Dotre Dame Scholastic DlSCe-9VA5l-5!£mP£R-\/lCT\yi2\/S- •VIve-COVASl-CRAS-lMORITV/ievS- VOL. XLIII. NOTRE DAME, INDIANA, MARCH 5, 1910. No. 22. iilaurice Jfrancisi Cgan. rxaetarc /ifteOalist, 1910.) H E University' formall3' an - was graduated on the completion of the nounces Dr. Maurice Francis regular classical course, after which in 1878, Egan as the Laitare Medalist he became professor of English literature at of 1910. It seems needless to Georgetown University, Georgetown, D. C. repeat what has so often been While at Georgetown he began his career mentioned at length in these as a w^riter, a career w-hich he has followed about the reasons that up with scarcely an interruption since. He go to determine the variously [^served as as­ choice of the University. sistant editor on the X The phrase, "To men staffs of Henry Peter­ who b\^ distinguished son's Saturday Byening service to religion, art, ' Post, McGee^s Weekly, science or humanity set The Catholic Review a noble exampic" sums and the New York Free­ up the raison d'etre of man^ s Journal. Of this the Lfctare Medal. last he became chief Like other Lnetare editor in 1885. For a Medalists, Dr. Egan is number of ^-ears he a figure not unknown to traveled as press cor­ his countrvmen. He has respondent in Southern at different times filled and Western states as the position of jour­ well as in Mexico. He nalist, professor, diplo­ accepted the position of mat, and in each he has head of the department won distinction. Yet, it of English here at the is safe to say. Dr. Egan University in 1S8S, will live to the coming which position he held srenerations not so much till 1895 when he went because of the posi­ to the Catholic Univer- tions he has filled as sitj--, Washington, D. C, for the literature he to accept a like posi- has produced. —-'-'"' tion. While here at Maurice Francis Egan was born in Notre Dame he was notably successful as Philadelphia, Pa., May 24, 1852. His early a teacher, whose kindh- sympathy and education was taken care of in private charm of manner won him friends without schools, and later he entered La Salle number among the professors and students. College of his native citv. From there he Dr. Egan was appointed Minister to Den- :H^ NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTtC mark by^ President Roosevelt in 1908, and Century Magazine, considered him one was reappointed last year by Mr. Roosevelt's of three great American sonneteers. This successor, President Taft. sonnet to Theocritus w^ill go side by side Any one of these honored positions, which down the years with Wordsworth's most Dr. Egan has so acceptably filled, would finished effort: entitle him to distinction "among the lay­ THEOCRITUS. men of America. Yet it is not, as has' Daphnis is mute, and hidden nymphs complain, been said, so much because of an3' position And mourning mingles with their fountain's song; he holds, or may yet hold, that Dr. Egan Shepherds contend no more, as all daA' long will win a niche among notable Americans. The^' watch their sheep on the wide c\'priis plain; He w^ill live in his writings, and this is The master-voice is silent, songs are vain; the surest kind of immortalit3^ He has Blithe Pan is dead, and tales of ancient wrong w^ritten much and on a variety of subjects. Done b3' the gods when gods and men were strong, As a novelist he will be remembered for Chanted to reeded pipes, no prize can gain. four novels, three of which—"The Disap­ O sweetest singer of the olden Hays, pearance of John Longwortln'^," "Success ot In dustj' books 3'our idj'Is rare seem dead; Patrick Desmond" and "The Vocation of The gods are gone, but poets never die; Edward Conway"—appeared in serial form Though men, maA* turn their ears to newer lavs, in the Ave Maria. The fourth, "A Mar­ Cecilian nightingales enraptured riage of Reason," ran through several num­ Caught all 3'our songs, and nightK- thrill the sk}-. bers of the Rosary Magazine. In 1893, he wrote a delightful boys' story called "Jack On the next page is one addressed to Chumleigh's Ladder," which made Dr. Egan Maurice De Guerin for whom Dr. Egan has an army of friends among the young alwa^'^s hadi a special fondness. folk. He wrote at various times juvenile MAURICE DE GUERIN. stories, but none equalled "Jack Chumleigh" The old wine filled him, and he saw, with ej-es for fun and frolic and drollery. Anoint of Nature, fauns and drA'ads fair As a poet. Dr. Egan ranks high in Amer­ Unseen b3' others; to him maidenhair ican literature. Some of his poems—espe- And Avaxen lilacs, and those birds that rise ciallj"^ his sonnets—wnll be read with delight A-sudden from tall reeds at slight surprise, as long as the language endures. Necessarily, Brought charmed thoughts; and in earth everv'where not everything he has w^ritten carries the He, like sad Jacjues, found a music rare mellowness, the flavor, the charm that sets As that of Syrinx to old Grecians wise. it apart as great poetry. Yet somehow, A pagan heart, a Christian soul had he. most of his work, even such as was written He followed Christ, yet for dead Pan he sighed. in haste to satisfy the demands of a magazine Till earth and heaven met within his breast; editor, or to commemorate a national or As if Theocritus in Sicily religious anniversary, has some note of Had come upon the Figure crucified, distinction. And lost his gods in deep, Christ-given rest. This short poem,- entitled "The Old Violin" will be recognized at once as a "A pagan heart, a Christian soul had he," gem well worthy its leading position in his is often quoted as a memorj-^-haunting "Songs and Sonnets," published in 1892. line, one wherein the music is "w^edded to immortal words," yet not more so than the THE OLD VIOLIN. line, "The gods are gone, but poets never Though tuneless, stringless, it lies there in dust, die," from the sonnet to Theocritus. Like some great thought on a forgotten page; In this, entitled "A Night in June," nature The soul of music can not fade or rust— and religion are united with notable efl'ect The voice within it stronger grows with age; to produce a rare sonnet thought: Its strings and bow are only trifling things— A NIGHT IN JUNE. A master-touch!—its sweet soul w^akes and sings. Rich is the scent of clover in the air, One might quote from his sonnets at some And from the woodbine, moonlight and the dew length since here Dr. Egan is at his best. Draw finer essence than the da3'light knew; Richard Watson Gilder, late editor of the Low murmurs and an incense everywhere! NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC .:04> 7 Who spoke? Ah! surely in the garden there A subtile sound came from the piirple crew The Spirit of the Flag." That mount wistaria masts, and there's a clue Of some strange meaning in the rose-scent rare: SAMUEL M. DOLAX, '10. Silence itself has voice in these June nights— On a bitter January morning in 1776, Who spjke? Why, all the air is full of sp-.ech less than a hundred worn men v»ith the Of God's own choir, all singing various parts; pinch of hunger in their faces, were gathered Be quiet and listen: hear—the very lights about a bleak hill near the village of In 3-onder town, the waving of the beech, Cambridge. Most of them were badly The maples' shades,—cry of the Heart of hearts! clothed, only half-protected from the biting Dr. Egan has no theory to prove in his blasts and the thick snow that swept about poetry; he does not narrow himself down them. These few ragged, half-starved men, to any set of subjects. His range is as wide with weapons used onlj^ in hunting, were as the world and as high as the stars. an army, and they had been aSvSembled to Very naturally his muse frequently turns to witness the first unfurling of a flag that religion for inspiration and almost always was to proclaim that the uprising of a mob wdth praiseworthy restilts. Saint Francis had taken on the serious dignitv- of war, d'Assisi, beloved of the poets, is a favorite of that the harangues of their leaders were his. Yet the saint appeals to the poet less no longer the incitements of demagogues for his asceticism than for his mysticism but the prophetic speech of statesmen, and and intimate love of nature. The Blessed that the revolution thus begun was to Virgin, the Resurrection of Christ, Lent, the bring forth a new people with a divinely Annunciation, St. Teresa, etc., have afforded appointed mission. There was a wave of themes for this maker of melodies. the leader's hand, and the new flag of The University, in conferring the Laetare stripes, red and white, swelled with the Medal on Dr. Egan, has in mind above all breeze. A new emblem was raised on high, else his notable services to literature. As and as it whipped the wind it sent forth a journalist, teacher, diplomat, he has won message of defiance and hope. Thus was distinction. But his fame rests on his writ­ raised our first American flag. ings, especial!}' on that most exquisite of There is no more thrilling passage'in all poetic forms, the sonnet.