The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-20

q
and half mournlul, exults in bitter and doubtful
emotions
"Moods of fantastic sadness, nothing WORTH
1t sports with sorrow, and tests against itself;
cries out for freedom and coniesses the chain;
decorates with the name of goddess, crowns
anew as the mystical Cotytto, some woman real
or ideal, in whom the pride OF life with its com
panlOn lusts is incarnate. In her lovers nalt-
shut eyes, her fierce unchaste beauty IS trans
figured, her cruel sensual eyes nave meaning
and message; there are memories ana secrets
in the kisses of her lips. she is the datBer
Venus, fed with burn .-otferng and Blood-sacrl-
fee; the veiled image OF tnat pleasure which
men impelled by safety and perverted by power
have sought through ways as strange as Neros
before and since his time; the daughter of lust
and death, and holding OF both her parents:
Our Lady of Pain, antagonist alike OF trivial
sins and virtues; no Virgin, and unblessed OF
men; no mother of the Gods or God; no Cybele,
served by seXless priests or monks, adOred OF
0rigen or OF Atys; no likeness OF her in Dindy.
mus or DoTeto.
The next act in this lyrical monodrame of
passion represe sents new stage and scene. The
worship of desire has ceased; the mud commo-
tlon OF sense has stOrmed itself out; the spirit,
clear Of the old regret that drove it upon such
violent ways for a respite, healed of the fever
that wasted it in the search for relief among
fierce tancles aud tempestuous pleasures dreams
now of truth discovered and repose attained.
Not the martyrs ardor of selfess love, an un-
profitable flame that burnt out and did no ser
vice-not the rapid rage of pleasure that seemed
Tor q little to move the flesh divine, to clothe
the naked senses with the fiery raiment of faith;
but stingless love, an innocuous desire. Hes.
peria," the tenderest type OF woman or of dream
born in the westward "slands of the blest,"
where the shadows of all happy and holy things
live beyond the sunset sacred and sleepless
life, dawns upon his eyes western dawn risen
as the fiery day of passion goes down, and rises
where it sank.
Here, between moonrise and sunset, lives the
love that is gentle and faithful, neither giving
too much nor aSkng-a, bride rather than a
mistress, a sister rather than BRIDE Bat not
at once, or not forever, can the past be killed
and buried; hither also the huntress folio VS.
her flying prey, wounded and weakened, still
fresh from the tangs OF passion; the cruel hands,
the amorous eyes, still glitter and allure. Qw
a bu bora: the feet are drawn back To wards the
ancient ways. Only by lifelong flight, side by
side with the goddess that re1eem3, shall her
slave of old escape from the goddess that con-
sumes; If even thus one may be saved, even
thus distance the bloodhounds.
1t would seem indeed as though to publish a
book we're equivalent to thrusung it with v1o-
lence into the hands OF every mother and nurse
in the kingdom as fit and necessary food for
female infancy. Happily there is no fear thai
the supply of milk tor babes will fall short of
the demand for some time yet There are moral
milkmen enough, in all conscience, crying their
ware about the streets and by-ways; fresh or
stale, sour or sweet, the requisite fluid runs
from q sufficiently copious issue. In due time,
perhaps, the critical doctors may prescribe
stronger diet for their hypochOndrlac patient,
the reading world; or that gigantic mGdde
imGgtnd6re called the public, may rebel against
the weekly draueht or the daily drug of NM.
Purgan and Dlalolrus. We, meanwhile, who
profess to deal neither in poison nor in pap,
may not un willingly stand aside.
These poems thus disposed OF are ii am told)
those which have given most ofense and scandal
to the venal virtue of journalism. As l have
not to review my reviewers need not be at
pains to refute at length every wilful error or
dob th,Nr
clined might drag into light. To me- as to all
others who may read what l write, the whole
matter must continue to seem too pitabe and
trivial to waste word or thought on 1t which we
can help wasting. But having begun this task,
will add yet a word or two of annexation. |
have heard that even the little poem of "Faus
tine" has been to some readers a thing TO make
the scalp creep and the blood freeze. 1t was
issued with no such intent.
The chance which suggested to me this poem
was one which may happen any day to any man
the sudden sight OF living face which re-
called the well-known likeness of another dead
for centuries; in this instance the noble and
faultess type of the elder Faustiua, as seen in
coin and bust. Out of that casual glimpse and
sudden recollection these verses sprang and
grew.
These poems do not seem to me condemna-
Bile, unless it be on the ground OF bad verses;
and to any charge of that kind l should OF
course be as unable as reluctant to reply. But
certainly was even less prepared to hear the
Sculpture knew was dead art; buried centu-
ries deep out of sight; with no angel keeping
watch over the sepulChre; its very erave-clothes
divided by wrapgllng and impotent sectares,
and no chance anywhere visible OF resur-
TectiOn.
have now gone over the poems which, as l
hear, have incurred most blame; whether de-
servedly or not, l have shown. For the terms
in which certain critics have clothed their SEN
timents l bear them no ill-will; they are wei
cone for me to write unmolested, so long as
they keep to simple ribaldry. hope it gives
them amusement; l presume it brings them
profit; know it does not affect me-. Absolute
falsehood may, If it be worth while, draw down
contradiction and disprooi; but the mere calling
OF bad names is chIld's trick, for which the
small Try of the press should have chIld's cor
rection at the hands Of able editors, standlng as
these gentlemen ought to do, IN a parental or
peGagogic relation 10 their tender charges
They have, by all ] see aud hear, been sulfi-
ciently scuIri!ous-one or two in particular.
However, from one crime they exempt;
They do not strike brother, striking me-"
l will only throw them one crumb of advice
in return; | fear the aims will be of no avail,
but it shall not be withhold
Why grudge them lotus-leaf and laurel,
Or tOothless mouth or swInisn nav,
Who never grudge you bells and coral,
Who never grudged you troughs and straw
Lie still in kennel sleek in stable,
=, Good creatures OF the stall or sly;
Shove snouts Tor crumbs below the table;
Lie still; and rise not up to lie.
Literature, to be worthy of men, must be
large, liberal, sincere; and cannot be chaste If 1t
be pIudish. Purity and prudery cannot keep
house together. Where free speech AMI far
play are iuterdicted, foul hints and evil sugge5
tons are Matched into fetid life. And If liCera-
ture indeed is not to deal with the full life Of
man and the whole nature OF things, let 1t be
cast aside with the rods and rattles OF child
hood. Whether it affect TO teach or to amuse,