Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-07-28
WALT WHITMAN IN GERMANY.

NC 'Sno OF walk w hNmans rising fame has
reached Germany, and the critics there seem
niue puzzled in what poetical niche to place
hIm-so At least we judge from an article on
tne new American Poet by Ferdinand FreiIi-
graih, that appears in the Ausburg AH2enciu
Zeitunq. Freiligraih notes the rythmical prose
OF Whitman; IT first sight rugged, infiexibIe,
formless; but yet for more Delicate ear not
devoid of euphony. The language homely
hearty, straightforward, naming everything by
ITS true name shrinking Tor nothing, sometimes
obscure Tne tone rhapsodfcal. like that of A
seer, often unequal, the sublime mingled
with the trivial even to the point OF insipidity
through this individual Walt Whitman and
MS Amencanism marches, a cos1,Srdl process.
son. such as may BE- suitable for reflective
spirits, who, face 10 face with eternity have
passed solitary days on the sea-shore, solitary
nights under the starry sky of the prairie. He
Hnos himself in all things and all things In
himself. he. the Que man, W alt Whitman. is
mankind and the world. And the world and
hlah Kind are TO him one great poem. What be
sees ana hears, what he comes IN contact with,
wha'eyer approaches him, even the meanest
the most irifIng, the most everyday matter
all Is 10 him symbolcal OF higher of a spir
itial fact. The German critic regards the ad.
vent OF whitman as "a wonderful appear
ance," and says: -
at Is fitting that our poets and thin kers
should nave closer look AZ this strange new
comrade, who threatens 10 oyerturn our entire
6rS IGeficG, and all our theories and canons on
the subject of aesthetics. Indeed, when we
nave listened 70 ali that is within these earnest
pages, when we have grown familiar with the
deep, resoundlng roar of those, as il were,
surges OF tie sea IN their unbroken sequence OF
rbapSooIcal verses breaking upon US, then Will
our ordinary yerse-makIng, our system of
-oTclns thought into all sorts Of received forms
our playing with ring and sound, our syllable
counting and measure of quantity, our sonnet
writing and construction of strophes and stan
zas, seem TO MS almost childish. Are we really
come 10 the point when life, even in poetry
calls Imperatiyely fer new forms of exprrs
sion has the age much and such serious
matter To say. that the old vessels no longer
sufhce for The new contents Are We standing
before poetry OF the ages TO come, lust as some
years ago music Of the ages 10 come was an.
bounced 10 Us y"
Meanwhile that the critics of the old world
are pulling themselves over the scope and
tendency OF ''this new Energy as they term
Whitman, be- in person Is to be seen in the
streets OF Washington any day. wall king the
pave with that peculiar leisurely tread that
would single him out amongst a thousand
business Americans with their nervous hurry.
scurry OF movement. Or If Whitman rides he
Is pretty sure TO be found on the front Mat
form Of a street-car, oultivatIug talk with the
driver, and making the most Of the sunlight
and fresh air to be found at tina. end of the
vehicle. Here, as in Europe, the people don
know exactly where 10 place him." but ms
magnificent presence is pretty sure to sttract
attention TO him in almost any crowd. ana
curiosity is Piqued 10 guess whether his poe,
zeal mark Is meteoric merely, or whether be- is
really 10 revolutionize all the received canons
Of poetry and head a new school.