the holi " “ ness of beauty and suggestive of the beauty of holiness.

ai in call a s A g n. ing ttention to his w ork. I hall not heed the Pseudo criticism w hichputs genius at w ar w ithart and sub stance w ith o e s — f rm. G nius is the great arti t the form of

oetr is of p y the substance. Mr. A ldrich expressed the idea most beautifully w hen he said :

The workmanship wherewith the gold is wrought A dds yet a richness to the richest gold Who la s the t to sha is o ck ar pe h th ught. I hold. Were little oorer i he lac ed the thou h p f k g t.

’ The sta tue s slumber were udJ roken still ble e a Within the mar . had th h nd no skill. Disparage not the magic touch tha t gives The formless thought the gra ce whereby it lives !

Lanier devoted his last years to studying and dissemrnat

POETRY I N SONG. o ing a know ledge of this art. In one of his last lectures at J hns Hopkins Universit he said “ y e Once. for all. remembering the dignity of form as w

have traced it. remembering the relations of Science as the

o m know ledge of forms. of A rt as the creator of beautiful f r s. of R eligion as the aspiration tow ards unknow n forms and the

- attitude unknow n Form Giver. let us abandon this unw orthy

art tow ards fonn. tow ards science. tow ards technic. in literary . " a s v w hichh s so long apped our literary endea or. m Verse is a set of specially related sounds. It i presses itself upon the ear as verse only by means of certain relations

existi o i w o co de u s w i out ng am ng ts rds nsi red p rely as sound . th

re erence to th i doub t some f eir associated deas. If you t this. le person read you a selection from an unknow n tongue and see how quickly you w ill detect the diflerence betw een prose and

v erse. Or take a fonnalpoem in our langua ge and substitute

o w o v and ther rds w hich preser e the alliteration. accentuation

v d ound rhyme. but con ey no i eas to the mind. and it w ill be f

th t e ve s n there ore a th rse tructure has ot been impaired. If . f . ! the ear accepts as perfect verse a series of w ords from w hich

s b s idea are w holly a sent . it is clear that verse is a set of pe

cially related sounds. A boo k devoted w holly to the science

of these so w w unds as ritten by Lanier. For tha t reason the application of them by him to his own w ork ought to be an

i teres n ting study .

Firs et us out t. l look at his use of alliteration, and at the set it w illbe necessary to discover w hat alliteration is and how

it should be u sed according to his testimony and that of others.

sounds of tw o or more con e s cutive. or near. accented syllaq

are the same . In the rhyme these initial sounds are necessarily

diflerent and to this exte . nt alliteration is the counterpart of rh e m . A ccordin to this d r y g efinition. the first letters of w o ds

do not a w a ma e he a li o l ys k t l teration. but the first accented s unds.

T POE RY I N SONG. 57 w hichver often come the d y in mi dle of w ords. Take the w ell

know n line of Tennyson.

The moan of doves in immemorial elms.

Here w e have the double alliteration on the m-sounds and o

sounds in the same w ord. w hich show s that the initial letters

ll not apparent to all. and very often only the trained critic wi

discover that it is the secret of the bea uty w hich is so evrdent.

of Tennyson and Sw inburne. You w ould charm them. but very few could tell you the method of it. They might scan

s ould the lines. and if they hould. give them other lines w hichw

scan the same but for some reason do not charm and aflect

the emotions. How many do you suppose w ould discover

that subtle tone-color and alliteration w hich constitutes the

so used as to make any claim on its own accounh it is vd gar. Lanier himself says that w hen it attracts any attention as allit

eration. it is loud.

Like rhyme. it has no other reason for its existence than

the eans of s c rin music of m e u g in the poem. and the quality w rds ce t in music it eflects is purely emotional. In other o . r a ten kinds of emotion t end to alliterative language. There is a

s t w e o deme s in ones. and naturally and unconsciously drop int

the rmo o ha ny of s unds in the expression of certain feelings.

That is lteratio is of dov true al n. It in the coo the i ing the e.

soot of e d hing the parent. the pl a ing of the child. the w ooing

of the ov r re eti o o l e . The p tion f w rds. sometimes phrases. has

no er the same eflect w hen done unconsciously. Space w ill t p ’ mit me to give many illustrations of h nier s genius in this line.

e little but I cannot refrain from r ferring to one or tw o. In the “ " poem The Dove it is apparent in almost every line :

POETR Y I N SONG. 68 I ha l e f p y thou. O Desd mona Morn. ‘ Shouldst ca ll a long the curving sphere. R ema in. ' D i swee e v ear N ght. t Moor; nay. l a e me not in scornl Withsoft ha lloos of heavenly love and pa in;

- Shouldst thou. 0 Spring! a cower in coverts dark. ’ Ga ins rou s la i m t p d upp nt ng Su mer sing thy plea . A nd move the mighty woods throughmailed bark Tillmortalhea rt- break throbbed in every tree;

’ Or ! grievous if tha t may be yea o er soon) I r o d f thou. my hea t. l ng hol en from thy sweet. ' o ds Dea hs doo Sh ul t knock t r withmellow shocks of tune. — Sad inquiry to ma ke When shall we meet ?

Nay. if ye three. 0 Mom! 0 Spring! 0 Heart! Shouldst cha nt grave unisons of grief and love; Ye could not mourn withmore melodious art

on im s ues ered o e Than daily dothy d eq t d v .

all Of those sixteen lines. tw elve conta in alliteration. yet it is so natural. so unconscious. the sound seems so completely

us. echo of the sense. that we do not realize w hat has channed

subli A gain. in that greatest and last of his w orks. that “ " o occurs. hymn f the marshes. Sunrise. an inspired illustration

rfectl A ccording to the poem. he has arisen w hile it is yet pe y d ark. having dreamed all night long

" - a Of the live oak. the marsh. and the m in. and gone out to hide in the gospelling glooms of his live

emb acin oaks in a marsh on the coast of Georgia . There, r g “ " - ow ed. one of his burly barked. mambodied trees. the tears fl

f eared Looking up . he could see the gloss o the leaves w hichapp th he like designs on the blackness of night. and taught him at

us at times w hen our thoughts run aw ay in the still hour th en pleading. he said :

I N ON POETRY S G. 59 e s Ye lispers. whisperers. sing r in storms.

Ye consciences murmuring faiths under forms.

Ye ministers meet for ea chpassion tha t grieves. e ee e v F riendly. sist rly. sw thart lea es. Oh! rain me down from your darks tha t contain me d inno ro inds tha ain Wis oms ye w w f m w t p me. Sift down tremors of sweet-within—sweet — Tha t advise me of more than they brink repea t Me the woods-smelltha t swiftly but now brought brea th — o F rom the heaven side bank of the river f dea th. — Tea chme the terms of silence. preachme o a tience — si t e The passi n of p . f m . impeachme.

A nd there. ohthere. ith our m riad alms u turned in e A s ye ha ng w y y p p th air. " Pray me a myriad prayer!

Hathgreater poetry ever been w ritten? There is certainly no more ideal piece of alliteration in our language.

In this connection let me mention w hat Lanier calls tone . " coun color. w hichis sometimes alliteration but more often the

- e r w ell terpart of it . This tone color of course xists in p ose as l w as in verse. but its eflect is muchgreater in the atter. here so

c mu h depends on the pleasure of the ear. It has been said

ve ne- the that if rhythm is the anatomy of rse. then to color is

flesh- w w i W tint hich clothes it ith life and an mation. e all

e know . as has been said in part before. that certain tones ar naturally significant of certain emotions and expressive of cer

r indefin ble tain ideas . Thoughthese a e a . yet they are unmis

o a us takable. Perhaps the greatest line in ur l nguage ill trating ’ this is Tennyson s “ A nd murmuring of innumerable bees.

Lanier used this tone-color in the line of imitation and sug “ " hooc ee gestiveness most eflectively in the Song of the C hatta h . ' " " B o a and it stands side by side w ithTennyson s ro k . It is

POETRY I N SONG 00

did and thereby some sort of a scientific basis of criticism be

established he deliv red t o H , e a J hns opkins University and afterw ard published a course of lectures on the Science of Eng

erse e lish V . The gen ral impression seems to be tha t it is a

collec ion of rules for w ri b the t ting poetry. ut it is no thing of

d e w o o kin . On uld n t expect a w ork on the science of entom

olo to be a collection of rul fo m b gy es r aking ugs. or one on

se c ifi o o ob rves and lass es all the phen mena f rhythm. of tune. and of tone-color so far as they can be indicated through the

redu to medium of spoken E nglish w ords. He ce s all rhythm

uch musical notation and trea ts it accordingly. There is m

close analysis in the book and one can easily lose his w ay

m ch me od in it to a man of therein. There is certainly u th

o of ordinary musical cultivation and inclination. and to ne

but he had Lanier not only knew the science of rhythm.

en unrh thrnical the art of using it. He could not have w ritt an y to line any more than the natural singer could utter a false ne. He made it mean w hat he felt and almost w ha t he w anted to

ch of ver — mos say. Mu his se is in the usualiambic in fact . t

of it for tha t . t is really the basis of all rhythm. but his greates

eflects have b een obtained in the anapestic. This is used “ " “ muchin Sunrise and The Marshes of Glynn. w here there are suchunparalleled lines as these :

- A nd the sun is a wa it a t the ponderous ga te of the West. A nd the slant yellow bea m down the wood-a isle dothseem Li e a lane into eav n tha k H e t lea ds from a drea m.

n the Centennial C antata I . w hich received naught but

cul at the time but is of e reci ridi e . lat years gaining much app

he show ed his w onder m ation. ful astery of rhythm. In the

o enin chorus sober et ma estic o p g . y j . w ritten f r full. long cho rds. w e find the stately trochees

POETRY I N SONG. 62 “ F rom this hundred- e a e t rr c d height. Sight more large withnobler light R an es down on toweri g y ng years.

A nd w hen the w his erin cho es p g rus com in. there are the quick

‘ ' Hu ts is e gueno wh p ring yea in the the dark. “ ' ” Purita ns answering yea in the dark!

o o b co Then tow ard the cl se. in the ch rus of ju ilation. me the

' - Now praise to C od s oft granted grace. ' " Now praise to man s unda unted face.

I have dw elt so long upon the time and the tones of his verse to show how indelibly stamped upon his w ork is the

e of er c o never music of his life. He lived in the r alm p fe t t ne.

alw ia admitting that music is a species of language. but ays

v lan u s s eci o m In sisting and pro ing that g age i a p es f usic . “ " The Symphony he carried this idea so far as to include the entire poem. It represents one movement of a symphony rather than an entire r im o w o k. The theme is that m rtalline.

— ' The time needs heart tis tired of head.

and the modu atio ts of it . l ns. as in music . are the greatest par

A fter the strin sa s ged instruments have finished the theme. he y “ A nd th en. as when from words tha t seem but rude We pass to silent pa in tha t sits abroad ’ a o B ck in ur hea rt s grea t dark and solitude. So sa nk the strings to gentle throbbing Of long chords cha nge-marked with sobbing

Motherly sobbing. not distinctlier heard - n o enin s o Than half wi g p g f the sleeping bird. a e to h o Some drea m of d ng r er y ung ha thstirred.

POETRY I N SONG . 63 T e s hn tirring and demurring ceased. and. lo ! ' E very least ripple of the strings song-flow Died to a levelwith ea chlevelbow

- A nd ma de a grea t chord tra nquilsurfaced so. A s a brook benea thhis curving bank dothgo To linger in the sacred dark and green Where ma ny boughs the stillpool overlean A nd many leaves ma ke sha dow with their sheen B ut presently A velvet-flute note felldown pleasantly U on the som o t a ha o p bo f h t rm ny. s d A nd aile and sailed incessantly. A s if a petalfrom a wild-rose blown Ha d fluttered down upon tha t pool of tone ’ A nd boa t-wise dropped 0 the convex side A nd floa ted down the glassy tide A nd clarified a nd glorified

The solemn spaces where the shadows bide. F rom the warm concave of tha t fluted note l son a l dor o i Somewha t ha f g. h f o . f rth d d floa t. o A s if a rose someh w might be a throa t.

Then follow s the theme and the long list of living grow ths for w hich the flute speaks might almost serve as the catalogue of

b - e a otanist. The flute tone w as n arest to the hea rt of Nature

o and w ith him. and through it all Nature cries out f r love against trade.

“’ - I m allfor heart. the flute voice said.

A nd into sudden silence fled. ’ Like as a blush tha t while tis red t Dies to a still. stillwhite ins ead.

s cee s Thereto a thrilling ca lm uc d . Till presently the silence breeds A little breeze among the reeds

Tha t seems to blow by sea e marshweeds;

POE TR Y I N SONG 64 Then from the gentle stir and fret Sin gs out the melting clarionet. Like as a lady sings while yet Her e i sa s e yes w th lty tear are w t.

t is a laintive minor strain that the clarionet la s I p p y . pleading

Woe him tha t cunning trades in hearts contrives !

B ase love good women to base loving drives.

If men loved larger. larger were our lives: e l e A nd wooed thy nob er. won thy nobler wives.

r The other instruments in tu n take up the melody. and it

ea ends w ith a quatrain. the last line of w hichis the gr test

“ A nd yet shallLove himself be heard.

Thoughlong deferred. thoughlong deferred ' O er the modern waste a dove ha thwhirred : "

Music is Love in search of a word.

’ Man So much for the art in Sidney Lanier s poetry . y a re asking if it did not hamper and delay his pow er of ade

n ci reat quate expression. I believe his art w as unco s ous in g as are your good grammar and

w ell-chosen w ords. I have not found anything in his w ork

that w ould indicate that he w as hampered. Of course. one cannot alw ays tell w hat a man w ants to say by w hat he has ' sai b t d. u certainly Lanier s thoughts are not less beautifulthan

io s o eo at the express n of them. It all seems very p ntan us and " the same time fufills the idea that perfect beauty demands

- perfect art form. He had no patience w ith one w ho boasts

l tha he that he is independent of al forms. but insisted rather t t

ter f o Yet never did he ad great artist must be mas o allf rms.

mit that the mastery of forms makes a great artist .

Lanier also attributed to his great artist certain attributes ' of character w hich the thoughtless have never stopped to m

POETR Y IN SONG. 65 vestigate. A s he says. the true artist w illnever remain a bad man he w il w : l alw ays onder at a w icked artist . The sim

licit of this w onder renders it w hol im p y ly megnable. The argument of it is merely this : the artist loves beauty supremely : beca use the good is beautiful he w ill clamber continuously tow ards it. through all possible sloughs. over all possible ob ” s es t acl . in spite of all possible falls. A nd of such a one he

' The artist s market is the heart of men ' The artist s price some little good of man.

H w ithi Sidney Lanier w as not the artist only . e had n

e him the soul and the substance of poetry. ln considering th latter w e must remember that he w rote very little compau

v t to much as one tively. A ll of his erse does not amoun so ' ' ’ of Tennyson s or Brow ning s or Longfellow s longer poems.

- and His literary life did not extend over a half dozen years.

hat during most of that time he w as holding himself in ch“eck t he might first educate the people to his w ays by his Science " of a s ru e EnglishVerse. A nd then. that aw ful. that tr gic t ggl

for breath and bread. The w onder is that he did so mudl. and not so little ; yet the story had not half been told.

Of w hat did he sing? He sang of God. “ A s th rsh-h e l so e ma en secr t y builds on the wa tery d. B ehold I willbuild me a nest in the grea tness of God; I willfly in the grea tness of God as the ma rsh-hen flies ’ In the freedom tha t fills a llthe spa ce twixt the marshand

the skies. By so many roots as the marsh-grass sends in the sod I willheartily lay me a-hold on the grea tness of God: Oh! like to the grea tness of God is the grea tness within the marshes the lib eralmarshes o Gl The ra nge of . f ynn.

ude He praised God because God is great . not out of gratit .

to rest Hath and in that greatness he burlt him a place in.

POETRY I N SONG 06 truer w orship ever been told? A nd he sang of Christ— the “ " “ " C r stal y Christ. w ithout least defect or shadow of defect . “ " a erfect life in fect labo p per r w rit . Yet he clung to Him “ " w ho w as alw a s M y y Master. The story of Gethsemane and C alvary hathnever been mor“e simply and touchingly told than in the tw o brief stanzas of A Ballad of Trees and the

r Mast e . While he w as not one w ho is commonly termed a reli ious oet g p . yet his adoration for. dependence upon and hope in God the Father and God the Son are everyw here traceable.

Of w hat did he s ? ing He sang of love.

“ ' ' ' When li e s alllove l e f . tis if ; aught else. tis naught.

' Petrarchs La ura never had sw eeter sonnets sung to her than

did this Mar . The w ere intense assionate thrillin but y y . p “ . g. far removed from the expression of that base love w hich

for his w ife seemed to be his w hole life w hen w e note only

ea to ive the exp ression of it. yet he and she w ere gr t enough g

w i h v t his lo e for God.

“ ’ Did e er a lark withskyward pointing beak Stab by mischance a level-flying dove ? - ee Wife love flies level. his dear ma te to s k;

- C od love darts straight into the skies above. ' e C rossing. the windag of each other s wings

B ut speeds them both upon their ioumeyings.

Nor did he permit this love to interfere w ith his love for A rt

— - it she w ould no ermit it . his life w ork . She did not ask ; t p

men This love A ll w omen are not that w ay. no r are all . betw een husband and w ife very often becomes mere selfishness. and this selfishness becomes mere laziness. Mary Day Lanier

s so s and helped her husband. and in return came sw eete t ng . " none is sw eeter than the Evening Song

POETRY I N SONG. 67 “ Loo o de l ve a k f . ar o . cross the sallow sands. A nd mark yon meeting of the sun a nd sea w lo e Ho ng thy kiss in sight of all the lands.

A h! longer. longer. me.

“ ’ Now in the sea s red vintage melts the sun. ' e A s E gypt s pearldissolved in rosy win . ’ A nd C leopa tra Night drinks all. Tis done

Love. lay thy hand in mine.

' C ome forth. sweet stars. and comfort heaven s hea rt. o n Glimmer. ye waves. r und else unlighted sa ds. 0 Night! divorce our sun and sky apart " Never our lips. our hands.

Love w as his sole remedy for all the evils of this w orld.

e is o if i He knew no other. He appli d it to h wn l e and t

not bro ught contentment . When he w as w orried and could

to understand w hy God permitted sin and sorro w . he turned her and allw as solved. The solution did not lie in forgetful “ ' ness. but in her love he found a Perfection that stapped th ' Imperfect s argument. If love could bring happiness to one afl icted as he w as. then w e cannot w onder that he made it

f us th the burden o his song. It w as th at he hoped to do his

e r d part in redeeming th w o l .

dan e of this si He also knew the g rs pas on. In a w ord. he knew man. He seldom drew a picture of anything that w as

t oo d beautiful and w h no g d an true and . en he did. there w as

w ver o nothing temming about it . but it as y f rceful. R ead the “ " for little poem The Betrayal. and get it if you can.

The sun has kissed the violet sea . d he v let to a A nd burne t io rose. 0 Sea ! wouldst than not better be Mere violet stillP Who knows ? Who knows ?

POETR Y I N GONG. 08 around the beloved live-oak d H an w e t. e n p k ew not w hy. H e only asked.

Wha t logic of greeting lies B et ixt dear over-beauti ultrees e a o w f . and th r in f the eyes ?

He prayed

withmosses e . f rns and flowers shy Tha t hide like gentle nuns from human eye " To li t adorin er u e f g p f m to the sky.

H oo b e found beautiful gl ms. raided dusks and w oven shades

at held him as in their hea th f t rts as he held them in his. A nd

ma — the rshand the sa s. how tenderly and completely he loved “ ” It as ever ma em. w the rsh th . my marsh. and the sea . my sea .

o be Nature w as a f reground w ith him. There w as nothing w ith tw een him and her. She quickened his finest impulses little suggestions rather than w ith her aw e-inspiring manifesta tio e t ns. They s emed to be exchanging confidences. Yet a times he step ped out from underneath the live-oaks and stood

- on the sand beach.

" e o By a world of marshtha t bord rs a w rld of sea .

rt Then he w as thrilled by the majesty of the sight . His hea sw elled and he sang his greatest strains.

Oh! wha t is abroad in the marsha nd the terminalsea ? Somehow my soulseems suddenly free

F rom the weighing of fa te and the sad discussion of sin. By the leng h and the breadthand the sweep of the marshes " of élynn.

Untilw e have come as close to the heart of Nature as he

did w e w ould better not deny the existence of anything of

w hichhe tells us.

- To show at one time his rhythm. tone color. imagination

crea tio of beaut read the reat in a w ord. his rhythmical n y. g

POETRY I N SONG. 70 rise. s est lines from the greatest poem. Sun This extract come

a It is in soon after the one grven to show his alliter tion. ' r r w it w indin da k . the tide s at full. the ma sh is flooded h g

s d there streams w hich reflect the morning stars. and he tan s w rthmoist eyes beside a live-oak w aiting for the daw n:

Oh. wha t if a sound should be made!

Oh. wha t if a bound should be laid To this bow and string tension of bea uty and silence a-spring o th en ilence the T e b d of bea uty the bow . or the hold of s string! e o e o a I fear m . I fear me y n dom f di phanous glea m ' Willbrea k as a bubble o er- blown in a drea m - e Yon dome of too t nuous tissues of spa ce and of night. - i o e - i Over weighted w thstars. v r fre ghted with light.

- Over sa ted withbeauty and silence. will seem o B ut a bubble tha t br ke in a dream. r If a bound of degree to this g ace be la id. d o otion made Or a soun r a m .

B ut no it is d l e — w ere? : ma e: ist ! som where mystery. h In the leaves ? In the air? n — I my hearlP is a motion made . '

is o d . T a moti n of a wn. like a flicker of shade on shade ' In the leaves tis palpa ble; low multitudinous stirring U i pwinds throughthe woods ; the little ones. softly conferr ng. ' Hove settled r s to o e or o h still my lo d be lo k d f ; s . t ey are . B t e i - l ut h a r a nd my hea rt and the earthare a thril. A nd look where the wild duck sa ils round the bend of the

A nd look where a passiona te shiver E xpectant is bending the blades O t e rs - r f h ma hg ass in seria lshimmers and shades. nd invisible win s e e A g . fast fl eting. fast fle ting. A re bea ting The dar overhead as m hea rt bea — nd t k y ts. a s eady and free Is the ebb tide flowing from marshto sea

! R un home. little strea m. With our la uls o stars and drea y pf f ms) .

N POETRY I N SO G. 71 A nd a sailor unseen is hoisti a- ng pea k. F or list down the ins o e . h r curve of the creek How merril y flutters the sa il.

A nd lo. in the Ea st! Will the East unveil? The East is unveiled the E ast ha thconfessed ' ' ’ A ush tis dea d tis e fl : ; a liv ; tis dea d. ere the West ' ' Was a ware o it na tis idi f : y. ab ng. tis unwithdra wn ' Have a ca re. sweet Heaven! Tis Da wn!

es of A mh r e President Gat . e st C oll ge. w ho . aside from Dr.

W ard of The Independent. has done most to w in for Lanier a

tera re s con ratula highplace in li tu . ays that it is a matter fo r g tion that the reports of librarians at allour literary centers show that rapidly increasing numbers of our young people are con

ears sulting his w orks for inspiration and guidance. Many y

D W ar m hesie a e oul find a lar er and et ago r. d p p d th t h w d g y lar e - literar g r audience. and that his short half dozen years of y life tho . ugh much hindered. w ould fill a great space in our

of tr b ful history poe y and art . That prophecy is fast eing

filled and it is . w ell that it is so . Mrs. Law rence Tumbull. w ho liv besi im s c m in ed de h . says that to be w ith u h a an. ’ w ose r o w a h p esence one w as unconsciously at ne s best. ith t craving to advance in all that w as good and noble, w as of i " f o v sel an inspirati n. One can w ell belie e that after study

vid an ersonalit ing his life. There is so much indi uality d p y

sam w in his poetry that the reader is afiected the e ay.

W hen a man lives unconsciously at his best he is as nea r

Heav Go f of Sidne en as d permits in this w orld. I the poetry y

e c in Lani r an bring men to that state. then it is an instrument ’

od s . G hands. Perhaps he has not come to you in that w ay Perhaps you have not been in a mood of recep tion w hen you

ve o a chance ha turned to him. His is not poetry t be taken up t times and places -one needs to be alone or w iththose betw een w o c t as h m and him there is sw eet communion. A t su h a ime

O Y N ON P ETR I S G. 7 2 “ ' ' e A t midnight. dea ths and truths unlocking tim . When far within the spirit s hea ring rolls The grea t soft rumble of the course of things e o A bulk of silnce in a mask of s und. When darkness clears our vision tha t by day — ' Is sun blind. and the soul s a ravening owl

F or truth.

Then turn to him and he w illhear you aw ay far up tow ard the top of the mountain.

“ ’ nd d t o A as you rea . in though y u ll rise i A loft w thin his bea uteous skies.

There ever soaring.

In love exploring. Withmind and heart and soulado ring. " You forget the world.

loo R eturning. you are not quite sure w here you are ; you k a hand bout the room. press the arm of the chair beneathyour . a nd. going of to your couch. you dream “ Of the length and the breadthand the sweep of the marshes " of Glynn. — That is the true test of poetry the elevation of the soul.

When you are affected thus. cast the critics to the w inds and be ot dissua n ded.

If w hat has been given here shallresult in w inning a friend b a for Sidney Lanier. then am l content. This has not een n — impartialstudy sucha one must come from so me other source.

A man does not see the faults of the w oman he loves best. and in this w or I h v b k a e been linded in like manner. I have sought o to t o nly ell y u w lry l like him. and to do that showing some of the beauties of his life and w ork and the secre“t of them. A s he himsel tender f ly and frankly w rote to her. the

oetr is o o t p y g od p e ry. and the music is good music ; and beauty " diethnot and the heart t . hat nu ds it w ill find it.

M heart y needs it and lhave found it.

O T P E RY I N SONG. 73 — for most people q uite so much as the study o f music w ould be—not because

a these arts re allied. but because many

men and w omen are so constituted that

the indefinite and intangible forms of

e re o me c lif and exp ssi n an no thing to them. because they an im not be measured and est ated. To such minds, science.

w ith its exactitude. brings the satisfaction of desire and the

elevation o f soul that others gather from a study of the fine

t ive of h ever arts. How ever. he un rsals uman life touch y

rt or ra s o of t i such or that soul. and w hen a p t y ne hem n f m it becomes the expression of a craving hea rt or a hungry

soul. then recognition comes to the prosiest mind. and the

inshi of l h v k p al umanity has been pro ed again.

In a period measured by minutes one cannot undertake to put into form a symmetrical esti mate of the life and w ork

of so rea a g t man as Shelley . To pursue such a purpose

w ould belittle eve ry source of strength. and no t a listener

oul ta a u b w d ke w ay a ght that she rought not w ith her. The

tem tatio p n to tell once again the story of his life. corrected

b —and y the light of later historica l revelation. is very great — — very needful for doubtless many there are to day w ho have in their hearts those prejudices of youth w hich have kept from his memory that respect w hich is as necessary to the

perfect love and appreciation of a poem as it is of a friend.

' In all of Shelley s vast w ork there is not so much as an — odor o f an impure thought not so much as a mere question

POETRY I N SONG 74 r ed able expression. His domestic relations constitute a t ag y

v t m e s that w as e ery hing but vile. and there is uch genuine pla ’ ure and relief in the know ledge that the poet s part in it

o w as not unw orthy. but lamentable bey nd comprehension and ' expression; so w e leave it w ith W illiam W atson s incompar able quatrain

“ ’ A star lookd down from heaven and loved a flower ' — C rown in earths garden loved it for an hour. Let eyes that trace his orbit in the spheres ' " R efuse not. to a ruin d rosebud. tea rs.

' Of the substance of Shelley s poetry there is no quality more evident o f genius than his ability to gather up and ex press those percep tions w hich to most minds. if they exist at b all. are so indefinite and intangi le as to be absolutely w orth

v for estima of less. The one thing ne er to be getten in the te a poet is the fact that he is a seer ; that his Heaven and E arth are very difierent from ours ; that he lives more in a day than do many o f us in a lifetime ; that these revelations are the distin

s ma gui hing rks of his genius. For most of us deep sympathy and persistent study have brought certain outlines of percep tion w hichmake the mind a longing receptacle for the w ealth of a ti be u ful detail w ith w hich the poet completes the picture.

A r t d fte he has done i . w e o not see how it could have been otherw ise et w e had not se i t ; y en t hat w ay. or any other w ay. e ore his b f coming.

and continue to attract students of literature w ith increasrng pow er.

ma ination such as h v ift. I g . S elley possessed. is a di ine g

It comes to us as a w onderfu l impression of freedom. The win s of thou ht n v tire g g e er and neither w inds nor storms. nei ther o ter land n r w a . neither God nor man retard their flight.

POETRY I N BONG. 75 They ca rry one to the high mountain where be may see all the w orld ss b pa y and call it his. without falling dow n and

w orshi in Satan in ret r p g u n. This w onderful impression of

o — freedom has n t come to all men but it came to Shelley.

ost men are li e M k the poor shepherd w ho. blinded and lost

i - n the snow storm. perished w ithin a few feet of his cottage

oor s reedo is d . Thi f m free to all. Its only limitation is the ' ends of the w orld that one s mind is capable of comprehend

in N ve o g. othing w ill gi ne so much happiness and joy and

s o peace a a sense f freedom. Sometimes w e doubt w hen w e

are told that all this lies w it o r W hin u ow n souls. e know that the pain that comes to one w ho is ill for no other reason than that he thinks he is ill is not the less severe on that ac w ho count. So w hy doubt that the joy that comes to one is happy for no other reason than that he thinks he is happy

W e w e a re afraid to let the mind soar.

au oets a not l gh at the poets and call them dreamers. P re

onl free but the ma e others free The ancien British y . y k . “ t

bards had for the title of their order. Those w ho are free

throu o t t w H ? ou gh u he orld. ow are they free Thr gh sym

hol th the ism. the same as a child rs. To them the leng and breadth and the sw eep of a salt-sea marsh means the great ness of God and the green pastures and still w aters mea n His

the The actual life o f every painter and every poet. in

ce materials w hich it furnishes. must largely determine the dir tion and cha racteristics of his imaginative pow er. From the

M o w ritings of Dante. of ilton. of Scott. and f Bunyan. as

o o w ell as from the pictures f R aphael and Murillo. f Gains

lace borough and W ilkie. one can easily conclude as to the p

w th rom of their birth. the kind of education hich ey received f

t e the books, and men. and scenery w ith w hich hey w re con — versant and so is it w ith Shelley. It would be impossible for those of us w ho have lived

holds u on us p . his continual revelation that most of the ta rder

ness and sw eetness a d beau n ty of life can be said. as w ell as thought and understoodit It seems especially fitting and fortu

nate to be able to o cl the some of it w ith song. for thus the vi — — brations the same vibrations w ill keep time to the beating

o f our hearts. “ Music hen so t voices die vibra tes in e . w f . the m mory.

’ Fra ments of Shelle s verse are w orth man a readin g y y “ g. and as you absorb their joy they w illmake for each the soft est grave of a thousand fears or of as many as may be

ma o b thine. Set to music. his poems show the rvel usly eau tiful strength or the st rength of beauty that is the product

t o o tr of a respectable union of the ar s f p e y and music. The use of doggerel by most w riters of current songs rs inexplicable w hen one considers the w ealthof genuine and ap

m os son prop riate verse that is for the hand of any co p er. A g human should elevate by thought as w ellas by feeling. and the

lli thou t an at voice should give to music. by contro ng the gh.

o tainment impossible to any instrument . f r

' ' u es d ms to s God s gifts p t man s b t rea hame.

Ten God never revealed himself to Shelley. as he did to

v Shelle no thin nyson; but w hen Nature re ealed herself to y. g

oo ed dow n but he loo ed u . escaped him. He not only l k . k p He not only saw the young w inds feeding the flow ers w ithsil — ver dew but he saw the cloud that cloud w hichbrings “ . F resh showers from the thirsting flowers.

F rom the seas and the streams. A nd bears light shade for the leaves when laid In eir noo th nday dreams . From whose wings are shaken the dews tha t woken he w T s eet buds every one. ’ When roc ed to rest on k their mother s breast. A s sh d e ances about the sun.

O R I N N P ET Y SO G. 78 A nd he saw the moon

Tha t orbed maiden with white fire laden.

’ and the wild w est w ind the breath of A u . tumn s being. He cau ht somethin from all — g g these a glance. a shadow . an odor an fr . d amed them into a beauty that can be described only

as ethereal. I t cannot be analyzed and no person so desires.

tr o m of It is not the poe y f pure description. such as is uch ’ W o rdsw orths.

li ht Tellme. than star. whose wings of g

Speed thee in thy fiery flight. In wha t cavern of the night Will thy pinions close now ?

r Tell me. moon. thou pale and g ay ' Pilgrim of heaven s homeless way. In wha t depth of night or day Seekest thou repose now ?

w deres Weary wind. who an t ' Like the world s rejected guest. Host thou stillsome secret nest ?" On the tree or billow r

' This little serenade of Shelley s is an illustration of the su

preme intensity that can be put into verse. Poe says that it is

ta leaves too short . and it is. It kes you up and you before you

are ready to come dow n. Stedman says that it is the deepest ‘

and sw eetest love poem that ever w as w ritten. The richness of its melody aflects you like sw eet music and there is a sens uousness in the thought that almost brings a breath of Oriental

odors.

I arise from dreams of thee h st sw eet lee In t e fir s p of night. en the winds e r Wh ar b ea thing law . A nd the stars are shining bright

O I O P ETRY N S NG. 79 I arise from drea ms of thee. A nd a spirit in my feet Ha th led me —who knows how ? ind w S ee To thy chamber w o . w t.

The wandering airs they faint e l n strea m On the dark. th si e t A nd the Champak odours fail Like sweet thoughts in a dream;

The nightingale s complaint. I t dies upon her heart; s on t i e A s I mu t hn . d O belove as thou art.

Oh lift me from the grass I die: I faint; I fail; Let thy love in kisses rain O li nd e n my ps a yelids pale. c ite lor ' My cheek is old a nd wh . a My heart bea ts loud and fast i wn ai Ohpress it to thne o ag n.

Where it willbreak a t last.

o er H o Shelley w as a philos pher and a dream . e not nly

H out constructed ideals. but he drew conclusions. e sta rted

ns w n in life by constructing ideals on the conclusio he had dra .

ted and later he drew conclusions from ideals he had construc . “ ' " o o d and Love s Philos phy is one f them. The i eal part if b u f of the song is beaut ul. ea ti ul beyond comparison. and

the conclusio rresis n is i tible. Occasionally some person pro tests against so much of our lyric verse being love songs and

O I N P ETRY SONG. 80 and ma es a oem -w hichis a ver sensible thi A s k p . y ng to do .

' There s but one t i i hng to s ng about. ' A nd oor e p s th song tha t does without. A nd many a song would not live long Were it not or the theme tha t is n er f ev worked out.

Of course. the man or w oman w ho does not love much does

not care mu for ov ch l e songs. and is to be pitied. for all true

s is o no and happines based up n this one feeling. w hich is w " a s that lw ays ha been the grea test thing in the w orld. But ' philosophy and this is Shelley s :

" The founta ins mingle with the river

A nd the rivers with the ocean. The winds of heaven mix forever

Witha sweet emotion. N othing in the world is single; A ll things by a law divine t I n one spiri meet and mingle. Why no t I withthine?

See the mountains kiss highheaven A nd the waves clasp one another: No sister-flower would be forgiven

If it disdained its brother.

A nd the sunlight clasps the earth. A nd the moonbeams kiss the sea ; Wha t is a ll this sweet work worth " If thou kiss not me?

Shelle — of e y w as a spirit he w as not the arth. nor yet of

— de He v He s co d see rstand. hea en. w a a seer he ul and un

communed w ith the great things of the universe. He never

heard the beating of the beart of a tree as Lanier did. but ’ the music of the st rong w inds as they played upon the tree s

e tra boughs and branches n nced him. He controlled the ele f ments for the prrrposes o his arh and made tbem do his w ill.

but his w ill w as not less wild than they. KEATS .

HIS study is of the man w ho said “ “ A thing of bea uty is a j oy forever. ea — is ll B ea uty is truth. truthb uty. tha t a l Ye know on ea rth. a nd al ye need to

know .

In the life o f the author of suchw ords one w ould expect to find muchto contemplate w ithpleasurable

Nor of o eats . emotions. but there is no beauty in the life J hn K

— be sure is there muchelse e xcept sorro w and suflering. To . there may be beauty in thah but it is not of the kind thet is a — While ts c e . joy forever. no t o f the kind that Kea reat d there is little if anything in his history to give one a better un

oo of i for derstanding of his poetry . yet one needs the pr f t.

' i tr ein it is Keats lyric poetry that w e like. and lyr c poe y b g

ac uaintance subjective. w e desire to know the poet ; and then. q

to begets interest. and after know ing the man you w ill desire

know something of the poetry he w rote.

at John Keats w as born in London a hundred years ago . “ " the close o f that flow ering time of English literary energy. a quarter of a century w hich had given to the w orld W ords

orth t oore w . Sco t. C oleridge. Southey. Lamb. Hazlitt. M . H D . unt. e ! uincey. Byron. Shelley . Landor. and Carlyle What a tw enty-five years that w as from 1770to 1795 ! Have you ever thought of it ? Suppose for a minute that the events of that period had never occurred and then imagine a litera ture and a history w ithout them. The w orld of letters w ould be impoverished beyond comprehension as history w ould seem very tame w ere it to be stripped of the A merican and Fru eh

revolutions.

— ro r ohn Kea ts w as the oldest of four children three b the s. J .

r o has b dead George and Thomas. and a siste . Fanny. w h een

r in a liver stable but a short time. His father w as a g oom y ' d master eats most noted and ma rried the aughter of“his . K biographer says that he w as born in the upper ranks of the

of sto r o f the middle class. w hichputs Low ell in mind the y

- m liment his il eor e violin player w ho. w ishing to co p pup . G g

— could III . . divided all fiddlers into three classes those w ho

those w ho not play at all. those w ho played very badly . and

v ma such played ery w ell. assuring his Majesty that he had de commendable progress as already to have reached the second ’ ver rank. Keats origin certainly w as very humble and y noticeable among people w ho are proud of their genealogies.

ve u are That so rt of feeling seems ry l dicrous to us. yet w e getting old enough so that the man w ho had ancestors in the

v R e olution travels considerably on the fact. It is allperfectly

natural.

v or is How e er. a humble origin is not to he scorned. N

ood a noble one. A man of good blood is born w ith a g

- - ote mor degree of self respect. and self respect is the most p nt al

e ts agent outside of Heaven. There is no evid nce that Kea ever acted or w ro te differently than he w ould have done had

bee o o he n f noble blood. For some reason he held aloof fr m

Shelley. but I doubt that his birth had anything to do w ith it tho so . ugh me think differently . It w as more likely a lack of con i l gen a ity. all of w hich w as very unfortunate for both. Kea ts w ould have profited more than Shelley from a close friendship. Could the tw o have come together after they had

h eac reac ed ltaly. h would have been an inspiration to the “ ” o other. and A d nais w ould have been the greatest poem in the language. His parents placed him in a private boarding-school at

s b b o f Lo d a ve ear e Enfield. a u ur n on. t a ry ly ag . perhaps

m w as o tee or eight years. and there he re ained until he f ur n

a o thro o fifteen. w hen he w as t ken ut ugh the false econ my of

ignorant guardians. C larke says that in his earlier school-days Keats show ed

alw a s no pa rticular signs of an intellectual bent. though y

B ur his las orderly and methodical in w hat he did. ut d ing t

— fi teen ea all few terms that is. rn his fourt eenth and f th y rs.

beca m r com the energies of his nature turned to study. He

b din co d hardl be induced to orn pletely a sorbed in rea g. ul y j

bo o ut o f his the school games. and never w illingly had a ok

e w o easil all the literature rizes and hand. A t this time h n y p

i said even translated the w hole of the Eneid into prose. He is ' " " ' almost to have lea rned by hea rt Spence s Polymetis. Tooke s “ " ’ “ " d n m hs Pantheon and Lempriere s Dictionary . Go s. y p

co w a his and heroes became hrs mpanions. Their rs w ere

w ars. their loves his.

Herein w as the very beginning o f the poet. The seed now being sow n might have ripened into the grea test English

o a epic poet had there been years enoughf r the h rvest. W hat a pity that he could not have had Greek ! He w as just ripe

scho The to begin study of it w hen he w as taken out of ol. w o rk he did w as remarka ble for a boy under fifteen yea rs of

age. and it seems a crime to have stopped it. He felt it very

eenl in later ea W k y y rs. hile he kep t on grow ing. yet in

ariso p n w ith Shelley . it amounted to naught. To be sure.

h be Shelley ad a tter start. yet his days at Oxford w ere very

few How ever o . . he did f r himself all that Oxford could have

done a mor B nd e. ut Keats did not have the fo rceful char

acter tha he l t S ley had and the result w as. he did not know enough. as Lanier said of Poe.

Sometimes I think w e do not realize how much a poet o t ugh to know . Many of us find out how much a lack of

POETRY I N SONG. 84

t n a A fter qui ti g the pprenticeship. he entered the Hospital of London and there remained for three years. or untilhe w as

- e ol W sa d a b tw enty tw o y ars d. hile he is i to h ve een more

o s than ordinarily proficient in his pro fession. he lacked p r e.

urel o t o s He and w ithout this s y a man ugh n t to be a urgeon.

t e in felt guilty a times. He knew his mind w as o ften w and r g

i o ht to have b o h w i time t u t ha d. w hen “g een n e ork n n One t c he said : The other day. during the lecture. here ame a

unb o t s eam int the room. and w ith it a w hole roop of crea tures floating in the ray ; and I w as ofl w ith them to Oberon and " fairyland. A fter he had given it up . he remarked : My ' last operation w as the opening of a man s temporal artery . I

assed did it w ith the utmost nicety. but reflecting on w hat p thro h min a m exteri seem miracle ug my d t the time. y d ty ed a .

w as and I never took up the lancet again. W e know w hat

e in his mind. It w as a battle betw een surgery and po try . and

r — poet y w on. as it alw ays does.

A t the close of this period and just about the time the

o lancet w as lard aw ay f rever. Keats published his first volume “ of poems. The book is know n in literary life as The Poems b of l8 l7 . It made very little if any impression on the pu

A t s t M lic. thi ime oore. Scott and Byron w ere engaging the attention of the literary w orld. and these verses attracted

i e attentio w ow lttl n. He as not discouraged. h ever. but re “ " ired to the s o W pa I le f ight to w rite Endymion.

Most of the t e r - i nex y a . his tw enty thrd. w as spent w ith

row n in a edestrian B p tour throughScotland. From his letters it is now n to av b k h e een a miserable trip. attended w ith much sic ness and su c k ffering. aused by the inclement w eather. In view of the fact that Keats died w ith consumption w ithin the next b three years. and inasmuch as the cause of the disease has een

much d abo iscussed and sung ut. it is w ell to remember this

o o tim re unf rtuna te j urney at this e. He turned from it only

r r th in time to comfort his b othe Tom. w hose life w ent out w i

O I N P ETRY SONG . 86 the year. a victim of the dread disease w hich had ta ken the

w v serv onl mother and as soon to take John. This e ent ed y ’ to increase the morbidness of temperament w hichw as the poet s

b attac s most persistent enemy. Just previous to this the ase k “ ' on Endymion appeared in Blackwood s and the ! uarterly.

i v tal re Keats w as exceedingly sens ti e. and the bru ity of these

o ridicul He view ers galled him seri usly . The e hurt him most.

v ame knew how difficult it is to o ercome. He sought f “ R uta tio is in it sought it honestly . A s another has said. ep n

- ce ame self only a farthing candle. of w avering and un rtain fl .

b w hic t w orld and easily blow n out . but it is the light y h he " w as looks for and finds merit . Keats knew this and

There has been much w ritten about the immediate effect

B ron these review s had upon the poet . Shelley seriously and y

facetiously saw fit to attribute the cause of his death to them. Inasmuchas boththese men must have learned about the w hole rev affair from others. it is quite likely that suchan idea w as p

f io ra hers ive alent at the time. How ever. none o his late b g p g

b man any credence to the story . It has een cha rged that the y sorrow s hea ped upon him at this time plunged him into a w hirl

of i tion e s u s o is diss pa . y t it has been tren ou ly denied. and ne

incl ed v E vi the in to gi e him the benefit of the doubt . dently

events o these f f ew months hastened his death. but ha rdly as

much so as the tramp through Scotland. If consumption be

inheritable . then there w as no reason w hy he should not be

The next ear w o y he rked very hard. turning out his grea t

o ms t est p e . It w as during his period that Fanny Braw ne came into his life and brought w ith her a still greater spirit of un — rest the very opposite of w ha t he needed and w as looking

for His ideas of re . and lations w ithw omen w ere very strange and peculiar. He realized that he did not have a right feel

in tow ards them and it w orrie g d him. Up to this time bis

O I N ON P ETRY S G. 8 7 ' brother George s w ife w as the only w oman w ithw hom he w as on intimate terms and for r e en . he he had a profound r gard. Th

iv v de she w as l ing in Louis ille. Kentucky. and he took grea t

i w rit o light n ing her l ng gossipy letters.

How he came to love Fanny B raw ne one cannot under

doub t r a stand. That he did love her no person can t af e l ut perusa of his letters. They are not good letters to read. b one w ould better read them than to imagine them w orse than they are because another has said that they ought not to be — d rea . s s is d There i nothing w rong in them. they are imply

appointing. Gre atness is expected and it is not there. The loves of great men may not be diflerent from those of the ordi

ow er nary individual. but John Keats w as gifted w ith the p

of ressi w love exp ng ha t he felt. and the true expression of true

v a is an interesting re elation. In these letters Keats re veals

man w ho not is the least charming. I do not know that he

could have the been o rw ise. Soon after their intimacy had

co se begun he discovered that he w as doomed to die. and u

e the w qu ntly re as utter hopelessness in his heart . A dd to this

unreaso b ous d na le j eal y . and is it any w on er that the letters

are disappointing? A lthoughhe loved this w oman to the end.

yet there is little o f his poetry that show s the influence of it. His last sonnet probably w ould not have been w ritten but for

this experience. but aside from that there is nothing for w hich w e are indebted to Fanny B raw ne - a name w hich w ill ever

shine in a reflected light.

' The grea t crisis came in Keats life a year before his death w hen he learned of a certainty that disease held him in its

fatalgrasp .

A few months later his third and last volume of poems. “ " s co called the Lamia Volume. w as is ued. This ntained “ ” “ " “ " “ " o sa ella La mia. Hyperi n. The Eve of St . A gnes. I b . “ " — his es or A bo the the Odes in truth. nearly all b t w k. ut

time that came out he w as attacked w ith a severe hemorrhage.

POETRY I N SONG. B ro all and it w as decided that he must go to Italy . w n. of

and the friends the closest . w as aw ay in the Scotch Highlands. ' Keats letters requesting him to return and accompany him to

R ome w ere never delivered. So it w as decided that Joseph ' v as Se ern. the artist . should go . Of all Keats friends none h

the W ile he is taken quite hold of me that Severn has. h know n and desired to be know n only as the friend of Kea ts.

ther s yet e w a muchelse in his life.

The story of the daily life o f Kea ts and Severn at R ome durin that last five mo ere g nths w ill alw ays cling to me. Th

v — o c tion w as e erything in it . h rror. snflering. sacrifice. perse u .

b ted penury and death. Keats w as being torn asunder y inheri disease ho e ess lov w . p l e and asting genius. Severn w as sacri

c his art and do ha fi ing ing menialservice for a friend. Keats d

done much for him. A bove all. he had shown him more in th marb es ha ve v e l t n Se rn had e er dreamed o f. artist though h s e w a . The end came in February. 18 2l w hen Keats w as

- v tw enty fi e years old.

There at R ome in the rotestant burial- round eats w as . P “g . K laid among the flow ers w hich he had almost felt grow mg " over hrm and there they do grow . it is said. even all — the w inter long violets and daisies mingling w ith the fresh " b m o love her age. and. in the w ords of Shelley . aking ne in w ith dea th to think that one should be buried in so sw eet a

c B s s e s No s pla e. y his ide lep JosephSevern. t far aw ay lie

d b his si b T same Shelley. an y de the eloved Trelaw ney . he “ " cloud w eeps over them; the same w ild w est w ind sighs “ " on about their graves. sw eet thoughin sadness. A ll night l g m the lonely nightingale chants its sad requiem. and on the mo ing air is heard the mournful melody of the skylark. The u thought of these b ried thus is sw eet and consoling. Not long did

o lo dona is li The s u f A . ke a star. o o e abo e h e B ea c n fr m th d w ere th E ternal are.

POETRY I N SONG. 8 9 A little over a year and they w ere closer in death than the had ev b y er een in life. A ll the fame tha t they honestly lon ed for com g has e to them. and the name of John Kea ts “ " w as not w rit in w ater.

o In estimating a poet . the student should seek to kn w ' w hat the oet s ideas w e con Nature p er cerning God. Man and . ' be ore s e see and f peaking of Keats w ork in detail. it is w ll to how s e a H seems he tood in r g rd to these poetical objects. e to have given no thought to religion and to have had no deh

o b nite r sta le ideas about it. A fter his brother Tom died he not said that he believed in the immortality of the soul. and

There long afterw ard w rote that he longed to believe in it .

and is little or nothing in his poetry either for or against God.

ow ard it is quite likely that he gave Him no serious thought . T

erem the end. Severn tells us that he asked for a copy of J y

o i . Tayl r. and seemed to get much consolation from reading t

end. If he ever became a Christian. it w as near. very near. the

o w oo The old Grecian myth logy w as real to him. He as l k

b t a is ing for beauty. If he had een accorded the privilege h t t now given to you and me. of creating his ow n God in grea

b b as degree. is it not pro able that Jehovah might have een muchto him as Hyperion and Pan?

r h Man e had o oso . In rega d to h n phil p y S“ome days he t o h d str h ught e ha . but he aightw ay forgot it . I find there is no w orthy pursuit but the idea of doing some good in the " rot r r rsu world. he w e to a f iend. That idea he neve pu ed. Perhaps and quite likely because so muchill-fortune w as ever after u s i p r ung him. Later in a petulant mood he w rote to bis

I dislike mankind in general. The w orst men are th sel-i t ose w hose f nterests are their passions : the neat. hose

- w hose passions are their self interest . Upon the w hole. I dis li e W er k mankind. hatever people ou the other side of the que tion ma v y ad ance. they cannot deny that w e are alw ays sur

O TR I P E Y N SONG. ised at hearin of ood t o pr g a g ac i n. and never of a bad one. A gain he said that the only thing that could ever affect him personally for more than one short passing day w as any doubt about ers or his pow f poetry . Tha t is pure selfishness. I

v belie e. though. tha t had Keats been given the period of life

ve the allotted to man. he w ould have de loped a philosophy for betterment of mankind and sung about it in great inspiration.

r N ov him Fo ature he ha d a deep and una ffected l e. To she w as not the background and stage of the mighty drama

of h ife. ere ot uman l Th w as n hing betw een him and her. He

s w orshiped at her hrine. and the love he had for her w as

v o the lo e a man has for a god. While hrs insight pierced int the depths. yet it w as the beauty of the w hole that thrilled

nev hea rt and inspired him. He er hea rd the bea ting of the of a tree nor did the little green leaves talk to him as they did to Lanien He w orshiped her for the same rea son that he w or s f — hiped a sta tue o Psyche or the Elgin Marbles. s he rep

us so m b resented j t uchideal a stract beauty . How much Kea ts knew about e sthetics it is“difi cult to ' " is tell. From the fact that he had studied Spence s Polymet

v me so de otedly. it is quite probable tha t he had imbibed so

a es ond ideas bout the philosophy of the beautiful. In his corr p ence w c co o ai . hi h nstitutes his entire prose w ritings. he ften ludes to s abs i to thi tract idea of beauty . but gives no hnt as w hat he meant : hence all w e can know or surmise must be

ather f ta g ed rom his poetry . His ideas w ere cer inly very dif

' ferea t ro R E to f m uskin s. very element of beauty is typical it R uskin. Infinity in the type of the divine incomprehensibil y ; Unity is the type of divine comprehensiveness ; R epose is the t e of divine yp permanence : Symmetry. the type of divine

ustice . eats ew oth j K kn n ing about any such theories. If he did he did not ve the . belie m. He could look at a beautiful landsca e and neve n o o p r thi k f the G d w ho made it. He m ight think of Pan.

N POETRY I N SO G. 91 In the introduction I quoted tw o of his sayings about — beauty in fact. the only tw o propositions he has laid dow n. and it is w e lto v Wh as l endea or to discover his meaning. at w his idea w hen he sa id. “ A thing of bea uty is a joy forever !

I have a picture of Joseph Severn w hich gives me pleas

ble emo ns ever it ura tio y time I look upon it . and I look upon

ver o en. It seems as u n o y ft tho ghI ca n t see it enough. There is in my city a w oman w hose face is a source of never-failing

h The r as co t delig t to me. re a e no sociations in nnec ion w i th it or emotions ex esse u it t ive h eel t pr d pon o g me t is f ing. Tha face is a t in of eaut to o o v Nei in h g b y and me a j y f re er. ther the appearance of JosephSevern nor in the fa ce of this w oman is there any resultant beauty. I should have admired that pictu“re just as muchhad I never know n it w as the portrait of the friend of Keats. That face w ould have been the same had ev r a o I n e know n the n me of the w oman. This feeling f

b v mine I elie e is w hat Keats meant . It is said that he w ould stand for hours on a rise of ground lost in admiration of the

com let of billow y fields of grain. W e can imagine the p eness

v sufferin his joy at such a time. You and I know of li es o f g and sacrifice in godlike meekness that seem to be the most

s t f beautiful thing in the w orld. but Keats w as not hinking o

c them. He found no joy or satisfa tion in the contemplation

f the o m.

is more cult to t It difli surmise w ha he meant in saying. — B ea uty is truth. truthbea uty. tha t is all e now on ear and all e Y k th. ye n ed to know .

I believe that his idea w as that every true thing must necessarily

ve t ibu ch s v ri ha certain a tr tes su as harmony. ymmetry. unity. a ety and adaptability ; that these are the attributes of beauty.

N POETRY I N SO G. 92 e ics a re beau i ull told stories a o b p t f y b ut eautiful things. His l rics are beautifull ex y y pressed feeling about beautiful objects. His w ork is the very embodiment of w hat Poe meant by say “ " in oetr is the rh thmic e g. P y y al cr ation of beauty . He car ried this ea to v id the ery end. Every attribute of form w as important to him. The melody w as not of less importance

s than the rhythm. and he ought it and found it in the skillful

t o o arrangemen f pen and close vow els. combining and inter

co changing them as a mposer does the notes of his music.

eats ad crea v o ve K h great ti e pow ers. else he w uld not ha

o difi been a grea t poet. and w orthy of our study . It is n t a

l er o c eas cu t ma tt t reco gnize reation in poetry. and it is not an y ”

to anal W oe r . matter yze it. e read a line and say. That is p t y " a hesi Some person asks. How do you know it is? nd w e

differ. ta te. Poetry is not an exact science. It diflers as men It is a product of the imagination and the product is as ab e s t s a s im in v l a he ource of it . Now every m n i ag ati e. but

o ev bea n t ery man is a poet . If a man imagine utiful things. he must have w ithin him some of the indefinable spirit of

o poetry . yet he is not a Kea ts. and w hy? First. he does n t im imagine such beautiful things as Keats did. Second. his ' te ages are vague. transitory and elusive. Keats w ere defini

see and abiding . Third. he cannot describe w hat he has n.

tio su ose thought and felt. and Keats could. For illustra n. pp

see erha a stran el beau you close your eyes. You w ill . p ps. g y f m O en tiful w oman w ho w ill change into grotesque or s. p

ot ta w at ou hav se n W hen your eyes and you cann “h y e e . Kea ts closed his eyes he saw a w oman more bea utiful than yours : she abode w ith him : he saw her after he had Opened his eyes ; he described her in beautiful w ords and to ld us w hat

' e they said to eachotlrer and how they felt about it. Now th w oman that Keats saw w as very likely to be some other per ' w a o inven son s creation. and this is here he show ed his l ck f

a true i his i oetr and of tion. This is particul rly n ep c p y .

POETRY I N SONG 94 t has a ri to course i ght be true there. Epics are not supposed to require much invention except in the realm 0f fable and allegory . Keats turned to the classic myths for his plots and d - then gave them the ialogue and stage setting. It required creative genius to do that as he did. but no great inventive

o pow ers. W hatever f inventive genius he had is displayed in

’ distinguished from epic. In the former the poet s eyes look at his ow n hearn and the poem becomes a part of the singer.

lo ks ba t In the epic he o ck at w hat has happened. and the poe

f o becomes a part o the p em. For tlrat reasom if for no other.

o the s w e care more f r personality of the lyric w riter. He tell us w hat is in his fiearL and w e are anxious to know how it

came to be there.

If a man looks into his ow n hea rt and tells us of new thou hts su ested b a ni htin ale or a Grecian urn g gg y g g “ . o tive u gnize inven geni s. In the Ode on a Grecian U rn the poet is supposed t o be contemplating this w ork of art : he is enraptured ; to him it is a thing of beauty that is a joy for ever: on it is represented a procession of -sa and maidens w idr pipes and timbrels ; he imagines he hears the music : he looks

d elo Hear m dies are sweet. but those unheard " A re sweeten

there is inspiration in that. and creation and invention bu uty m d nuthm d peacc - A m ww ard the close of that same grea t lyric. he says :

Thou silent o . f rm. dost tease us out of thought " A s do e th ternity.

A n ex ression like that is of p the very essence of poetry . ea ts inva — K ded the realm of all kinds of pecti n epic. r lyric and d amatic. His dramatic w ork has received no credit “ " v r and he asked none for it . Endymion. his first epic. is o e

es four thousand lin long. Keats w as humble and modest in

tt n o pu i g the poem forth. and sh uld have been treated charita b ly. He w as a mere boy. and for a boy it w as a great poem. but he w as as a h me u o i led tr y by r y . j st as every n v ce is. He let it controlhis thought and make him say things he had no“idea of sa untrlhe came to o for the rh - or ying l ok yme w d. In Hy " perion he dropped the rhyme and thus fo restalled any nu b friendly analysis in that direction. It has een churned that

v he could not ha e kept up the lofty strain. and that had be

a t undert ken o finish it . he w ould have ruined it . It is a part

e t ic . s b is c r of a gr a ep The u j ect lassica l. the t eatment of it is romantic. Keats w as a great bundle of Classicism and R o

b t s manticism. and he put o h into thi poem. He w as contin

s c r ually ta king the repo eful. dignified. colorless and cold ha acters and settings of the classics and clothing them w ith his

o the ow n rich. w arm. passi nate w ords. He put life into statuesque. “ In Lamia he returns to the rhymed couplets and uses

s W them in a manner that w ould have sa ti fied Pope. hen

hole Lamia is a w oman she is charming. but the poem as a w leaves a horrible picture on the mind from w hich one cannot

r touch get aw ay . A nd w hat pictures Keats did d aw ! In the " " b u b some hin ing story of Isa ella. he p ts efore your mind t g

be th charmin that w ill stay there forever. You remem r e g

Lo iv t first picture of the love of Isabella and renzo . g en in he stanza

e l e e end With every morn th ir ov gr w t erer. Withevery eve deeper and tenderer still: e d a He might no t in hous . fiel . or g rden stir. B ut her fullshape would allhis seeing fill

N POETRY I N SO G. A nd his continual voice was pleasanter

To her. than noise of trees or hidden rill;

- Her lute string gave an echo of his name. She s oil h al -done broider i e p t er h f y w th th same.

" v But it is in The E e of St . A gnes tha t his bea uty seems

v e so inevitable. and w herein he appeals to e ery sense of p r ce — to s to even ption. ight. to sound. to taste. to uch. and w e get a breath from the luscious fruit .

" l Filling the chily room withperfume light.

oet It w as Milton w ho said. in an early essay . that p ry “ " s should be simple. sensuous and pas ionate. and none has

w an excelled Keats in sensuousness. In the first place. he as

b v ceived— he extremely sensitive mortal. but. a o e all. he per w as

rce m man a seer. This pow er of pe ption is all that akes one

o o en -five ears greater than another. In his sh rt life f tw ty y Keats lived longer than some men w hose days number three

r score and ten. because he w as endow ed w ith the w onde ful

- N slow to uncover hersel pow er o f sense perception. ature is f

ea t is o for to man. She is w ooed much. but her fullb u y nly b those w ho have become fit by genius and y culture.

The sonnets and odes comprise the greater and better part

et of his lyrics. He had an inclination to play w ith the sonn . a conse nd quently his w ork in tha t form is very uneven. How ever he w ro s . te ome w hichhave become literary landmarks. as it w ere. It is strange that almost his first one should be his greatest . but it is not only his greatest. but one of the greatest in t he language. It w as the only very worthy thing in the " 18 17 s c Poems of . a his first volume w as alled. I never get a good view from prairie knoll or mountain top w ithout

at at least th seste — cture repe ing e t. It is a perfect sonnet . a pi

s and a reflection. a ong and an echo . It seems that Keats ' co of Cha m s ra H procured a py p an t nslation of Homer. e

O T I N O P E RY S NG. 97 rea sat up all night ding it . and this sonnet. Much have I

v ed R ealms of o d tra el in the G l . w as the result .

t odes s N Of he I can peak only of one. To the ightin "

e. o s as gal Of this Mr. Stedman says that. rich and vari u

a re t maste o s h he rpieces f the language. of our horter Englis

cs n the lyri it still seems to him. as it seemed tw e ty years ago .

est to near perfection. the one he w ould surrender last of all.

While w ould not disa I dare to gree w ithMr. Stedman by say

th a ing ere re other poems nearer to perfection. yet I have no hesitancy in saying that I w ould surrender it sooner than Shel ’ “ ” o W W v i e s Ode t t est . ly he ind How e er. I appreciate ts

i o greatness n f rm and language and melody and tone. It is

. idea l lyric poetry . It is pure imagination. cre ative and in W ventive. t is I true art. beautiful and perfect . ith it all. there is a yearning that must have come from the very depths ' of the poet s heart . It is the expression of one of those half dreams that come to all of us amid the disappointments and

o r discouragements of life. The w ords seem like the form of u

that ow n thought. and. like the w oman of Samaria. w e feel

r one here is a man w ho has told us of our ow n life. Is the e w ho has not felt and thought like this

F or many a time

I have been half in love with easefulDea th. ’ C alld him soft names in many a mused rhyme " e To ta ke into the air my qui t brea th.

his Keats had no revolutionary ideas about poetry. In verse and in his letters he has left some definitions w hich m interesting w hen applied to his ow n w ork. In that early poe . “ " and Sleep and Poetry . w hich appeared in his first volume w hich w as probably w ritten w hen he w as about twenty-one years old. he says

POETRY I N SONG. 98 The grea t end

Of poesy. tha t it should be a friend To soothe the cares and lift the thoughts of man;

and again in the same poem.

They shallbe accounted poet-kings l e - Who simp y tell the most ha rt easing things.

w or When asked of Keats. the Poet. say that he w as a shiper of abstract bea uty and a creator of relative beauty ; say that he w as a lover of classicism and a creator of romanticism : that he w as an ornamentor rather than an inventor ; that he w as completely absorbed in his art and ever forgetful of self ' a sa e excep t w hen he sang of self ; that he w as for art fo r rt s k . ’ and not for the artist s sake : yet it is very doubtful w hether he w ould have submitted to a law w hich it w as painful to obey for the sake of bestow ing pleasure and delight upon man

R s cons tru a rtis or kind. w hich uskin say titutes the e t : he w

se shipad his art because it gave him pleasure . and in that sen “ ’ " eat he w as for the artist s sake. yet he sought to make art gr

rather than himself : say that he w as a master of true melody. indefinable though it be ; that he w as intensely emotional and never sentimental; that his poetry elevates the soul and enriches

the in mind. thoughit may not br g peace to the heart . i F nally . if w ith some brother he hath found less favor or more do t . no quarrel w ith him. R anking of poets is an idle

time t is t pas . I like the ranking o f w omen. It alw ays ha h been and ever w ill be a mystery w hy some men love certain w w omen. Day by day w e onder w hy some men love certain

s poets. Let u rather be thankful that they have such a love

in their hearts. No poet hath ever been bad enoughto harm

The e ce th t a man. p a a some good soul may get from one ’ of W atts hymns is not to be sneered at. The u tless doggerel that dothso often make deathmore hideous to one may bring s o ld w eet consolation to the heart of another. A nd so u

POETR Y I N SONG. on not a y that Shefley is grea ter than Keam altboughhe seerneth so to rs rne. I know that both are unextinguisbed qi lendo " of the firmament oi time. and “ Li s s o o e ke tar t their app inted hight they climb. A nd dea this a low mist whichcannot blot e i htness it v i t hm fl Th brg may e l. When lofty r ht

Lifts a young heart above its morta l lair. A nd love and life contend in it for wha t ha llbe its earthl doom e dead live e S y . th ther . " nd move li e minds o li ht on dar a o A k f g k nd st rmy air.

POETRY I N SONG. 100 know s w hat must have been the songs of one w ho w ent through — — life the same life as his singing a song and dropping a

tear w herever o e or oth w s n the er a most needed.

ut w h o ou ve o B y d y . w ho ha studied Burns. like him? Y u ' “ " v b ha e trem led before the w ild fury of Shakespeare s Lear. w ept w ith Shelley for the dead A dona is. w orshiped w ith ' eats t B au s sh oetr K a e ty rine. What is there about the p y ' of this simple ploughmm s son that quickens the life w ith in you?

ev inven His is not the poetry of r elation. There is little “ " “ v s a r ith tion in it. His Mary in Hea en w as a lingering t . w ' ” ’ “ less uing ray. but W ordsw orths Lucy w as “ e Fa ir as a star. when only on " Is shining in the sky.

Of the w ind Burns sang

' Of a the airts the mind can bio! »

I dearly like the b est.

F or there the bonnie lassie lives. ' " The lass tha t l lo e best.

But Shelley besought this some w ild w est wind to

" ev as the orest is lyre. en f .

to drive his

dea d thoughts over the universe " Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth.

r ver fa —ir The distance from Burns to Shelley is fa . y n

POETRY I N SONG. 102 e rtheiess . he enjoys the rest and peace that come from looking t across to the bea uties of that other one. though it may no

seem nearly so lofty .

es Then. again. one tires of forever looking up . He tir

v u es. of seeking disco eries. even though they may be new bea ti

s to He tires of soaring. There are times w hen he needs mo t

H needs have his feet planted squa rely upon the earth. e

poetry there as muchor more than he does upon the mountain.

In truth. much of earth is so sordid that it needs to be ideal

ed e o Bu does for il b f re it ca n be endured. That is w hat rns

show s you and that is the reason for your liking him. Shelley

o a w c a heaven y u new ea rth hi his a heaven. but Burns makes

as ira out of your ow n earth. One brings you a feeling of p

tio o needs n. the ther a feeling of contentment . The w orld

th one fo ow — t e r its gr th he other for its happiness. ' u tha w e Burns poetry being so purely lyric. it is nat ral t desire to know something of the man and his relations to his

- re fellow men. but. unfortunately. as is so often the case. the

v b d assions is not muchin his erse. He w as a un le of w ild p .

T w as o ousness a w hich he sought not to control. here a j y .

e about his playfulness. and absence o f ma lice and evil int nt

-b b enalt w ickedness that makes it seem only half ad. ut the p y — th w as not the less on ea rth. w hatever it may have been in e

-li uc His after fe. For the joy of his youth. he sufiered m h.

- ohn deathcame at the age of thirty seven. a few months after J

Kea ts w as born.

o There are some things. though. about his life that y u

s w ro r so old mu t kno p pe ly to appreciate his ngs. He w as the

- rom est of seven children of a tenant farmer. w ho w as moving f

place to place as one misfortune a fter another overtook him. To this father and a teacher named Murdock the poet ow es

everything that helped to develop the genius w ithin him. Mur

doc sa that Willia Bu man k ys m rns. the father. w as the best

he ever e tau t knew . H gh his ow n children daily and made

POETRY I N SONG. 103 ' ' them stud s ea y Shake p re. Pope s Homer. Locke s Under " standin erem Ta o o s g. J y yl r and ther tandard w orks. The poet says there w as a volume of old Scotch songs among these vade mecum books w hich w as his . He says : i pored over

them drivi v rse ng my cart. or w alking to labor. song by song . e

b verse careful noti rom y ; ly ng the true. tender. or sublime. f

affectation and fustian. I am convinced I ow e to this prac " f cri - not tice mucho my tic cra ft . such as it is. A nd he co uld

have lea rne it be r w d in a tte ay.

But these old Scotch songs did not set his Muse to w ork .

It oo a v - is t k lo e affair to do that . as is generally the case. H “ "

r. began ea rly. the first experience coming in the fifteenthyea “ " This first song w as called Handsome Nell and is not w orth much consideration except as it show s the first fruit of his

peculiar genius.

- mo re His first genuine love afiair. after he had acquired

f om named years. i not more sense. w as w ith a young w an

ent Ellison Bigbie. She did not give him much encouragem

er and he alw ays regretted it . In his later yea rs he spoke o f h as the one of all those early loves most likely to have made a

m so pleasant partner for life. He w rote her any ngs under “ " many names. one of w hichw illlive forever. Mary Morrison.

s o Thi s ng w as the first genuine revelation of his genius.

' r o b A fte the p et s father died. he and a rother rented a

farm together. and it Was during that period that some of his ' o best songs and poems w ere w ritten. Much of R obert s w rk

abso w as ploughing. and if there is any w ork on earth w hich

am le lutely requires no thought for itself. but gives a man p

time to think of allthe sins of the past and hopes of the future.

that or i lou h w k s p g ing. The poet made good use of his time

and o o t e f his experience. it w as then that his pl ugh urn d dow n the mountain daisy

O I N N P ETRY SO G. 104 minds of men about rea g t poetry . There may be in their af fectio s a o ht to b - n . nd ug e. It is only along the border land — the place w here the line should be draw n that differences of o inion arise a d it is bo bein p . n a undary line discussion that is g

rri - ca ed on to day. Great poetry is alw ays evident and needs

oo no pr f or test .

It is quite possible that there is a misunderstanding about

M a realism. w hich is easier to define than to recognize. any piece of idealism is taken for realism because it is so natural. i Just there comes in naturalism. w hich is neither w holly deal

Its nor w holly real. but is the golden mean betw een the tw o. foundation is necessarily realistic or it w ould not be na tural.

it f l not be A nd must be a part o idealism. else idealism w ou d " w c s m C ot true. hichis alw ays ne es ary . Take. for exa ple. The ' " m ter s Saturday Night. w hich the cha mpions o f realism clai

be W ta es to peculiarly their ow n. hat does the poet do ? He k

v eli a ery real subject . a humble cottage and its occupants. m inates every imperfect element in the life w ithin that cottage and combines the pleasing elements into a picture w hich rep

tu a one resents a very naturallife. not as it ac ally exists in ny

oem example. but as it might exist and ought to exist. The p is a piece of idealism w ithmore than the usualamount of nat

i c s the uralism in it . The effect upon the reader s ethi al a

a o b i li w ere to ec of oe r h alw s Mr. n efi t p t y oug t y t e. If K p g

o w rite of this cottage. he w ould be liable to give a w ealth f detail tha t w ould bew ilder the reader rather than enlighten him; some accident w ould happen the bairns and the w eary cotter w ould reco unt his carking cares before forgetting them. The unpleasant elements of the life w ould be mingled w ith

- o the pleasant . and a few sw ear w ords throw n in f r the sake

i o e mi h b l and of emphasis. The p cture. as a w h l . g t e p easing the reader might be impressed w iththe idea that the poet had

efiec as draw n from actual life. but w ould the general t be uplifting as that w hich comes from Burns ?

O ON P ETRY I N S G. 100 mon The dw eller upon the plains. w ho has been reared a g

ic e n ed the hills and the w aters. cherishes in his mind a p tur fou d

i e icture is upon the memo ry of that ea rler life. To him th p

v s o u th can very real. but w ere he to express it in er e r pon e

b i v al fa removed vas. it w ould e a p ece o f ery natur idealism. r

o ere ro a the from the actual and real. He w ould mit th f m ll

o th o d unpleasant elements o f that life. th ugh ey w ere legi n. an so combine the pleasant memories as to produce something

o ex purely idea l. Not being endow ed w ith the p w er to give

of his he o t w hose ofi ce pression to these dreams . seeks the p e .

is th d t of this oet ? it is to do it for him. Now . w hat e u y p What kind of a picture shall he make ? He can destroy the beautiful image in the mind of the plainsman by that truth

be ism other w ch is e ti n. e o w o a hi p rcep o Th ne uld re l . the ot idea lism. He can never fulfill his mission by taking one j

v no or tittle from anything that is beautiful. e en though it be more than a dream or a memory . The poet has other missions than that of giving form to — the picture another carries in his mind he creates new pict ? ures for other minds to cherish. and w hat kind shallhe create There is enough so rdidness in the actual life of man w ithout

crea o of fic the ti n anything titious in that line. The only w ay to drive this sordidness out of mind is to put something better in its lace oet ou h o M i can p . and this the p g t to d . r. K pling do it and has done it. but is it not b ue tlmh like Emerson he has accomplished it through his prose in greater degree than

While Kipling is not liable to w rite anything like The ' " " otter s C Saturday Night. yet he might w rite Bannockburn " as an w ell as Burns. and it has been lately claimed tha t B " uockburn is one of th bes m e t ten poe s in the language. ' I know of no better w ay to enter into the spirit of Burns " ' " o tr to read e C p e y than Th ott er s Saturday Night. It may not be e te t his gr a s . but it is a bea utifulpicture of beautifullife.

POETRY I N SONG 107 In the first half o f the poem he tells how on a Saturday ' ni ht a w ear cott g y ager bends his w ay homew ard o er the moor.

ho in to s e d the o p g p n m m in case and rest. A s the cot appears in view the expectant w ee things toddle forth to meet their

' a b D d. The right fire on the hearth. his thrifty w ife s smile.

the infant r t p a tling on his knee.

“ ' Does a his Weary carking cares beguile. ’ " “! ma e“ e A k him quite forg t his labor an his tail.

Later the older child co dro in ren. w ho are out at service. me pp g ' in and ive an acco nt o e s w e lad g u f thir w eek ork. A n ighbor

comes in to see enn r J y . the oldest daughter. and both are ve y

sh y and very happy.

0 happy love! where love like this is foundI " O heart-felt ruptures ! bliss beyond comparel

t There is an intensity. a kind of suppressed emotion abou

' o s i tu hi v o ul b es the p em p c res w ch makes it ery f rcef . It reath

i w b mista en Lock ort an ethical nfluence hich can never e k . p ’ says that of all Burns pieces this is the one w hose exclusion the fro m the collection w ould be most injurious. if not to

ere genius of the poet. at least to the character of the man. Th evening I asked of the man in my city w ho has studied Burns

most . loves him best. and has even trod the field w here the t w h h mouse w as urned up and the daisy turned down. ic " seemed greatest to bin . and he said. The Lament for the Earl " of Glencairn. It is a w orthy selection.

If you should ask a Scotsman by w hat poems and songs

w ould Burns had most endeared himself to his countrymen. he “ ' " " ’ Saturda probably say Tarn O Shanter. The C otter s y " " " “ Man Night. The [A t -sa t for the Earl of Glencairn. " " ' ’ W as M o Man s a Man for a That and ade t Mourn. A .

POETRY I N SONG 108

c v b so it w hi h I deeply feel. and highly enerate ; ut. mehow . does not make such a figure in poesy as that other species of

' ' ov Where l e is liberty. and Na ture lana

r o Musically speaking. the first is an inst ument. f w hich the

s a e gamut is canty nd confined. but the tones inexpressibly sw e t : w hile the last has pow ers equal to all the intellectual modu " laticas of the human soul. Of these inexpressibly sw eet " " " ones this ohn de o o is o The t . J A n rson. my J . J hn. ne.

e o n - ed a calm d pth f lo g w ded and h ppy love utters itself.

Speaking of the songs that have w on the hearts of the

Scotsman. none has contributed more to that end than My

' " Heart s in the Highland. My Heart Is Not Here. To those

av r ver w ho h e w ande ed aw ay from the homeland. it must be y dear— for it is sucha perfect vehicle for their thoughts. Burns

tarted o for ore s nce f ig nlands. but t he recognition of his genius

e us t cam j t in time o hold him. Perhaps it w ould have been

etter for b r b the man and ett e for the poet had be gone. He ' tried tw o w inters at Edinboro . but his heart w as ever in the

Highlands.

' M heart s in the Hi lan y gh ds. my heart is not here ' My hea rt s in the Highlands a -chasing the deer; A -chasin the mild d e n g e r. a d following the roe. ' M heart s in the Hi hla nds w e ev I y g hr er go . F arewellto the Hi hl d g an s. farewell to the North. The birth- lace o valo r e o p f u . th c untry of worth; Wherever I w nd wh o er. erever I rove.

The hills of the Highla nds forever I love.

' Farewellto the mountains highcover d withsnout ; F arewell to the stra ths and green valleys below : F arenrellto the forests and mild hanging moods: Farewellto the torrents d lo - o an ud p uring floods.

POETRY I N SONG 110 ' i l My heart s in the H ghands. my hea rt is not here ' My heart s in the Highlands a -chasing the deer A -chasing the wild deer a nd following the roe ' " s in he Hi hlands whe ever My hea rt t g r I go .

' " Bannockburn or B ruce s A ddress or Scots Wha

Hae w as composed on horseback ; in riding the middle of

w a moo m a tempests. over the w ildest Gallo y r. in co p ny w ith a ' observin e oet s loo s forbore to s ea Mr. Syme. w ho. g th p k . p k. " ' " judiciously enough. for a man composing Bruce s A ddress

b s w as might be unsa fe to trifle w ith. Dou tless this tern hymn

o i of Burns but singing itself. as he f rmed t . through the soul ; the to the external ear. it should be sung w ith the throat of

o s C w a blood w hirlw ind. So l ng. say arlyle. as there is rm

in the heart of Scotchman or man. it w illmove in fierce thrills

- under this w ar ode ; the best . w e believe. that w as ever w ritten b son has ever b n a bone of contention y any pen. This g ee

- arrel among critics and rs particularly so to d ay. but w hy qu about it if the Scots like it ? It serves a noble purpose by giving expression to the patriotism w ithin the hearts of this

c air people. It has become the Scot h national ode and . and they sing it w ith the least possible excuse for doing

so w and except that they like the ng. Time and again e see " bear old soldiers in this country singing Marching Through " o have Georgia w ith much glee. and spirit and n ise. w ho

ou a never been w ithin a th sand miles of Georgia. It is ll a s of pecies intoxicating symbolism and nothing more. Burns

o s w as the poet of love rather than a p et of patriotism. but thi one efiort show s the breadth. the greatness of his genius.

One o f the favorite haunts of this poet w as C raigie-burn " ' " s - s w ood. It w a there he met the lassie w i the hirt w hite lock . and it is of her that he sings in this beautifullyric. Her name " is o b of n t know n. ut in a letter Burns spea ks of her as one the finest w omen in Scotland. and he calls this song his fa vo rite. In co nnection w ith its publication he gives the method

POETRY IN SONG. 111 f w o o his rk. and it is w ell w orth noting : Whenever I w ant

b re a to e mo th n ordinary in song. to be in some degree equal

to diviner airs. do you imagine I fast and pray for the celestial emanation? Tout a u contra irel I have a glorious recipe ; the very one that for his ow n use w as invented by the divinity i of healng and poetry . w hen erst he piped to the flocks of A d

metus. I put myself in a regimen of admiring a fine w oman;

bili f o o r and in pmportion to the adora ty o her charms, in pr p

v l h o her tion you are delighted w ith my erses. The ig tning f

head of arnass and th w it che of h smile eye is the god P us. e ry er the divinity of Heliconl

The most touching character that enters into the life of

s oet as b W comes thi p w Mary C amp ell. henever her name into a song the greatest depth of emotion is evident and the

s lov o earl loftiest diction i used. She w as one of the es f the y

b me t fi o c be home life. ut by no ans he rst. Jean A m ur ame

fore her d it is uit l be v . an q e like y that had Mary C amp llli ed, ' Jcan A rmour s children w ould ever have remained fatherless . m ev But Mary died w hen their passion w as w ar est . and er

Man after the poet treasured her memory in his heart. y

r things are glorified in his song by their association w ith he . " and no s s et r ne i w e e than this A fton W ater. " " To Mary in Heaven w as composed by Bums on the anniversary of the day on w hich he hea rd of the death of

ea l v his r lo . y e. Mary C ampbell A ccording to Mrs. Burns.

s t that da thou o he pen y. gh lab ring under cold. in the usual

w or of rve t a ut k his ha s . and pparently in excellent spirits. B " as the tw ilight deepened he appeared to grow very sad about " - so mething. and at length w andered out into the barn yard.

w c his e m to hi h w if . in her anxiety for his health. follow ed hi . b to entreating him in vain to o serve that frost had set in. and

et fi to r urn to the reside. On being again and again requested - d do so. he alw ays promised compliance b ut still remaine

tem at w here he w as. striding up and down slow ly. and con d

POETRY I N SONG 112

w hich she desired to have new w ords. he w ould do his best to

meet h s er w i h. She sa t down at the piano . and played over several times the air of an old song beginning thus :

e n ca Th robi me to the wren s nest. " d e i d A n he lt t in. an het in.

as B s ta A s soon urn had ken in tlie melody. he set to . and in

f ts o a ew momen c mposed the bea utiful w ords of Oh. W ert B Thou in the C auld last.

Sha irp says that the one main characteristic of these songs

s s b is that their ubjects. the u tance they lay hold of. belong to i t w hat s mos permanent in humanity. those primary affections. those permanent relations of life w hich cannot change w hile ' man s na ture is w hat it is. In this they are w holly unlike those

so w e ngs hich seize on the changing aspects of society . A a tb

of soci i e c phases allf hange. these are forgotten. But no time can superannuate the subjects w hich Burns has sung ; they are

oo e r ted in the primary strata. w hichare steadfast. Then as th

b a ds su jects re primary . so the feeling w ith w hich Burns regar

than is r oo — p imary t that is. he gives us the first spontaneous

s — the gu h first throb of his heart . and that a most stro ng .

o the sh ple. manly heart . The feeling is not turned ver in

v — reflecti e faculty. and there a rtistically shaped not subtilized and refined aw ay till it has lost its pow er and freshness ; but

co W he given at first hand. as it mes w arm from w ithin. ha t u is at his best. you seem to hear the w hole song w arbling thro gh

' b ec w ra ed his spirit . naturally as a bird s. The w hole su j t is pp

t ured in an element of music. till it is penetrated and ransfig

by it .

I N N POE TRY SO G. 114 SHAKESPEARE .

HA VE no new interpretation of the mes

Shakespeare now -a-days rs a very rare

thou t product. not less so than a new gh

bo God The literature about this a ut . man and his w ork is so voluminous that w e are appalled by it.

— rtunit but W e lay it aside for a better time. a fuller oppo y. " " m o men must w ork and w omen must w eep. and to ost f us

m r the better time and the fuller opportunity never co e. Fo

e these I have a message ; for the students of Shakespear .

b the is There are many w ays of studying literature. ut re onl o e i r ure rs a revela y n true w ay. Every good piece of lte at ' — discov tion a revelation of a man s mind. It may not be a

rea der ery of a truth. It may reveal nothing but w hat the ’ r be reat alea dy know s. But it reveals a man s mind. If it a g min od d and the revelation be w ell expressed. the result is go lit r tu e a re.

For s u tho roughly to appreciate it. w e must endeavor to stud t o y he rder of the development of this revelation. From

' studying the grow th of a man s art w e discover the develop ment of his A t mind. t the same time. a know ledge of he ’ period of development of a man s mind throw s muchlight up

on his art .

' It w ould be a w aste of time to try to remember that Love s ' " “ " Labour s Lost w as w ritten in 1590 and The Tempest in ' re s l6l0. but for an intelligent comprehension o f Shakespea

first w ork. it is absolutely necessary to know that one w as his

I N O POETRY S NG. 116 ori inal la and tbe otbe t r g p y r he g eatest of the late plays. ' — If men dared question Shakespeare s greatness as they ' o - t d Shelley s. for instance. then his admirers w ould be kep

answ erin es busy g qu tions. A s it is. the w orld goes along on " " the principle that the king can do no w rong ; but kings have

ro done w rong f m time immemorial. and this one of ours is no

o s o S me thing must be explained. n t for the purpose of

meeting attacks. but for the purpose of satisfying our ow n

minds. There are passages in those early plays that i t is not

a beli v t t ro e sy to e e ha Sha kespeare w te.

A t lea st. it is difi cult to believe that the same hand w rote " e s i ht w hen them that w rot King Lear. It is an in piring s g

ro v t m un ai - es eare a man rises f m the alley to he o t n top . Shak p " ' " T to-da and A did that . If you read the W inter s ale y " - to ou to be de C omedy of E rrors to morrow . he w ill seem y

- ou must now scending from the mountain top to the valley . Y k ' " " that the W inter s Tale w as the last comedy and the Com " w ill have a dis edy of E rrors one of the first. otherw ise you

fo w hic much of ordered picture of a great mind. and one r h

your respect must necessarily be forced.

ti this method A gain. there is a pleasure. a satisfac on. in

crude of study that is inexpressible. No man has ever been " "

life. enough. or brute enough. not to enjoy the unfoldings of

b r s atc th ! h e w ill tenderly linger over a udding o e. w hing e

f c row th sp reading o ea hpetal. The housew ife revels in the g

for of her garden. and the farmer in that of his crops ; not

r rva w hat they expect to get out of them. but f om the obse

'

th otherwise. tion of Nature s progress. although ey may think The greatest of all early plea sures that come to a parent is ' the gradual development of the child s mind. A nd how mean is the life of every one of us in w hose hea rt tbere is not ever

To make suchobservation is the true w ay to study Shake

POETRY IN SONG. 116 that much literary tast e is w orthless because it is cultivated ’ s stem to most rsons indul out of order. There is so little y pe g

ence in literahrre that the good they get out of it is akin to that they get from a meal of vieurals - it sustains life and not

much else.

U fe is too short and too full. to most of us. to indulge

the in literary curiosity and to w ork out literary puzzles. If ' t then chronology of Sha kespeare s plays be not more than hese.

it w ould better be left alone. These reasons may be given for this chronologica l shady

o v 2. To observe the order f de elopment .

3. To make comparisons and get relative values.

4 . T tiva the o cul te taste.

5 . To gain joy and satisfaction.

Most authors have furnished us w ith dates and memo

b ot randa show ing the chronological order of their w ork. ut n so w ithShakespeare ; and surely it is a good thing for students of li a ter ture that he failed to do so. It has forced men to shi dy the order of the development of the greatest mind earth

has produced. and it is safe to say that the shady of the hu

is t s u t man mind the grea e t intellectualpurs it. Then. again. he result of this shady of this one great mind is the production ’ of a oo g dly share of the w orld s best literature. and no per son should let the days of shidy go by w ithout getting some

be efits f n rom it.

A fter satisfying yourself that a chronological shidy of ’ Shakespeare s w orks is a w orthy pursuit . the next question is. What are the evidences of this chronology These have bee n

classified as :

l. Wholly external.

2. External and internal.

from Taking the w holly external. w e find some evidence

I N N POETRY SO G. 118 ha t the publica tion of his w orks. This evidence is somew meager. for many of the plays w ere first published in the fa ' 6 3 ha es s mous First Folio in 1 2 . seven yea rs after S k peare d death. but several appea red ea rlier. While the ate of pub

er d ositi lication may be w idely diff ent from the ate of comp on.

t t t t n hel . yet it is he last possible date. and to ha exe t ps " " " " R omeo and Juliet . R ichard II and R ichard III. w b ere pu lished in 1597. hence w e know that these plays do not belong to the third and fourth periods. A second aid for fixing tbese dates is the mention of tbem

o Di in co ntemporary books and d cuments of cert ain date. " ’ o i aries make menti n of performances. Meres. in hs Wits " h Treasury. 1598 . gives six comedies and six tragedies w hic " ” are most excellent for the stage.

contem Next come allusions. quotations and imitations by ’ " poraries. Take these lines from Weeter s Mirror o f Mar " tyrs. 1601

The many-headed multitude were drowne ' By B rutus speech. tha t C aesar was ambitious When eloquent Mark A ntonie had shawne

His vertues. who but B rutus then was vicious ?

Those lines w ere surely suggested by Shakespeare and in

s a much as they appeared in 1601. w e know that Julius " Caesar ha th d must ve been w ritten not later an that ate.

A gain. some information may be gathered from the fact that certain persons performed a play or that it w as performed at a certain theater. The date of the performance being know m w e get the last possible date for the composition of the play.

d t yet it is indisputable and. like all circumstantial evi ence. i is conclusive so far as it goes.

usions Taking evidence w hichis partly ext ernal. w e find all se in the plays to historicalevents w hose dates are known. The

POE TRY IN SONG. 119 s allusions are numerous and. of course. they fix the earliest po sible date as the external evidence fixed the latest possible d ate. Some of the allusions are in such form that the w rit ing of the play must have been contemporary w ith the histor ical ev ent. Then w e get the exact date.

Of the same nature and of like effect are the quotations from and s o allu i ns to the w orks of other w riters . For ia " stance in Y . A s ou Like It there occurs this line. duly quoted

’ ' Whoever lov d tha t lov d not a t first sight ?

' t ta a o ch Tha is ken from M rl w e s Hero and Leander. w hi b " m w as pu lished in 1598 . a e A s You Like It ust have been w ritten at la r a te date. — — Of the next kind w holly internal t here is an abund

o it ence. but it is n t conclusive. Much of it is theoretica l. yet

W c of is real. e first constru t the man. make the development his mi d mme i t n sy tr ca l. and then w e fit the plays to him. I

a be e m y a hazardous proceeding in some instances. yet the x " " ternal evidence co ntains enough monuments of description. as t surv o he ey rs say. to keep us w ithin reasonable bounds.

It does not require very close observation nor very deep learning to discover that there is a great change in the style " ’ ' " io t o a s. v s and dic n f the pl y In Lo e Labour s Lost. for ex

o ample. the speeches are studied and the conversati n is stilted.

The language in these early plays. as they are now classified. " " is as it w ere a dress put upon the thought : another has said. " o ddl a dress rnamented w ith superfluous care. In the mi e

e plays. such as the great tragedies. the thought and the x

too pression seem evenly balanced. There seems not a w ord

the many or too few to bring out the idea and the action. In

r late plays. the romances. the action and the thought seem faste

t W r la s o l than he language. hile in the ea ly p y one occasi naly

at gets impatient and feels like skipping a speech. in the l er

N N POETRY I SO G. 120

The characters seem to be controlled by the action instea d of

" ' ' the acti bein ontro on g c lled by them. In Love s Labo ur s Lost the dialogue governs everything and everybody w ith an unnaturalness tha is ve tir v t ry esome. In the later plays w e ha e a c aracteriza tha s s o d h tion t w eep everything before it. To s un

c the a tual depths of Hamlet . Lear and Othello is an impos

it s r sibil y. A nd u ely you have noticed the difierence in the

o Man of earl o terma ant. w men. y the y nes are shrew ish an“d g ’ v There is R osanne. w ith her bold rep artee. in Lo e s La ' " ord bour s Lost. There are Mistru s Page and Mistress F

o lov w ith their questionable schemes. Juliet is about the nly

b w hav a le cha racter among them. In the later plays e e such

H a Mi W e as ermione. Perdit . randa . Imogen and Desdemona.

b Taking the plays as a w hole. it is ut natural to group

c io human passion. gravely significant humor in close conne t n

a s rea re us r w itha deepening p tho . g ter moral ach. true j tice. cha

- — b tru all ity. self control. strength of w ill in rief and in th. those mental and moral attributes w hich form a great man b the w ho is a great poet. It may be mere conjecture to ase con date of a play on elements such as these. but it is safe to clude tha t such plays are products of a mature mind -partic ularly w hen w e have others w ith w hich to compare them and

r tu A w hich w e know a e not the product of a ma re mind. comparison of this kind comes more properly under the study of the grow th of the mind. While much of this internal evidence is something that can be felt rather than w eighed and measured. now w e come to the verse test and they are capable of exact scientific caleu lation. Some of the e tests are not app arent to the casual oh

en server. but indefatigable Shakespeare students have been ul thusiastic enough to figure them out . and the res t is very

POETRY I N SONG. 122 - ese beneficial. Some of them may seem far fetched. yet th

a figures ought to mean something. They certainly imply n ' s t w hat intent on the poet s part. and it is safe to uppose hat im ever changes he made in the form of his art seemed best to h . and w hatever seemed best to him w as then and is now best

' The study of the grow th of Shakespeare s mind should come as a co cl is to n usion rather than as a premise. It w ell

v it ha e in mind at all times for the guidance of observation. b t d ut i cannot be formed on a quick stu y . The road is main more traveled. a multitude has follow ed it ; and I can do little

o t out o o d than p in a little f the w ay as others have f und it. an fo rmed it.

' During the first period of Shakespeare s w ork he w as from

t - v rt -o e o ec a tw en y fi e to thi y ne y ars f age. He had just b ome

ex man. w ithfew of the actual experiences of life. and such periences as he had had w ere not such as to develop the art of o tr dramatic instinc w w e e . The t as in him and thus p y “ . ’ find him first touchin u old la s Titus A ndronicus nd “ g p p y . a Henry VI w hich are called the Pro-Shakespearean

t itiou rentice Group. He w as an indus rious and amb s app

w be and very naturally tried his hand at original ork. The “ ' ' " must ginning w as Love s Labour s Lost. and w iththa t one first get the bearings of his mind m order to trace its develop “ o ment. This play has been called a portrait f him in his " b now oyhood. It is a protest in the form of a satire. You k

La t Shakespeare w as alw ays protesting. ter he did it in he

d o en form of the great tragedies. Now he oes it as y uth g — erally does by laughing at people and plans. and ideas.

- Chicfly it is a protest against exclusive book lea rning. The Kit: and his three lords resolve to turn their court into a " " stu little A cademe for three yea rs, devoting themselves to dy.

forsw the fasting much. sleeping little. and particularly ea ring

o o l a es ea rid company. even the sight f w men. A l this Sh k p re

P037 8 ? I N SONG. 123 w i hstand icules. and by his play proves their inability to t

o r tha there is somethi temptati n. The one g eat idea is t ng earthto study besides books.

5 0 study evermore is overshot

While it doth study to have wha t it would. I t dothforget to do the thing it should:

A nd when it ha ththe thing it huntethmost. ' it e o w Tis won as towns w hfir . s on. so lost.

Hence from this play w e discover the very foundation

— Here idea of his mind that the proper study of man is man. is the beginning of his revelation of man. " ’ - A nother early play is Midsummer Night s Dream. w hich more than arm other o f the first period w orks show s

s r here his possession of the great creative faculty . To be u e.

b l creative it is in its youthful form. fancy. ut it is no ess the

os de c te ethereal faculty . One finds this play full of th e li a .

m and touches for w hich w e love Keats and Shelley so uch.

fo Sha e one soon begins to see how the spirit . even the rm. of k

l this spea re hovered over the later poets. Take a line ike

e c aste be a te ! uenched in th h ams of the w ry moon.

oe t That is the very essence of great p try . of the richest produc

e a of a gr at mind. It is that s me old pow er of perception and conception w hich God put into some minds and made poets

ists out of th and art em.

F v is s ar holar Mr. urni all the reat En l h Sha e e ean sc . g g k p “ . e once w rote Mr. R uskin about the interpretation o f a passag " in Sha es eare Mr R us in ho ha en in and . w ed to be k p . k . “ pp one of his petulant moods. replied : You say not one man in one h fi undred and fty know s w hat the line means. My dear Furnivall. not one man in fifteen thousand in the nine teenth centur no s or ca w h y k w . ever n kno . w at any line. or an w ord me s y . an . used by a great w riter. Fo r most w ords stand for things that are seen. or things that are thought of :

T I N N POE RY SO G. 124

l c e a el Sha l om app r led in more precious habit.

More moving delica te and full of life. o Into the eye and pr spect of his soul.

Than when she lived indeed.

A modern psychologist could not define and describe the act

" T ht of o w elfthNig is the last the joy us comedies. He seems to have put into it the best of all that had gone before

mea ation. and nothing of the nness. It needs no expurg

s a th Viola. ma querading as a man. is not less ttractive an

h s a s eed w en he appears as her ow n true self . In th t he exc s

R o a to s lind. There is mirth and humor. w hich is akin

t os bo pa h . a unding on every page. There is strength in every

a ch racter. even in the low est comedy parts. " and Mr. Dow den ha s called this period in the w orld. it ha il f d I means pp y expresses the develOpmu t o his min . t

e c cha r added xperience. deeper philosophy. more symmetri al

acter. more refined art .

When w e endeavor to trace the w ay of this great mind th h o o t roug the third peri d of its greatness. w e are l st at he

r e ies The first turning. It is the period of all the great t ag d . " ’ ' " youthfulness that brought forth Love s Labour s Lost and ' " - ros rous life Midsummer Night s Dream. and the p pe . busy " " that produced Much A do A bout Nothing and Tw elfth " Ni h ave o a disa ointmen ve g t. h g ne. Person l grief and pp t ha b rought the clouds. and w hat dense clouds they are l He has tu ro o a rned f m the bjective to the subjective. nd as he

ac t is looks w ithin he finds his ow n soul a very dark pl e. I s voi E v th comedies are urely a ce out of the depths. en e

io d r ron on lon rotest ser us, a k and i ical. The period is e g p

o its m s against the w ickedness of the w orld. It is a study f y

t d t h man tery. It is here that he sounds the low es ep h of u " " reat passion. King b ear is a w hirlw ind. too great for the g est ac or a s t th t ha ever lived.

POE N TRY I SONG. 126 It is not for us w ho study and practice literature as a mere recreation to attempt to trace the development of this

W e most of him mind through this period. hile w know

o time et w e co ntinuall see be ore through the w ork f this . y y f us heights and depths that w e cannot hope to attain or to

o r st im ressi ns of fathom. and thereby do w e get u deepe p o

A nd now the clouds have rolled aw ay and w e come to “ " " ’ s W the period of happy romances. The Tempe t. A inter s " " " " he st eriod Tale. Cymbeline. and Pericles. Of t se la p " " ' W r s T come to plays. The Tempest and A inte ale The one like a sp ring sun after a dark and stormy w inter. y are the product of a mind w hich has bought peace through

ro w e suffering. They come from one w ho has g w n ise. larg

- are hearted and calm souled. R epentance and forgiveness

ta v r ught in e e y line. A lthough Hermione has been w ronged.

b sus icion and ccusatio o y p a n. bey nd human endurance. yet .

w h re entance is made for iv ess o en p . g en is f rthcoming. W hat

a great. bea utiful. strong w oman she is ! A nd it is the oracle — that saves her something above and beyond the pow er of

man. The poet now begins to see an overruling providence

s that shapes all thing to a happy end. In these older days — again he turns to the joys of youth t he innocence and w ild

ness of a e ta O mo fi d ace P rdi . nce re w e nd those elicate. gr

ful touches o f the early dreams. but they are draw n w ith

a surer hand and have a significance that is more than

V iolets dim. ' " B ut sweeter than the lids of I uno s eyes.

Daf odils. c re e w l Tha t ome befo th s alow dares. and ta ke " The winds of March with bea uty.

’ F or you there s rosemary and rue these keep " o Seeming and sav ur a ll the winter long.

I N POETRY N SO G. 137 A s Shakespeare unfolds his greatness w e are overw helmed

re is a l b inmos arts of by it . He man w ho w ill ay are the t p e your ow n soul. and a sight of it w illkeep you. It may mak m you disheartened at first. ay show you the form of your

s e ow n unw orthine s. but it w ill help you. It w ill encourag

ou to e y mak your soul a better one. and therein lies the badge ' o f Sha kespeare s royalty.

" A bove the goodly land more his than ours e i su e o H s ts pr me. enthroned in skyey t wers. A nd sees the heroic brood of his crea tion

Tea ch larger life to his ennobled na tion. ' O shaping brain! 0 flashing fancy s hues! ' O o ndless e t res b it s d ws ! b u heart. k p f h y p y e O wit humane and blithe ! 0 sense sublime F or eachdim oracle of mantled Time! Transcendent form of Man! in whom we read ’ l e o Ma nkind s who e tale of impuls . th ught. and deed! s be A mid the expanse of year holding thee. We know how vast our world of life may be:

Wherein. perchance. with aims as pure as thine " t a Small tasks and streng hs m y be no less divine.

POETRY I N

' does li ewise. That rls rd k gi ve ict is w orth nothing to you. or to me or to an ot e s . y her p r on. because it is not based up on an lo ical a lication f y g pp o definite principles. but it counts in the general judgment. It is a fact t o w hich all can tes tify that w hile immediate papular judgment is oft en w rong. yet the ultimate general estimate is invariably correct That can be attested in other arts than literature ; in other fields

han a t rt.

True it is. as R uskin says. that w e ought not to talk But science before w e know . or literature before w e think .

the ou h. In men w ill talk . regardless of know ledge or th g t

beau end. how ever. humanity saves the real; and the true. the

A nother reason w hy w e ought t o take an occasional sounding is that w e may discover our points of view and be thereby encouraged and inspired to rise to a higher plane " o man can w ith all its opportunities for w ider vision. N study or interpret life save from the point of view w here he

o hi relations to litera finds himself. and the same is true f s

bea of mo n orm ture. One may catch the full uty a u tain. in f

e and color. w hen view ing it at a distance ; but not until h has begun to climb it does there come to him a full app reci ation of i o vi ch es ts grea tness. A s he climbs his p int o f ew ang .

d ev oo o and an w ith ery step and turn. as he l ks up and d w n

the afar off. not only the mounta in but the w hole w orld and

God w ho made it. seem to gain in grandeur.

Henry James says that art is mainly a point of vk w .

o w hat he That may be true. because I am not quite sure f

s o ter tu i the term mean . but perhaps he does n t include li a re n " "

art as he there used it. C ertain it is that the art of liter ature is some in of i t thing more than a po t view . The po n

of view regulates the relation of literature to life. and for that reason if for . no other. w e ought so t o qualifyourselves tha t w e ma et erar y g the fullbenefit o f that relation. That the lit y

O I N N P ETRY SO G. 130 art is not mainl a oint of view is refu y p ted by the classics.

the same rom all view oints at i They seem f p . all times. Str p ped of every advantage or condition that might have been

lent to them by circumstances. yet they are universally consid ered to be of the greatest w orth and importance.

A s a fundamental proposition it w ill be admitted that all " e o uni art. literature included. exists in consequ nce f the " be versa l human desire for sympathy. To be sure. it may

sa id that most expression is in consequence of that desire. Perhaps w e have been more rea dy to acknow ledge that prop " a c r bit osiri n in pra tical life than in art. Exp ession is the ha " his cause in and law of civilized life. The law yer pleads the form that he deems most likely to gain the sympathy of

o inions onl the judge and juro r. The editor w rites his p y m that he may make his readers see life as it appears to hi .

b i of a lover and there y gain their sympathy . The w oo ng

li more. and the training of a child mean as much. and ttle One is inclined to look upon history as a matter of cold

b ears fact w ithout an element of human sympathy in it. ut y d ago. before he became a great hist orian. and before he ha

ever thought of becoming president of Princeton University. W i Mr. W oodrow ilson. in an essay . sa d “ of ex eriment A nd so it turns out . w hen tne actual test p

me e than is made. that the historian must have so thing mor

me man. good conscience. must be so thing more than a good He must have an eye to see the truth; and nothing but a very catholic ima gination w ill serve to illuminate his matter for him ; nothing less than keen and steady insight w ill make even

el o Even illumination yi d him the truth f w hat he looks upon.

and w hen he has seen the truth. only half his w ork is done.

that not the more difi cult half. He must then make others see it just as he does ; only w hen he has done that has he

told the truth.

This idea of Pro fessor Wilson is most strikingly illustrated

N POETRY I N SO G. 131 the methods or r ther Ev by . . a . the art. of Macaulay . ery reference to the relation of England to the w orld brings to " mind tha t statement of his that Not since the fires w ent out at the battle of Hastings have the inhabitants of England ' " smo e f a En seen the k o n enemy s camp. It makes one see g

as rea d land he saw her. and it w ins all the sympathy of the '

er s heart.

v the How e er. aside from the law yer. the joumalist. and

historian. upon examination w e find how true it is that art

does e ist in x consequence of this human desire for sympathy.

The artist sees t b hings. and then. y the brush. or the chisel.

or the en striv to m th r p . es ake o e s see as much. The great En lish i g pa nter Turner w“as show ing one of his pictures to a w oman a d s . n he said. I cannot see those colors in a sun " “ ' " set and oe ; he said. Don t you w ish you could? The p t Keats w rote :

Lo ! 1 must tell a ta le of chiva lry. F or lar e hite lumes a re dancin e e g w p g in min ye.

Our ow n Emerson. in the song My Garden. expressed the idea most completely in the opening stanza :

If I could put my words in song. ' A nd tell wha t s there enioyed.

A ll men would to my garden throng. "

A nd leave the cities void.

If the object of one w ho practices the literary art be to gain our sympatht en how shall be do it il There can be m that but one answ er. w hich is tha t he must confine hi self to

literary truth w hich is the subject of this paper. It seems quite possible to discuss this question w ithout first defining ' literature or attempting to give an answ er to Pilate s question.

Theoretically w e find much difficulty in matters of this kind. bu t somehow practically w e feel that w e know . even if w e

POETRY I N SONG. 132

w f e n A nd hat di f re ce does it make to you. or to me. or t o any person. w hich w as thereP

W D H e l rec . . ow ls ently took occasion to score the tend

ro ency tow ard the mantic in litera ture. and called attention particularly to certain w ork w hich could not be true because there w ere no such kings and queens and kingdoms and coun tries doubtless re e i rtic ar A ntho Ho W e . f rr ng pa ul ly to ny pe. th all know tha t Mr. How ells never makes a mistake of at

c v e r Yo kind. He an gi e a d sc iption of a New rk flat or apartment -house w hich w ill excel in the matter of det ail the

- advertisements of the most enterprising realestate bro ker. Surely this precision of his in that respect has nothing w hat

ever to do w ithfire value of his art.

This brings to mind that class of literature called realism et w hich. w hile no t undertaking to record actual events. y records imaginary ones w ith such a w ealth of detail that it

afiects us the same as does the record of actual occurrences

found W the in the daily press. ithin the last six months “ ' ' " stage of my city has had Ibsen s Ghosts and Tolstoi s " "

R esurrection. Bofir are realistic. but there is the w idest

erence etw difi b een them. Ibsen lays bare a condition that is

so extreme r voltin o ly e g firs t ne shudders in the horror of it. The feeling that it brings is almost identical w ith that w e experience in coming in contact w ith the actual tragedies of

e ou d o lif . One w l not think of taking his child to see ne of the Ibsen plays any sooner than he w ould take him to see the

c exe ution of a murderer. and all the Ibsen argument about the ethical influence of that kind of art applies as w ell to fire ethica l influence that comes from contact w ith the actual

r mines w ickedness of life. But Tolstoi. like Shakespea e. illu his tragedy in suchmanner that there is no mistaking the good

influence that comes fro m it .

Not long since it w as my good fortune to see Sotherrr " " f r ro erties use in Hamlet. The w ealth o scene y and p p d

POETRY I N SONG. 184 in fire production of fire play puts an atmosphere around it

for et fira t. coupled w ith the perfection of his art. makes one g

b the his ow n life and surroundings for the time eing. A s dead Hamlet is ho me aw ay on the shields of the so ldiers and the curta in goes dow n there comes fire feeling that life

effect is larger. It is impossible to express this difierence in upon us betw een fire actual tragedy and fire acted tragedy. but w mo ro e realize it. and w e realize it so much re tho ughly and loftily in a tragedy of Shakespeare that his kingship is v ery evident .

to to do w ifir literary trufir. one must consider its application

firer f rms t drama novel o o han fire and fire .

It is quite possible that firere is a misunderst anding about

an realism. w hich is easier to define than to recognize. M y a piece of idea lism rs taken for realism because it is so nat

e the w holl ural. Just there comes in naturalism. w hich rs n i r y b idea l nor w holly real. but is the golden mean etw een the

idea lism be natural. A nd it must be a part of idealism. else

w for w ould not be true. hich is alw ays necessary . Take. ' " exam le e s S cham p . Th C otter aturday Night . w hich fire

ions of r c to p ealism laim be peculiarly their ow n. W hat does the oet ? p do He takes a very real subject. a humble cottage a i nd ts occupants. eliminates every imperfect element in fire

into a icture w hich f p represents a very natural li e. not as it actuall exists a and y in ny one example. but as it might exist o t ught o exist . The poem is a piece of idealism w ith more

s on than the u ual amount of naturalism in it. The efiect up

ead the r er is efirical. as fire efiect of poetry ought alw ays to be.

The dw o eller up n fire plains. w ho has been reared among the hills a found and the w ters . cherishes in his mind a picture ed u o icture p n fire memory of that ea rlier life. To him this p

POETRY I N SONG. 133 u fire is very real. but w ere he to express it in verse or pon

b r m re canvas. it w ould e a piece of ve y natural idealis . far

d f o fire actual rea l H w ould omit firerefrom move r m and . e

ere all the unpleasant elements of that life. though firey w legion. and so combine the pleasant memories as to produce

t do o something purely ideal. No being en w ed w ith fire p w er

r see the oet t o give expression to firese d eams of his. he ks p . dut of w hose office is to do it for him. Now . w hat is the y this poet ? What kind o f a picture shall he make ? He can destroy the beautiful image in fire mind of the plainsman by

be firs t truthw hichis fact . or he can enhance its auty by tha t

er o w o rea m the trufir w hich is p ception. The ne uld be lis . o er id s b th ealism. He can never fulfill his mi sion y taking

o o one j t r titfie from anyfiring that is beautiful. even though it be no more re o than a d am r a memory .

The poet has ofirer missions than tha t of giving form to — the picture another carries in his mind he creates new pictures for ofirer minds to cherish. and w hat kind shall be create? There is enough sordidness in the actual life of man w ifirout the creation of an thin fictit y g ious in firs t line. The only w ay to drive firis sordidness out of mind is to put somefirirrg het ter in its lace and thi fire p . s poet ought to do .

There is a most excellent illustra tion o f w hat I mean in ’ " " Sha es eare s Much A k p do A bout Nothing. You w ill re member firat C laudio rejects Hero at fire marriage altar be cause he believes her t f S sw oons o have been un aifirful. he and it is iven out she as g tha t died. The old friar. w ho w about to marr firern believ w s an and y . es not a ord of the l der. says of C laudio

When he shall s e die hear h d upon his words. The idea of her life shall sweetly creep n is s a I to h tudy of im gina tion. A nd every lovely organ of her life

O I N P ETRY SONG . 136

ern novelist. in the efiort to shun everything that might be

construed to be didactic. has so far departed from his fore fathers as to shut out even the ethical influence that his w ork ought to brea the

In making estimates of this kind of literature one may

not cast aside all that mass of s R oe tufi represented by E . P .

wi o a th ut giving a reason firerefor. and it is not an easy m tter

to s tate fire reason. A bout all that one can say is that it is

s c man a w aste of time to read u hbooks. because drere are so y

fic a certainl better ones. The virtues of that class of tion re y

v o nev lea o to of fire negati e kind. From it one w uld er rn hw

i rtistic do w rong. and it is doubtful w hether anything so na

v for could e er lea d one to do right. These a re good books those w ho w ould be reading something w orse if they did no t

have firem. but firey are harmful to those w ho w ould be read

hese ing something better if these w ere out of the w ay. T

i made novels have religion in them. It is dragged in and s

a fire so evident that one cannot escape it. but it does not h ve

e right efiect. More and more fire w orld is coming to re aliz that religious expression w hich rs not art istic in form rs seldom ethical in efiech and at fire same time firat many things are ethical m effect w hich have naught to do w ith the expression

But all this is to tell w hat literary trufir is not . If our " definition of literature be correct. then it is genuine and typ " s ce and ical emotion. By genuine emotion w e nrean in rity.

i sincerit liter it is used to cover a multitude of s ns. By y in ature w e do not mean tha t an aufiror simply believes w hat

e f -dece he says. or p rceives or eels w hat he expresses. Self p

s i tion i fire easiest firing in the w orld. Sometimes it is p tiful. it and sometimes it is dissimi lar and any victory gained by

o - ed t en is sh rt liv . Sentimen is w hat a man feels. and sentim t

alit is w t full y ha he persuades himself that he feels. Being y

ersuaded he ves e r on his b ev n p . gi full xp essi to feelings. eli i g

O I N N P ETRY SO G. 138 “ ma that ofirers may he as easily deceived. Theoretically w e y ri u but doubt of our pow er to judge of the since ty of an a thor. " w e o d not find this so impossible practically . In going home on the ca r fire ofirer evening a w oman explained fire success and power of a certain man along right lines hy saying that “ " he alw ays rings true. A nother kind of ° incerity that does not count is illustrated by fire author w ho gives as an excuse for his w ork fire fact that it is r to said t ue his perceptions. Longfellow

" t Look. then. in o thy heart. and write.

While no author ought to put int o form anything that he u nnot see in his ow n heam yet he must understand that the mere fact that something is in his heart does not give him the right to express it. The w orld is full of had men w ith

c had hearts. The fa t tha t a man actually perceives a thing a certain w ay does not give him fire right alw ays to exp ress

‘ In fire summer of 1895 it w as my good fortune t o fall in w ifir M r. Hamlin Garland in the mountains of C olorado. I called him to account for fire kind of literary w ork he had " done in fire volume of short stories called Main-Traveled

R oa He replied that the artist must express w hatever

e v he p rcei es. and maintained tha t sincerity w as fire real test of literature ; that in firat book he depicted certain life as he perceived ih and that as an artist he could not have done

t w s o her i e. In fire early days of the Populist movement in

Kansas w hen fire w inds w e . re hot and fire people w ere crazed. this book had a great circulation among fire malcontents. Wide-aw ake agents sold it on the streets and through fire cormtr n t e not y. a d i filled a w ant w hich w as very eag r. if

o - the l ng felt. It w as a case of the dissatisfied reading about dissatisfied and fire book w as liked because misery loves com an p y. Hrs book did not contain portrayals of sorrow and sufie i sel- r ng and f sacrifice. w hich are ofttimes the most beau

tifulfirings in the w orld. but w as a w ailfrom the discontented.

It could have and did have but one efiect. and that w as to ’ ma e fire reader s w s k o n life seem the meaner. There is ome i w firng ro ng with a book w hichdoes firat . and w e are inclined

believe ch to tha t Mr. Garland made a mistake in expressing su that perceptions. W e do not doubt his sincerity in fire sense

v r he percei ed all that he expressed. but w e question his fireo y that fire art ist must express such things because he has per

ceived them.

ure A ccording to our definition. firis emotion w hich literat

there expresses must not only be genuine. but also typical. and in w e believe lies the best manifestation of w hat is meant by

B the w ord t i is meant that w hich is literary trufir. y yp

general and universal as distinguished from the personal. " hate The eternal facts of life and of dea th. of love and of .

f - reserva th res ect the instinct o self p tion. the fear of pain. e p

— law s for courage. and the enfirrallment of passion. these are of humanity so universal that w e assume firern to be know n " w o t o allmankind. The result is that w hen w e find some rk in literature so portraying life that it ignores these conditions

f is a of human existence. w e know that it is not true. Li e

ri underta e matter of relationships. and no one has a ght to k

essa to portray firem until he understands them. A French y

a ist said that it takes a grea t deal of life to make a litfie rt. In firat w ay do w e account for the fact that little of A mer ican literature has yet found its w ay into fire realm of the clas

s sic . In that w ay do w e account for fire incompleteness of the

art and hiloso h o m p p y f Shelley and o f Keats. both o f w ho

died as fire w ere e er ro y m ging f m boyhood. W e have a right to suppose that had firose poets lived fire lengfir o f days firat w ere iven t o W o ds g r w orth and Tennyson. they w ould have grow n into a truer conception of fire relations of men to one

O I N N P ETRY SO G. 140

THE POW ER OF THE V ISION .

T WA S a preacher o f great sermons and “ Where a singer of great songs w ho said. "

eo e erish. there is no vision. the p pl p

Though w e live in anofirer age and Sol

omon seems to us far hack in the centu

roverb is a w is ries. the w isdom of his p

too stron a tendenc in these times dom of tod ay. There is g y of ours to shape education and life after the manner of the — practical—so-called practical and it behooves us occ asion

no fire ractical ally to be reminded that it is fire ideal. and t p .

v former sustains fire soul that sa es us fro m perishing. The an v i soul d the latter the body. and the relative alue s as fire

s o a to the body . Bofir are es ential. and in pleading f r the ide l

s I eek not to destroy the practical.

It ever has been true and ever w illbe true that “ e Men must work and women must w ep. and education must not be unmindful of that practical train i f ing w hich makes labor lghter and consequenfiy tears ew er.

— os — o i w ve but sometimes yea . m t times w e f rget . f e ever ha

w i hte learned it . hat t is that tends most to make labor lig r and tears it few er. It is the pow er of vision. and w ithout the o e m d perish. W hat is this w onderful pow er of vision firat saves peo ple from perishing? It is the pow er of dreaming and perceiv ing. the pow er of seeing things w ifir fire eyes open and fire e es clos y ed. and of seeing those things w hich make o f ea rfir somethin of v g hea en. for the na ture of our drea ms and per

O I N N P ETRY SO G. 142 em im or th t ceptions is of supr e p tance. Visions at are nigh

v v s mares do not save the people from perishing. and e ery i ron

elm bea is a nightmare that has not some e ent of uty m it .

There be so me w ho pro fess to believe drat visions are

o b a for poets and pr phets. ut fireir pro fessions re not sincere.

W e are all dreamers. W e could not w ork if w e did not

v dream. In truth w e could not li e if w e did not dream. and

w o o sa rov erchance tha t as w ha t S l mon id in his p erb . If. p .

s iritual w e should continue to exist in fire flesh. fire soul. fire p

li e w ould erish and w e w ould be no more than the em f p . “ ’ ’ The bodiment of Millet s painting and Markham s poem.

Man w ith the Hoe. Have you never thought it strange that so few men and w omen commit suicide? Have you not w ondered w hy they should go on from yea r to year bearrng burdens that w ill surely crush them in fire endit Is it fire fear of God that prevents allsuchperishing? Is it not simply

a h s on? h0pe. dr t ope w hichis no more. and no less. than a vi i i Whichever it may be. it is a vision. A nd vision s some

o v e i firing m re than a preventi e of p r shing. It is the means.

o the support. f true life.

In my tow n there is a man for w hom fire people express

ett alon much sympathy. or. rafirer. pity . He is g ing w ell g

v ccu a in years. nearly se enty . and has a mulated no w e lth. There have been times w hen fire question o f means for p ro

curin fire i i more g necess t es of life has been very serious. not

so hi than in a multitude of other cases. but this man is ghly

uca d ndi s he ed ted an fire co tion seem strange. The trufir is. is not a practical man and fire matter of education has had

nothin to w ifir h lived g do his failure to get rich. But he as

a ha li e and a clean li So o le ppy f . fe. and a kind life. me pe p

callhim a dreamer. The ofirer morning I w as driving behind him out into fire country and he w as talking to himself and

ma in estures as thou a i k g g gh n aud ence w ere before him. I

co w uld not hear his w ords. but I know him w ellenoughto kno

O I N G N P ETRY O G. 143 need that he w as reciting Shakespea re. That man does not

a sadl in to be pitied. but many of firms w ho pity him re y need of it. His neighbor. without education. has been very

for thrifty. He has accumulated much and has fire means

s W recreation o gratifying his desire . hen he desires . he g es to Kansas C ity or Chicago and buys it. He w ould like to

b o H h buy education. ut he rs too ld for that . e know s naug t

s of any but fire material firings of life. and con equently can

o o think. or dream. of n thing else. N w . w hich of firese tw o

? os men. think you. is the more fortunate Supp ing them both t more t o be good men morally. w hich life do you think he pleasing in fire sight of God? W hich of firese men w ill get

w here the more enjoyment out of heaven. if heaven be a place fire happiness bestow ed is limited only by fire capacity of the

drea recipient ? The one sees firings. and ms. and lives. The ofirer is blind and perishes.

One of the strangest firings of life is the fact that so many

e i w e peopl see so ltfie of it. see nothing but w hat can be ighed

s and measured and bought and sold. To firern fire pring and summer and autumn are but times of sow ing and planting.

hi ernate gafirering and reaping. and fire w inter a time to b . as do e bea rs sna es 1 d fir and k and groundhogs. hey ream. of course. but fireir only visions are of dollars made and dol l rs los In v b a t. fireir life drey find no re elation of God. ut in the w ritten or the spoken w ord. To such a man nature reveals nothing. He is as the blind. but for the conveniences

' A primrose by a river s brim ell A y ow primrose was to him. " A nd it was nothing more.

He can listen to the majestic tones of fire great organ and w onder only at fire skill of the player and fire cost of fire instru m ment. w hen its mighty music ought to make him drea

A few years ago l spent an evening at a farm-house in

w estern Kansas. nine miles from fire nearest railroad and four

miles from the nearest neighbor. The house had been built

in a litfie draw . not deep enough to conceal more than the

low er story. but so deep first from fire doors and w indow s '

of the house one s view w as limited. The ow ner had evl

d t ti ot i r den y selec ed fire loca on as a pr ect on f om the w inds. but fin daughter told me that she w ould die of unrest but for

av s that little r ine. She aid that firere w as really nothing to

see. as it w ere. but there w as a com l about it that

rested her. that made her dream. While it is true that of

earfirly blessings God w ithholds much of pea ce firs t men may

be impelled continua lly to seek Him. yet there is not enough of His handiw ork evident on the prairie to make men believe

firs t He could comfort them. fire But . my friends. though the prairies be monotonous.

h uiet mountains far distant. and the w aters few . yet t ere is q enough in this life of ours to tease us out of all the thought

rea that w e possess. A nd does it ? The g t artist Turner w as

c m r ed showing one of his pi tures to a w o an. and she rema k . “ " “ " d a not I do not see those colors in the sunset . I are s y . “ ' he said ; but don t you w ish you could? How many of us could see the colors o f fire rainbow until w e w ere told that

’ drey w ere there it The immortal Shakespeare saw C upid s

c o t e a ter ! uenched in the haste beams f h w y moon.

loo at fire i That w as a vision. The mighty Milton ked M lky W ay and called it

" ol A broad and ample road. whose dust is g d

A nd cavement stars.

r She e scanned the firma That w as a vision. The soa ing lly ment and said

POE TRY I N SONG . 140 “ ' Heaven s ebon vault Seems likea canopy whichLove has sprea d

To curtain her sleeping world.

That w as a dream. The Mary in Heaven for w hom R ob ert Burns longed w as a

lingering star withlearni ng rap .

’ A nd Wordsw orths Lucy. w ho

dwelt among the untrodden ways.

W ”

A violet by a mossy stone. Half hidden from the eye

Fair as a star. when only one

Is shining in the sky.

These u w ere but dreamers and their names w ill

perish.

r Not long since. George R . Peck. one of the g ea test men " w ho has ever lived in Kansas. said to me : There ts noth

s r ing in being a lawyer. It is imply a matter of p emises and

co io B conclusions. premises and nclus ns. ut fire poet. he has "

the reat creative mind he sees thin s and resses them. g . g exp - f or ec is b The wide spread fame o Ge ge R . P k ased on his o cas. nud not on his legal ability. His great ratiom are — matters of pure sentiment far removed from his profession

The bea uty firat arouses visions is not confined to those ’ obiects that appeal to and gratify one s a thetic nature.

o Everything firs t is go d is beautiful. Every act of self — sacrifice and fire w orld is full of them—ought to bring one a dream of heav en. A w eary mother devoting a life to an invali c d hild. a w ifeless fafinr trying to support and keep

POE TRY I N SONG. l 147 r child oun together his mothe less ren. fire young man or y g w oman w ho sacrifices the realization of every hope and every

—firese of these ambition for fire w elfare of aged parents. . all . are things of beauty and ought to bring joy forever to the beholder o f drem ; joy over fire goodness dw elling in the hea rts

f tha ab m w omen o men. A nd w ha t is it t en les these en and to bea r such burdens ? What is rt firs t keeps them fro m

r sn e I know a w oman w ho . for thi ty yea rs. ever rce th

death of her mother. has devoted her w hole life to the care

fo b of an imbecile brofirer. He ought to be ca red r y the

mi firs t State in one of its institutions. but she w ill not per t .

v a w s dresses because he is her bro firer. E ery d y she a hes and

a and feeds him just as a mofirer does her baby. She is

v - sla e to a fool. but it is fire greatest instance of self sacrifice

do that has ever come to my notice. How does fire w oman it ? What is it first keeps her from perishing ? It is naught

o e A al t true else but fire vision f a pl ased God. fter l he

- cri rs i ow n test o f life and of religion is self sa fice. and it ts

e di exc e ng great rew ard. if w e only knew it.

l i I s ept. and drea med tha t lfe was B ea uty

I woke. a nd found tha t life was Duty. Was thy dream then a shadowy lie ? s Tail on. poor heart. uncea ingly; A nd thou shalt find thy drea m to be " o A truth and no nda y light to thee.

a co A nd w hen de th mes to those w hom w e love most. w hy do w e w ho are bereft toil on and live on? Why do w e not

erish w ith our bro en hearts b o p k . and y our ow n hands. if n t

ofirerw ise ) Because w e are sav v ed by isions. If you w ill

call to mind the love-afiair betw e C en laudio and Hero . as “ " told b Sha es eare in Much A do bo y k p A ut Nothing. you will remember that C laudio rejects Hero at the marriage

altar eca use he believes her b to have been rmfaifirful. She

O T I N P E RY SONG. 148

Stat e. He w ill make it in his mind. and w hen he has made

it. he w ill love it because he has made it.

bo mbo m The language of patriotism is sym lism. and sy lis it but is only a ma tter of visions. The flag is nothing in self

f w hite a b e bunti ut to efire ver pieces o red. nd lu ng. p g r in a y sio inartistic form. but every star and every bar brings a vi n

of State. a vision of blood shed and batfies w on. Thus said

ou Emerson. and he uttered but something firs t every one of y

fire know s in your heart to be true. Every nation w here people had not these visions of patriotism and fire blood did " not tingle at fin sight of an emblem on an old rag of bunt " ing has long since perished and vanished from fire face of

he r t ea th.

Hope has been defined by the poet as fin dream of "

those firs t a e. w k It is fin one vision that. more than all

s The mi erable have no other medicine. o B ut nly hope.

It is hope that makes fin joy o f anticipation ofttimes

reater than the o of realiz tio g “ j y a n. Unea sy lies the head firs t w ears a crow n applies to

c t co w ev of the row n firs mes ith ery resp onsibility. and many " " us w ho deem ourselves to be prisoners of hope do not real

e ea u a v iz the b ties and d antages of our immisonment. If a ' an ho m s pe be all for fin material firings of earth. then to

him it is a medicine of litfie benefit. It cannot cure fire dis " ease of discontent. It is of litfie consequence w ha t a man

has. if he imagines firs t he must have something more in order

b o to e truly happy . The possession of money is a curse t a man if it but increase his hope and desire for more

C ris money . A nd here come in fin mission and benefit of h

B R Y PO T IN SONG. 160 and w omen. and yet C hristian fathers and mothers send their

hters sons and daug to secular colleges. w here no thought is

taken of fire ho e t blooms fir T b p tha w ifirin em. hey should e taught that hope is something more than ambition; that hope

leads to heave n and ambition often leads to hell. “ By tha t sin fell the angels.

A man is judged by God not according to w hat he is.

but acco t rding o w hat he hopes to be. and if he have not

the vision of true hope. he w ill perish. E A nd faithis a vision. a vision of God. very

o it l ates his w n God. and how few of us are competent to do o ers The place of fin creating is fire human soul. and its p w i d er are the nstruments for fire w ork. Herein comes fire ang w h of an uneducated clergy. How shalla man w ho kno s not ing of this pls ce and these po“wers say firat your God or my God is not fin true God) A n honest God is fire noblest " w ork of man. and w e ought to be so educa ted firat w e can

make in our minds visions of an honest God. a true God. a w o u so man eo rslripf l God. The surprising thing is that y p ple w onhip God comidering firat they carry in their minds

w oo visions of a Being so absolutely unw orthy of orship. T

o an many of us do not even know fire attributes f God. and m y w ho do. do not understand fin nature of them. and in this ' w ay it is easy to account for muchof the w orld s superstition.

' fire But remember. tha t though mental traming makes f correct vision of God. its clearness depends on purity o

Have ou ev ondered over e fu meanin of the heart. y e“r p th ll g fo the w onderful bea titrrde. Blessed are fin pure in heart. r y ” shall see God? Every w rongful act or desire is as a veil shut betw een God and us. and it takes not many of them to

f si h vain Him rmn our g h and then w e perish. Our religion is if its clrief concern be not to prevent the making and to ac

POE TR Y m SONG. lo t complish the rendirrg of these veils that shut out of our lives

The greatest boon that comes to us firrough the faculty im f w in s of vision is fire w onderful pression of reedom. The g

st m neither of thought never tire. and neither winds nor or s.

fli ht. land nor w ater. neither God nor man. retard fireir g They carry one to the high mountain w here he may see all

o t a in dow and the w orld pass by and call it his. w ith u f ll g n ression of w orshiping Satan in return. This w onderful imp i oor freedom has not come to all men. Tlrey are lke the p

-s rished shepherd w ho . blinded and lost in the snow torm. pe

w as w ifirin a few feet of his cottage door. not knowing it

dre b re. The freedom is for all men. and nothing w ill ring

m i s se o so uchhapp nes and joy and peace as fire nse f it .

A nd so I plead for that culture w hich w ill so train and store the mind ths t there w ill come to it such a vision of pa triotism as w ill inspire every citizen so to love his country as

to st rive to make it the noblest of ea rth. I plead for that culture w hich w illbring such a vision of hope as w ill sustain and strengthen under the severest trials of afliction and the

dearest sacri fices of self. I plead for firs t culture w hich w ill create such a vision“of faifir as w rllbring to every soul a true compreha rsion of Him that w alketh upon the w ings of the

Fin ally. I plead for that culture w hich w ill so train the

faculty of vision that it may have fire pow er and fire joy of

erceivin eaut p g b y in all truth. for “ — B eauty is truth. truth beauty. tha t is all o Ye kn w on earth. and a llye need to know .

I plead for firese visions because w here there is no vis " on t i . he people perish.

S N POE TRY I N O G. 152

S Y A N D S MA ON R THE TATE .

A NY of fin early Masons of this country

forgot that silence and circumspection

are of fin greatest of Masonic virtues.

To keep the reputation of the fraternity

unsullied seems not to have been their

constant ca re. Their zeal for the insti

t i can tution led them astray. and too much zeal in any hng

or do more positive injury firan too little zeal. A rgument

v believe that contention w ifir one w ho belie es. or pretends to . Masons are organized for fire purpose of burning barns and committing murder is a futile thing. — In firose days of old fire w orld w atched Masonry not

N ada s the to discover its virtues. but to detect its vices. ow y w orld is too busy to w atch anybody or any organization. — Masonry must make itself felt negative virtue is like an

o w ho unuttered speech. absolut ely w orthless except to the ne

de ortifica tion possesses it. These are not times of fense and f

— of ever r they are times aggression and expansion. In yfi ing

c fire race is to fin sw ift. C onstru tion counts. Destruction falls b y its ow n sw ord. That rs true in C hurch and rn State. in home and in society.

earth a sacred and of riends brot w h . b f and hers. among om no content o i n should ever exist except firs t noble contention. " or rather emulation of w ho can best serve or est a ree . “b g . w e are units of b s e fin e t government upon ea rth. of fire peopl . " b the eo le o y p p . and f r fin p eople. If there is any relation of one to fire other w e o h . ug t to know it. If firere is any relation it ou . ght to be of such positive nature. so evident in its cfiect. firs t fin w orld ca nnot escape the know ledge of it.

The relation of Masonry to fire State must be individual

c it and personal in character. Not as an organization an ti ti In have any rela on to the State under present condi ons. the eaercise of civil government no secret society has a place.

virtue but in the formation of ideals and fire practice of .

f b e aid. thereby ma king better citizens. it is capable o inestima l

an The w orld has a right to ask about firs t matter. and fire ’ sw er ought to be apparent in every Mason s daily w alk and

ve ti behooves con rsa on. The w orld has the right to ask how it

c us to be Masons if w e are nly as ofirer men are. But w lrv L me should w e be difierent fro m other men. and how ? et — answ er firs t in one respect only in respect to our thoughts.

our ideals.

Edrics is fire science of human duty and Masonry teaches it by a series of symbols just as fin State teaches pa trio tism.

fla is b blue The g nothing in itself ut pieces of red. w hite and bunting put together in such form as to violate all fire tradi

s ll the bu ou tion . a principles and all fin rules of art . t to y an to or because d me it is the most beautiful flag in the w ld.

- s b rin s it means so much. beca use every star and every tripe g a vision of fin grow th and fire grea tness of our beloved coun try ; brings visions of blood shed and batfies w on and lost. But this flag o f ours ought to excite visions of fin future as w ell as of the past . For the aging veteran it refreshes a mem or w hi h y c is a blessed heritage. In fin fulness o f his man

oo o f t h d he f ught or i because he loved it. Now he loves it beca se he fo f t im it u ught or i . and firs t is enough for h , and ought to be. A But it w ill not be enough for the coming generation.

fla cannot g w ave forever upon fire mere record of a memory . The best object of a know ledge of the past is to store the mind w ithmaterial out of w hich ideals for the future may be

O IN SO P ETRY NG. 156

re W him g at. ho shall say that the influence of Masonry is not a arent in fire Declaration o n pp f I dep endence. w hen all but tw o or o sib t . p s ly three. of its signers w ere Masonsi Who

shall say that Masonry did not aid our most illustrious

brofinr our first resid . P ent . in establishing a standard fit for the measurement of all his successors ) Who shall say firs t our lat ov e bel ed martyr. w ho deemed it not benea th his dig nity to lay aside fire habit of State and clothe himself w ith to fire lambskin. w ho shall say firs t Masonry did not help form his high ideals of justice betw een men and nations?

These are but tw o of the great leaders w hom w e have chosen

i t ma in of the k g a State. These and all ofirer great states

r w w men, nea ly all of w hom have been Masons. knew hat as

v v When right and belie ed that fire right w ould finally pre ail“.

ohn . In alls at the zenifir of his lor said firat fire uri J J g . g y . p " o fica tion of politics is an iridescent dream. he not nly sep arated himself from any enduring greatness. but did more actualharm to fire Nation firan did all the firieving politicians

f his ti o me.

The man w ho violates the law is not nearly so danger ous a citizen as he w ho says and thinks that the law ought

a v is to be violated. The man w ho violates his ma rri ge ow

u es fr - ov ev live a safer citizen than the p r t ee l er that er d. I w ould rafirer have for my neighbor a sneaking firief firan an honest ana rchist . A man w ho does w rong and know s it is w rong may not esca pe punishment in this w orld or the next. but he is a much more desirable citizen than fire one w ho obe a s use ys law . but advocates its violation by other . beca

Sincerity of belief is no excuse for a w rong ideal. Ig

anc is b r o asonr nor e a ette one ; in truth. it is the nly one. M y

rel i Ma removes that. and the result is firs t fin true at on of sonry to the State lies in the revelation of fire elements of good citizenshi to p its members.

POETRY I N SONG 158 But a Mason cannot give much to his State w ithout sac

He assumes w ifir his oath at the alta r a broader obli rifice.

t our hundre ears a o a school-teacher gatica of du y . F“ d y g told his pupils first a high tifie doth charge a man w ifir the ” heavy burden of too great a promise.

Now here has the advancement of civilization w rought

more serious injury than in Masonry . While its benefits have

anized been great . yet fire misfortune outweighs them. Org

t u ar of Ma charity. as fire erm is now sed. has become a p t rom soury as it has of the churches. and it has eliminated f

so d f our our life fin element of sacrifice. It w as a rry ay or fraternity w hen personal sacrifice on fin part of its members became unnecessar y . and it is unnecessary . A Mason can live and die now adays. and leave a very respectable reputa

tio e n b hind him. w ithout ever having given aw ay a dollar first

to lived. but it is a lamentable condition tha t permits him so live an d yet be a reputable Mason. b b Organized charity is etter for thou w ho rece ive it. e cause o i e — an f ts r gularity that is. it is more convenient. d “ " ta es aw a fire dan er of s k y g a fea t or a famine. How ever. “ " it ives to so of o g me its recipients fire idea f a vested right.

firereb rev i o y p ent ng any feeling f gratitude. w hich is fire least o f v es the irtu . and its absence. consequenfiy. the greatest of

the ces. o vi But in rganized charity. as w e use it in Masonry.

firere is no element o c f sa rifice. and fin practice of it is of no fi bene t to fin giver.

In our local lodge life fire charity is all disbursed from the general fund. so that no member feels it. If a needy brother c s around all on us or is discovered by us. w e send him to t Master or to f b be sic he the relie oard. If a brother k. w e ma hire a nurse at fire expense of the lodge. so that w e y ’ not ss so u s he hired nurse crifice m ch as a night s leep . T

TR POS Y I N SONG. 159 may be better for fire sick brother. w hich is fire argument w e b ? use to quellour conscience. but how a out ourselves A Past Grand Master of an adjoining State remarked to me that his Masonry never entered into his business ; that M with in his ofi ce. at his counter. he dealt with a ason as

s e him if every other manz that business is busine s. I ask d he meant by that that he w ould rob a Mason just as quickly as he w ould any other man.

In a hotel ofi ce at Topeka a traveling man. w ho is a

Mason. said that customers often asked favors in the w ay of

r ce o r r it p i s te ms of payment on Masonic grounds. but that “ ” “ "

o o . o did n t g My brethren. w hy does it not g ? Has it come to pass that Masonry is so far removed from business that it is not w orth a favor? Not w orfir the sacrifice of a mere method? Not w orth the sacrifice of a dishonest dollar?

w e now A nd allk how it is in politics. So many brethren seem to ta ke pride in announcing that their Masonry never interferes w ith their politics. as firoughit w ere a virtue. Most ' men s politics w ould be cleaner if they w ould let their Masonry

terfere h it in w it . " In his essay on Character. Emerson said : We have no pleasure in firinking of a benevolence that is only measured i by its w orks . Love is inexhaustible. and if its estate is w asted.

c its granary emptied. still cheers and enri hes ; and the man. h thoug he sleep . seems to purify fin air. and his house t o adorn

l nds e s t W now w ho is the a cap and treng hen fin law s. e k ben v e olent . by quite ofinr means firan fire amount of sub scription to soup societies. It is only low merits that can be

The giver w hO prides himself on the giving gets no ben

c Massillon ave this beautiful e ression t o efit from fin“a t. g xp od esus fire idea : Charity. my brethren. is fin sw eet or of J

Christ . w hich evaporates and is lost the moment it is uncov " “ ered . A nd another said : For God w eighetlr more w ifir

P O T I N NG E RY SO . 160

B Y ROTHERL LOV E .

NEW thought on brotherly love is one

of the im ossi ilities o p b f earth. It is of

the ver essence of hum y an life. the foun

dation of human i er nt course. the motive

of all art the rece . p pt of religion. the

ob ec M j t of asonry . W e are taught it

schoo and lod t c an l e. a home. in chur h. d . g The kno w ledge of it came to us w ith fin first spark of life as w e lay up next ' to the beating of our mothers hearts. before w e had seen the

Tha ow led e b cherished c light of any day. t kn g has een . ul

ressed and s mbolized b the art of M so r W e tivated. exp y y a n y .

l res b o i have been adnronished by ectu . bound y afirs. enlght

uestion is Do w e lov o anofinr ened by symbols. and the q . e ne

more firan other men do ? Do fire cross and fire rose mean

more than fin square and the compass ? Every brother

' o o e o the must answ er that for hunself. He nly . f arth. kn w s

ob i o contents of his ow n heart. He only can plead ed ence t " "

the new commandment.

A ll the obligations of Masonry. in all the degrees of all

the rites. resolve themselves into two pledges. and one is

secrec o e l y . and the ther broth r y love. The first needs no — t eaching. it is so easily kept. The second is not so easily

e t but ca it b t ? k p . n e taugh To be sure. fire form of the ti prac ce of it can be taught . and for that reason there is a

lace for Christian efirics ll C p in a hristian schools. and ought

to be in all othr schoo e ls. Masonry is no more than a sys tern of efirics and if it be ood Masonr enuine " fl o . g y . g a ty . it is a s stem of y Christian efirics. The universality of Masonry is a m th. There is n y one of it outside Christendom.

- roararr nv sorta rss; so r Is it true that Ma n y undertakes. by a system of vow s.

s b t lectures and ym ols. to pu firis matter of brotherly love and the practice of it into such concrete form that it w ill appeal to fire emotions of men The abstract never reaches the heart.

o v — One m y l ve a dog. but ne er a thought unless that firought has materialized itself into an image ; and then it is no longer

abstract. One cannot love God until he has materialized

H For — im. that reason the Savior w as sent that w e might create w ifirin us a God of such form and attributes that w e — might love Him. that w e might have the Word made flesh that w ov le e might l e it . W e talk about loving firis princip — or tha theo . t. firis ry or that . but w e do nofiring of fire kind No principle or theo ry has ever quickened the beating of a ' man s heart .

In the economy of present-day life bro finrly love is of

act. i v o o the abstr It s indefinite. intangible. ap r us. and van ishing. W e boast of it, as Judas did. and straightw ay go

or t it civ and f ge . as Peter did. Notw ithstanding all of our i ilization and Christianity. every morning and every even ng the new s tells us of men murdered. characters crucified. prop

w o be W do not do such erty pilfered. and men trayed. e

v me do s it all w e have firings oursel es. but other n . To top .

v trie to sto it tried. to be sure. by law . but have w e e er d p

ilate by love? Instead. have w e not w ashed our hands. as P ' b hr s did. and murmured something about not being our rot e

M W D. d? Man ears a r. illiam keep er. as C ain di y y go h en How ells w rote an article in T e C tury on fire question. “ " Who A re Our B rothers? and in it he said :

" ' o thou C ainic A fter all. w e are our br thers keep ers. gh a

t eve si oe first murder We society has been denying i r n the . ' r w lnre are put into one another s custody in this w orld ; he e.

o U to so many things are in d ubt . this is unquestionable. p fire present time our notion of a custodian has been 'ome sort o fo fi w eake f jailer. Society really provides no other r n r m rison eo le w ho w e find w anderin brethren. W e i p p p m g about w ithout a home ; w e imprison utter poverty ; w e im

o that prison hopeless misfortune. W e may not all f us think

v a ery fine thing : but w e have to draw fire line somew here . and if w e are brought to look about it, w e shrug our shoulders ‘ and ask. What are w e to do ? A re w e to give tramps a decent lodging A re w e to secure misfortune w ithout shut ’ t ting i up and putting it to shame ? These questions. w hich

o o s m is are f our w n a king. ust be of our ow n answ ering. It not that misery is grow ing. but that it is grow ing intolerable. if not sn w i bro to the fierer. then to the tness. Jailer or ther. w hichshallit be ? There is no middle choice. and finre never w s and i w o a . f e d not choose brotlnr. jailer w ill choose itself.

T re so firin t rrib activ ev he is me g e ly e in il; it is positive. full of initiative The w eed comes. and flourishes against the hoe :

u us ca re the usef l plant must be coaxed to come. and m t be full end ow or l y t ed ; fire fl er must be cherished. A ll m ality . a l " civility. is the effect of trying to be good.

There came to my ofi ce fire other day a man seeking

subscri o s . pti ns for helping friendless men. discharged criminal These Christian w o rkers stand at fire doors of our prisons and as terms are ended they take the convicts in charge and

find ho o o fir firere mes and w ork f r them. I did n t know s t

s w been w as ucha society . A nd hy Simply because I have living a life in w hich the keeping of my brofin r has been the leas of it n th v o t . a d e ery thought makes ne ashamed. The shame is all the greater to firose of us w ho are supposed to

ve iv t i Maso ha rece ed all the light here is n nry .

Let us consider for a moment fin relation of brotherly

ti th s rha s w e love to ofirer sentiments of affec on. and u . pe p . may come to a fuller realization of the possibility of the per

- firs lace forrnance of our duties to our fellow men. In fire t p .

shi — sa fee i be brofirerly love is not friend p. not firat cred lng tw een tw o men w hich makes fire companionship and com

N N POE TRY I SO G. 164

' the softest tenderness of life. A man s love for a w oman o ft times brin s resfiessness but his love fo ma br g . r a n ings peace.

It is proper in this connection to make recognition of the difierence in our physical organisms w hich makes fire truth

and tenderness of en l m o W a now g uine ove i p ssible. e ll k tha t there are healing and peace and rest and confidence in

the uch o to of ne person. and restlessness and nervousness in that of another to such a degree that genuine afiection is an

im os b t b p si ili y . Yet etw een such men there may be all the

necessar eleme of bro e y nts th rly love. One may serve and sacrifice for another ev n thou ma no e ghhe y t soothe him.

To return to fire first question: I believe that as men receive more light in Masonry fireir hearts become larger: that fire cmss and the rose and allthe signs and symbo ls from

t - the firird to fire thir y third degree. give an added meaning m to the square and co pass. “ — To quote R uskin: There is no w ealth but life J ife.

That including allits pow er of love. of joy. and admiration. country is the richest w hich nourishes the greatest number ho of noble and happy human beings ; that man is richest w .

ost having perfected the functions o f his ow n life to the utm .

bo n b has also the w idest helpful influence. fir personal a d. y

e means of his possessions. over the lives of others. A strang

or can be ; all political economy founded on self-interest be ing but the fulfillment of that w hich once brought schism ia " to the policy of angels and ruin into fire economy of Heaven. ' This practice of love for one s fellow -men is its ow n ex

comes ceeding great rew ard. The utter satisfaction tha t

c stam s from it is an inexpressible firing. and the eviden e of it p for itself on the outer as w ell as fire inner man. It makes — e. one a new heaven and a new earfin in a w ord. a new lif

rs b t w ill It may not prevent the coming of silvery hai . ut i

a la hear w ipe fire w rinkles all aw ay. Strange it is how rge t

IN N POETRY SO G. 106 makes beami br a ng ow . but w e see the miracle day after da as w e o and dow a u w o d. e y g p n the rl Some y ars go Mr. John Burroughs et pressed the thought in an essay in these beautiful w ords : “ But nothin can ta e g k the place of love. Love is the liv measure of life ; only so far as w e love do w e rea lly e.

h v t fire T e arie y of our interests. the w idfir of our sympafiries. — susceptibilities of our hearts if these do not measure our

mo lives. w hat does? A s the years go by. w e are all of us re

trif ction and or less subject to tw o dangers. fire danger of pe a the danger of putrifaction: either that w e w ill become hard till and callous. crusted over w ith customs and conventions

w e w ill no new ray of light or of joy can reach us. or that

real become lax and disorganized. losing our grip upon the no and vita l sources of happiness and pow er. Now . firere is ' v t heart preser a ive and antiseptic . nothing firat keeps one s ’ o y ung like love. like sympathy. like giving one s self w ith enfirusiasm to some w orthy thing or cause.

A s age comes many of us are prone to craw l back into w il our shells and firere grow hard or w aste ourselves aw ay . fully forgetting how much more glorious it is to be afield amidst the budding and fire blooming of human life and all

r o cannot t aw a othe Nature. There love abounds and ne ge y ’ door Let s . from him. for he is ever knocking at the heart " shal sa him in. and the years w ill never come w hen thou t y " “ I have no pleasure in them : nor fire clouds return after " he t rain. W ASHINGTON .

HE events of the last few years have re

vived w ifirin the hearts of the A merican

e s irit o ero- o hi d peopl the p f h w rs p, an

eve d a r W ry knee has ben ed t its alta . e

have apostrophized and apofireosized cv " v o erything and e erybody. fr m the maid ’ " “ w ho bound her w arrior s sash to fire conquering hero w ho re " v ce ti s There turned. There ha e been some ex p on . of course.

c o dif has been some slight fri tion among the heroes. w ing to

re ferences in the heights of their pedestals. but it has not p — vailed to any great extent for w hich all good men ought to b e and are duly thankful. " W e all love great men. and no nobler or more blessed ' us feeling dw ells in man s heart. said that C arlyle w ho told

o r a w hy and h w w e w o ship heroes. W e A mericans hesitate

- — fear litfie about admitting firs t w e are hero w orshipers. w e the custom is not quite in line w ith our professed ideas regard

and ing equality. liberty and the like. but the record of old

some of late rs against us. Perhaps a charge of fickleness rn

v instances might be pro ed, but the ultimate findings of our heads and hearts are generally just. Occasionally one comes across a man w ho vehemenfiy denies that he is a w orshiper of any living man. but a brief acquaintance w ill p rove that such — a man is ever a hero to himself that he not only insists that

e is as d v admit h quite goo as e ery odi er man. but hesitates to

that n o m is o a y ther an quite as g od as he. Some men seem determined never to learn that they cannot pull themselves up

— e a by pulling others dow n. that it is so much easier to g t

O P ETRY I N SONG. 168

v fo lo e one has r a marble statue. w ifir a litfie gratitude mixed ' therew it — and ratitud is le st o v W e h g e the a f men s irtues. have lon ed for a litfie color in his chee g ks. and may. perhaps. have had the unexpressed w ish that he had lied about the cherr -tree t s mi y a fir t . ad tted it afterw a rd. and ta ken a good. sound firrashing for it . How ever. there is some consolation m the thou ht th t he do g a cut fire tree w n. if the story be true.

Do not for a inu im m te agine firs t . in order to put blood into our hero . it is my intention to gafirer and present to you t his w eaknesses. W ere one disposed. it could be show n tha he w rote v rse — ov — e l e verse w hich w as the merest doggerel. and some of it w a as even crostic in form. Nothing w orse firan

firat can be i o f m s magined a an. but it how s a streak of hu manity that w ill put him in sw eet accord w ith many hearts in Kansas.

Then a ain at fire close of one of his letters these w ords “g . . appear: I never again w ill have tw o w omen in my house

re in l w hen I am firere myself. There is somefiring fresh g y

s mean human about firat . althoughone is not quite ure of his

in tha latest ing. How ever. let it be home firmly in m d t fire and best authorities declare that there w as no foundation for fire suspicions of immorality that have hovered about W ash ' to o o su sus icions be ing n s name. No harm has c me fr m ch p

o be cause they have not been generally know n r lieved. Over

s w ro te a hundred years ago Thomas Daw e . o f Massachusetts. “ firis : May fire name of W ashington continue steeled as it

a se ever has been. to fire dark. sl nderous arrow that flieth in cret ; for none have offered to eclipse his glory but have after

a w ards sunk aw ay diminished and shorn of their be ms. " " a W ashin to In Under the Old Elm. fire only gre t g n poem. Low ellprays

" F or a drop of tha t carnelian ink

Which gave A gricola da teless length of days. s To celebra te him fitlp. neither werve

O I N P ETRY SONG. 170 ' To hrase un e o p k mpt. n r pass discretion s brink. Wi hi s - th m o sta tue like in sad reserve. So di dent to cla im m ard fi . so fo to deserve.

You w ill note his use of the term sta tue-li e but he “ k . difi t o linrits it by the w ords den t claim. McMaster speaks ' “ " “ of W ashington s cold heart and C arlyle calls him a C rom " a ers w ell w ith the juice squeezed out . But fire later biogr ph

Ford and critics. such as Henry C abot Lodge. PaulLeicester — — and Leila Herbert . have found much w arrnth and juice in

W ashin his life and character. There is something about g ' v ton s personal appearance that brings admiration w ithout lo e.

b c o bu trust Considera le has been said about his nice l thes. t I firs t the time is long past in this country w hen the man w ho sleeps in his clothes is considered nearer to fire hearts of fire

W as ton d not o o m f The trufir is. hing id say en ughab ut hi sel .

unts. He w rote volumes. but they w ere mere records and acco

r v The expression of his life w as pu ely objecti e. and how re freshing that firought is in these days of that mental and moral

v ublic dissection. w hich per ades every realm of literature. P men are so prone to hold themselves up to view firs t they quite obscure the objects and aims they are supposed to be

In no realm of life does fire character of Washington ap pealto one so forcefully and tenderly as in his relations to his

a ofirer family . He had host of relatives. by marriage and wise o me ever . g od. bad and indifferent. He more than t y r uiremen b l w a lo w w as eq t. y a nd by b od. and in a ay that him both just and generous. They all seemed to depend on for v w e erything. To ard those w ho proved firemselves w orthy he show ed the tenderest firer o de re ard. His bro “ g J hn he scribed as the intimate companion of my youth and fire friend " ' o i w hich f my r pened age. He paid his older brother s debts.

w ere s . con iderable. and in his w ill discharged fire obligation

POETRY I N SONG 171 His nephew s and nieces came in for their share of considera

He tion: in the w ay of means of education and employment.

r br r w as particula ly fond his nanresake. the son of his othe

o and Charles. and w hen the y ung man died leaving a w idow

h M ernon children. he urged them to make their ome at t. V . " assuring them firat they could go to no place w here they w ould be more w elcome. and adding firat fire ofier w as made “ " w ithhis w hole heart.

- - c Step fafirers. like step mothers. seldom receive the redit

fa to of being good parents. but W ashington w as a good firer

fire children of his w ife. A t different times firis man adopted or assumed fire expenses and charge of not less than nine of

be uests fire children of his kifir and kin. In his w ill he made q ' - o to forty one f his ow n and his w ife s relations.

n s of o I peaking his childlessness. an ther has uttered this " beautiful thought : God left him childless that he might be " fire fafirer of his country .

Nothing is more to be desired in firis life than close per

v - fire the kind firat are e er ready for self sacrifice. It is not ’ — — number of one s friends firat counts except in politics but

intensit o f t most the y he love one man has for anofirer. The unpopular man in my tow n has one friend w ho longs for op

ortunities to fi h or h so d p g t f im. to make me sacrifice for him. an I firmly believe that some day that one friendship w ill bring

ha t man uch e true t m resp ct . A fter all is said and done. the test of love of re - rac . ligion. of life. is self sacrifice. and fire p ’ of it is one s ow n re o tice exceeding great rew ard. gardless f

w hat may come to him in firis w orld or the next .

There is no more blessed possession than one of those frien shi s w hic ma d p hare the recreations o f life. w here a man y go and uncover himself. tell his secret hopes and ambitions.

c o ar his suc esses and failures. even though firey be but d ll s made and dollars lost : to feel tha t w hatever accident may

O I N P ETRY SONG. 172

ton friendships w as that of La Fayette. To him our hero w as “ " an adopted father. to use his ow n w ords. Only passing

note can be made of the relations of these two men. A vel

F w a ume w ould not sufi ce. A fter Yorktow n. w hen La ayette s " t about to leave for France. W ashington w rote: I ow e it o o friendship and to my afiectionate regard for y u. not to let you leave this country w ithout carrying freshmarks of my at tachment to you

af had La F ayette vrsrted firis country in l784 . and ter he " a t o returned W ashington w rote : In the moment of our sep ra i n.

e s c ha felt upon the road as I traveled. and very hour ine . I ve

t v a hme or w w hich all fira lo e. respect . and ttac nt f you ith

o d length f years. close connection. and your merits have inspire

rat w hether me. I o ften asked myself. as our carriages sepa ed.

that w as fire last sight I ever should have of you.

' But the expression of W ashington s regard depended not

on mere w ords. for he w as not less a man of action in love

misfo Fa e and than in w ar. Later. w hen rtune came to La y tte.

ife he w as cast into an A ustrian prison. he expressed to his w

cause his sympathy. and supposing firs t money w as needed. d to be deposited at A msterdam tw o hundred guineas subject to ’ her o er F rd . During fire imprisonment La ayette s son w as sent ' n to A merica and became a member of W ashington s family. I ’ " to m : B ette W ashing n s ledger is this ite y Geo. W . La Fay . gave for the purpose of his getting himself such small articles of clothing as he might not choose to ask for—$ l Could anything be more delicate than that ? It surely must have won ' bo a that y s heart. if it w s not already his. These are a few and only a few of fire deep friendships f b o r t i o ormed y u Firs A mer can. There w ere others . many f th em. not less intense. but these w ill sufi ce to refute the idea " " t o tha ur hero w as a man w ithout close friends. that he had " " " a co - ld heart . that he w as statue like.

In this co nnection. one must not overlook that generous

POETRY I N SONG 174 lit t ever abo o hospita y hat unded at M unt Vernon. as w ell for

as o o t fire stranger f r the friend. and it w as f the right kind. I " ” w as for service and not for show . done w ith a dignified gentility that made the host and the house the talk of all

B efore referring to the Masonry of this most distinguished

Mason of modern times. it seemed best to endeavor to show

t w Maso tha he as of the kind of men that make good ns. and

s I tru t that has been done. A nd w as he a good Mason?

s m The record of his Masonry i brief . In y researches I found a copy of the brief address given by the Grand Master of Virginia at the dedication of the W ashingt on Monument .

o : This w as his introducti n This gavel. prepared for fire ex

ress w t p purpose. as presen ed to W ashington and used by him t f as Presiden o the U nited States. and also as Grand Master pro tempore in laying the corner-stone of the C apitol of the

N o ation n the 18 th day of September. 1793. Immediately

f se firerea ter he presented it to Potomac Lodge. No . 9. in w ho

s a possession it has ever ince remained. It w as used in l ying

- the fire corner stone of this obelisk. July 4 . 1848 . A lso corner-stone of fire equestrian statue o f W ashington at the

o b w as C ircle. and at its dedica ti n. Fe ruary 22. 18 60. It likew ise used at the laying of the corner-stone of the extension of the Ca pito l. July 4 . 18 5 1: also by the Grand Master of fire Grand Lodge of Virginia at the laying of the corner-stone n of the Yorktow n Monument . October 18 . 188 1 and at ma y other public buildings in various States. rederick» Here behold the sacred volume. belonging to F

o o w i hh t o h first burg Lodge. No . 4 . f Virginia. up n hc e o k is

consti vow s to Masonry. November 4 . 1752. and here the tution of that lodge signed by him. “ '

o. Here the sacred book. belonging to St. John s Lodge. N

1 in o . the city o f New York. upon w hich. on the 30thday f

POE TRY I N SONG. 17 5 oo t oa fir of ofi ce as first resident of A pril. 1789. he t k he P

the United States. " Here the grea t light belonging to A lexandria W ashington

V h he e f A l andria a. u on w ich as th Lodge. No . 22. o ex . . p .

v vo W orshipfulMaster of that lodge. recei ed the w s of the ini tistes made by him.

This is the apron w orn by him. w hich w as w rought by

a ad Madame La Fayette. and presented to him by th t noble l y. the w ife of the distinguished General La Fayette. W ashing ’ b o ton s compatriot. friend. and Masonic r ther. W ' This golden urn contains a lock of ashington s hair.

L c w hich w as presented to the Grand odge of Massa husetts.

W as n an been transmitted in 1800. by Mrs. hingto . d has by every Grand Master of that Grand Lodge to his successor im mediately after his installation. “ This lesser light is one of fire three candles w hich w as

’ ia home in W ashington s funeral procession. by A lexandr

o tonfi) W ashingt n Lodge. No. 22. and w as taken into the first of W as o e w Dece 18 hingt n. at Mount V rnon. here. on mber . " 799 o 1 . his asortal remains w ere dep sited.

F rom the same source and others I have gathered these facts w hichw ere not mentioned in the documents : W hen com mander- - in chief of the A rmy. W ashington occupied the chief

' lace in t o p he Masonic procession. n the occasion of St. John s

E v r nd ! angelical) Day. 1778 . at Philadelphia . When fire G a

od of r w ected L ge Vi ginia w as organized. W ashington as el

rand Master o r w G . an h no he as compelled to decline. he not havin at tha time serve s g t d a Master of a lodge. In 178 0 fire Grand Lodge o f Pennsylvania unanimously nominated Gen eral W ashingt on as Grand Master of Masons of the U nit ed

Sta es t . an office to w hichhe w ould have been elected had not the sentiment and policy of Masonry at that time been opposed to a National r G and Lodge. From the latest w ritings o f our distinguished brother w e find evidence of his love and devo

O G P ETRY I N SON . 178

Master Mason: that he considered Masonry one of fire chief goods of life and lost no opportunity to publish to the w orld

t o conn tio the fac f his ec n w ith it . He entered it before ma

a d w heart of turity nd remaine ith it to the very end. The every Mason is made to sw ell w ith pride by the thought that our first President st ood out before the assembled multitude clothed as a Master Mason and that to-day our last President

d w or o the delights to o the same. It calls to mind these ds f " apprentice charge : The greatest and best o f men in all ages

v r v ha e been encouragers and promoters of the A t . and ha e never deemed it derogatory from their dignity to level them

v t sel es w ith fire Fra ernity . extend fireir privileges. and patron " ize their assemblies.

' In fire Master Mason s charge w e are tw ice told that it is our duty to support the dignity of our character on every it occasion. and in all history w ho hath show n more of dign y in every w alk of life than W ashington? W ho hath nrore per

f r u w M ever feedy per ormed fi ose d ties hich all asons. and y

r and other man. ow e to God. their count y. their neighbors. themselves? A nd right here is the lesson that ought to come " to every Mason: Not so muchdo w e need to study fire early influence of Masonry on fire development of the A merican idea

c of the equality of men. as to study the life and haracter of " " t is h just and upright Mason. There ought to be somefiring in or about every Mason to

s distingui hhim from the rest of fire w orld. something more firan

o i does it the charm n his cha n or fire ring on his finger. How behoove us to be Masons. if w e are only as other men are ?

The mere possession of secrets that ofirer men have not is only t e s confi he m an to an end. Secrecy begets confidence and dence begets love. but w hat does our love beget ? Does it be get self-sacrifice or true manhood

If not. firen let us stop and examine ourselves. Let us

T I N NG POE RY SO . 178 examine ourselves in the light that comes from the life and

cl an character of George W ashington. There w as a man e .

o fecfionate w ith frieuda honorable w ithhis enemies. and pr ud of his Masonry l

' E TR Y I N PO SONG.

S F W THE EA TER LO ER .

I THIN the heart of everyone there

groan

lit e A tl flower. and though it be

not rare.

’ Yet nho can tellby whom t was

planted there ' O enc e ? li r wh e it cam T is ke the budding rose. Most bea utiful—4 balm for all the D oes

Of life. the griefs. the pains that men must bear. On Easter morn more fall it blooms and fair

l -l Than a lthe yea r aye. lily ike. it glans.

e To cherishlovingly this tend r flower.

To give new strength. reduce its frailties.

' He suflered. died in deepest agony A nd rose again! In memory of that hour — It blossoms noun so sweet. so fragrant is

This Blessed Hope of Immortality. THE PALMS .

UST once in all t l tha simp e. brief

career.

Did He consent that homage

might be brought.

A nd wha t a ga thering it was !

Hon: fra ught

With hope a nd fa ith and level A h! He rvas dear

To ea ch of them. No element of fea r

Or favor ca used their hea rts to be thus wrought. r Nor victories rvon. nor ba ttles b avely fought: r F or love a lone. they came f om fa r an! nea r.

No sha ckled slaves as spoils of war tvere there.

No banners tvaved. nor arch. triumphal. spanned

D o o s eac ed the s The ay. but l ng h sanna r h ky " " Untilit seemed the very stones would cry.

A nd then. the emblems oflered by eachhand

d i r l o e Ma e H s an ent y. simp e. preci us. rar .

POETRY I N 18 4

TO HER .

LOV E thee. friend of mine.

for wha t thou art.

I knotv not horv by others

thou art seen.

B ut this I know full tvell.

thou art my queen

i l . A sovereign k nd. the ru er of my hea rt

A mild supremacy thou dost impart.

A nd ever dost thou rule withgentle mien.

In ma nner soft with countena nce serene.

' a Thine only scepter being C apid s d rt.

The homage due thy majesty I bring. I even lay my kingdom a t thy feet ' i T s not a grea t nor yet a rvorthy thing.

tr e o B ut undivided. loyal. u . c mplete; ' l To thee. beloved. t lvilla ways cleave and cling

o rvil Tha t th u t take keep it. I entrea t. H TMA S E V E C R I S .

R ONDE L .

HI bid me come. my God.

to Thee.

This holies t night of all the year

The world ha thbeen

kind to me. My lvoy in life is dark and drea r

I have no friends to love me here.

A nd Thou a lone canst set me free:

Oh! bid me come. my God. to Thee. i This holiest nght of all the year.

Thy loving face I long to see. A nd in my hea rt I have no fea r ’ B ut tha t t willbring me Christmas cheer. Unspotted thoughI may not be

Oh! bid me come. my God. to Thee.

POE TR Y I N ST . V ALENTINE .

R onnm u.

BR ING my love to thee

- 10 day.

A nd bring it in tha t

good old way

Our fa thers used

thought so meet F or telling love to maidens sweet

o e A las ! th se times hav passed away.

I do not ask tha t thou repay. " ' " Nor yet denrand. Si tu m aimais

e A n ofl ring. unsought. complete.

I bring my love.

So take this humble roundelay.

en A val tine, nor bright nor gay.

B ut fraught withhope. withfa ith replete.

A hme! I worship a t thy feet.

A nd though thou mayst not let me stay.

I bring my love.

E T PO R Y I N SONG . 188

A G REETING .

R ONDEA U .

' ' M glad she s come. this

bit of grace To make our love grow

on apace.

The first to sea lour

riage vow — A tender link «1h. even now

' She casts a ray from mother s face!

I long for license to embrace

This bunchof flannels and of lace.

To tellher how. in hea rt. just how ' ' I m glad she s come.

a The joy I feelnone ca n efl ce. A nd yet I live in piteo us case;

l l o I on y stand a nd humb y b w . ' My usua lpost they llnot allow

B ut thou hI ield t g y o her my place. ' ' I m glad she s come!

POETRY I N SONG “) I MEMORIAL DA Y .

T is not much— this or o ours I . w k f Tha t sends us forth withbea uteous flowers To decora te the graves of those

e Who fought and di d: and yet. who knows A comelier token to impart ' The love tha t fills a woman s heart ?

B edew these blooms withfalling tear.

ib e n o A tr ut u t memory dear.

While standi e e i o ng hr w thb wed head. ' Silent among the Na tion s dead!

TRIOLET .

’ W S onl a ac ueminot rose T A y [ q Tha t she wore on her snowy

Yet. no other person knows ' Twas only a I acqueminot rose

This shy little maiden chose, A s a token of love confessed ' Twas only a I acqueminot rose

Tha t she ore on w w her sno y breast. THANKSG IV ING .

F au ht or ood I g f g ha th come to thee ithin W the year. If Heaven ha thserved thee graciously With c ups of cheer. Give thanks! A nd if thine enemy Ha th su ered much adv fl ersity. Then shed for him in sympa thy l vi A o ng tear.

TO KANSAS .

NOT for wha t she has done for Thou ghit be grea t.

For ha t she is her w . majesty. I lov e my Sta te.

POETR Y I N DONG. 192