New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-09
TILE pnE1,S CORNER

OF all the Declarations these radiant Sum
mer days have seen, not one is more signif-
cant than the simple ceremony yesterday OBJ
served Mt Guilford. 1t was only the setting of
n Memorial-stone at the head of dead poet.
And the poet himself was unfamiliar
to the younger public of to-day. Only in its
reading books had the fire of Marco BOS:ariS
kinded the new generation, and Marco BossdriS
was all it knew of Fitz-GTeene Halleck.
When the sweet flower of his life suddenly
dropped, one morning, from the stem of Time
it was only they who had long watched its
beauty, and rejoiced in its perfection, who
knew that it had not years before
faded into dearly remembered dust. Therefore
it Is especially noteworthy that to this removed
and noiseless genius the first monument which
the people have buided in the name of poet
should be dedicate.
Because Haleck was the first American
singer to be rejOiced in by the people-for
Dana's strain was too grave and meas
ured to be popular, and Bryant belonged
TO later day-it is fitting that he
should be the first to be remembered in en-
during stone. He was born after more than a
century of hard, material life, which had hardly
once lowered into Art. 1t was proof that the
nation had climbed on steppng-stones of its
dead self to higher things, that tine time was
ripe for poet, and that the poet was
beloved. And so, to lay our lilies on
his grave is to commemorate q nobler
epoch of our race. The Nation could not lin
ger to listen to him. 1t was hurrying to the
Western Sea- and covering the land with the
results of its breathless, never-ending work.
But his strain gave wings TO the fancies of
hundred rhymers. Some of them, of q holder
spirit than their teacher, rejoiced in this large
activity, We're kndled by it and respon-
sive to it, and themselves became the
popular poets. 1t was good, for the poet is
first a man. But in this dusty, noisy rush of
time, it seems better that there should be,
now and then, o singer who lives out of the
press and quarrel, and has thoughts cool rs the
May dews and sweeter than apple blooms.
Especially does it seem better when one thinks
how impossible it is to stand in the market-place
and not send greetings to the right hand and
the left to be solicited for speech and to keep
holy silence save when the divine com.
mand impels. In Halleck we honor the
poets forbearance equally with the poets
work. He warmly loved his Art, but he
kept spotless her integrity SO. because
he shrank from any praise which he had not
earned, and could never sing to earn praise,
we do we'll to remind ourselves that he thus
represented the loftiest and purest genius.
AS people we do not build monuments. 1t
is common to say that our brave. and gifted
and noble have their monuments in the hearts
Of tho people. But it is true only in a
partial sense, for we have not time to
remember unless some visible token calls
our thought back to them, who are be-
hind rs We are beginning to raise shafts
above our soldiers which declare how beaut-
full and immortal thing is heroism in a lust
cause, and every one we have builded makes
us richer Let US hope that we know
at last the debt we owe to our
poets, and that we shall raise above
them shafts to tell how beautiful and immor. |
tai q thing is the imagination. We shall have |
no Westminster Abbey More and more as
the years go on, more and more in America
will the sentiment of religion refuse to be pent
IN churches, or to cOnsecrate here chapel
and there cathedral. Infinite as the