The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-01

depths the emotions OF the humblest cottager.
OF such we're Homer, Shakespeare, and Bnrns,
who, although widely differing in mental capa-
city, culture, aud in the bent of their genius,
yet all held the glass true to nature" Writing
in different eras OF the worlds history, in dtfer-
ent tongues, and on a diversity of subjects, yet
the writings of all have been, and will continue
to be, read, cherished, and loved by all classes
and conditions. This is the highest enco-
MUM that posterity can render TO mortal,
and is only bestowed upon the most ilustrious
of the sons of men.
The most ancient of all poetry of which we
have any record is that of the Hebrews ut
stands apart from all the rest in its solitary
grandeur" exciting our admiration and COM
ment ordained by God surrounded by the daily
evidences of Divine interposition, walking as a
people under the very shadow of their Creator,
DCsts mo- "ondsg that rom their great Lyric
their lamps from celestial fires, aud
flung them all burning with the oil OF heaven
upon this sin-cursed earth"
We next come in the course OF history to tho
poetry of Greece, which is the fountain from
whose classic waters modern literature has
drawn alment and inspiration. Full of beau
ties, rich in thought, and wonderful in power as
it is, it still lacks the sublimty that distin-
gushes Hebrew poetry. The Greek mind,
under the domination of materaistic my
thology beauti6ed and ennobled all that was of
the earth; but it lacked the sublime inspiration
of an ever present Jehovah that filled the mind
his song its divine melody. Before Homer lived
the art of poetry was cultivated among the
Greeks. Her minstrels-how sweetly no m Odern
ears will ever know-aud yet they did sing,
and in no ignoble numbers, we may justly
conclude, since they were the forerunners
OF the great poet of the ages-he upon
whose brow the kingly crown was early placed,
and who in the long march of the centuries has
had no follower whom the voice of mankind
hailed as his rival. He stands in the poetic
world like q grand pyramid in the waste OF
years, whose antiquity is venerable and uuae-
fined, and whose future promises to be as en-
during as its origin is unmarked and its present
is sublime. Hesod and Sappho, with imagery
the most gorgeous, passion the most feryent,
and tenderness uneXcelled and yet when
Homer's voice is heard, their harps are hushed
in the swelling beauties of his grander melodies.
But alas for Greece and for the world, the genius
of her sons was wasted in the licentious luxury
of the times In the midst of her corruption
apd lost liberties poetic inspiration found
grave.
Another nation, rude in manners and in cul-
ture when Greece was refined and cultivated,
took up the mantle as it fell from her unworthy
shoulders, and for centuries not only gave laws
and civil polty, but in literature, in arts, in
arms, governed the world. In Romes earlier
days, and in her ruder times. she contented'her-
self by translating the heroic songs of the van
quisbed Greeks. But as she advanced ia educa-
tion and refinement to that exalted place she
ultimately occupied she was not wanting in
sons whose genius, if not equal to Homer's
has left their indelible impress upon their own
and succeeding times. Especially during the
Augustan period, when peace and power went
hand in hand, was Rome blessed with great poets
whose inspired songs have illustrated the
brightest pages of her history and bequcathed to
mankind classic literature epnoolng and
valuable beyond price. Then Juvenal wrote
and Horace and Virgil left their precious lega-
cies to future generations.
From the decline and fall of the Roman en-
pire, through seven long centuries of gloom
and 0arkuass n SINGLE poetip star Of
magnitude arose to shed its light upon this ray
| less night of the Ozark Ages"
| 1t was net until the thirteenth century that
| the gloom gave way before the refulgeut splen =
dor Of Of Dante's great original genius He stands
as 'the father of the Italian language and
poetry" His "Divine Comedy" is the first
great work (which, graces the literature
| of modern Europe" Time will not per-
NIT me to dwell upon his excelleneies
as they deserve. 1 should speak of his origi-
nality, the power of his Imagination, the
splendor of his diction, the intensity and passion
of his great soul that pervaded all his writings;
but 1 must hasten on. Following him comes
| Petrarch, the founder of the lyric school OF
Italian poetry; then come Ariosto, Tassoni, and
| Tasso, who wrote Jerusalem Delivered, which
is go full of beauty, tenderness and purity OF
thought.
Spain, although prolific in ballads, presents,
with but one or two exceptions, no great puet
that arrests our attention or commands ouI
| admiration. Cervantes was more of a prose
writer than poet. This is very remarkable, az
| the Spanish language in many respects seems
| peculiarly adapted as a vehicle for poetic
| thought. Marked throughout by strong traces
of the oriental, it is wasted in pomposity and
| eXaggeration.
If we except the reign of Louis XIV, France
has given but few names to history that will
stand the test OF time. Scattered through hel
| literature we encounter the names of La Fon
taine, Boileau, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Lamar
tine, but greater than them all, Beranger. He wa
the Burns of France. With great originality
and power he touched the hearts of all classes
of society. distinguished writer speaking o
him says:-"strong in his Napoleonic tenden
cies and faith, he kept alive pmong the peopl,
of France the grand memories of the empire
and to his ballads and soul-strring dittes NOR,
than To any other cause may be attributed th
re-establishment of the Corsican dynasty. M
poet since the beginning of the world has ex
ereised such power over the destiny of
nation"
Many great names adorn the literature of Ger
many. The world is, however much more in
debted to her for scientific research and meta
physical attainments than for poetic produe
lions and yet it is difficult to find in the litera
ture of any other nation more illustrious name
than those of Schiller and Goethe.
And now, gentlemen, come to speak, in tn
order of history, of English and Scottish poetr
last on the list, but first in our affections. A
l stand before the open door of this temple @
inspired genius, / hesitate to enter. Ever
step we take within we encounter nlustriou
names. until we are overwhelmed by their nun
bers and awe struck by the sublime results c
their labors. From grand old Chancer dewr
what mighty army OF inspired men march b'
fore us Following Chaucer come Spensel
Shakespeare, Milton, Butler, Dryden, Pope
Addison, Swift, Thomson, Goldsmith, Ramsey
Young, COwper, Burns, Scott, Byron, Wad
worth, Campbell, Southey, Coleridge, Shelley
pause not because have exhausted the lis
but fear / may weary your patience. No otht
language Is adorned by such galax