Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-09-09


YSa iovea ~Asa Ill vas yosns.
ALGERNON CHAS. SwINBURNE
Swinburne is, probably, best known
in America by his poorest work-his
"Poems and Ballads" published here
under the title Of "Laus Veneris. -
These poems were written many years
ago, and are filed with all the wildness
and passion of his boyhood. A large
majority Of people, Of course, not stu.
dents Of his poetry, have an idea that
Swinburne 10 q name synonymous with
dissipation and unbridled passion
Those who have carefully watched his
career know that this is untrue. 1t is
noticeable that the foremost British
journals, such as The Saturday Revie,c,
The Spectator, The FortnigAtly, always
treat Swinburne with the dignity and
respect only awarded an author Of high
character, as well as Of genius and cul-
ture. Algernon Charles Swinburne is
is still a young man. He was born in
London April 5, 1887, and entered Ok
ford in 1857. He left the University,
however, before graduation. The faith
er Of the poet, Admiral Swinburne,
10 the son of Sir John Swinburne, a
person whose life 10 well worth reading.
Swinburne's mother is the daughter
Of the late Earl of Ashburnham, whose
family, though one Of. them was the
closest follower of Charles / to his
death, afterward held sensibly aloft
from the cause of the latter Stuarts,
and increased in wealth and titles
Swinburne was five years at school, four
Of which were passed Mt Eton. He
never cared for any pursuit, sport, or
study as youngster, except poetry, rid
ing, and swimming; and though as o
boy his verses may have been bad
enough, he was far from bad at the
two latter. Being bred by the sea, he
was q good oarsman, and is vain to this
dav of having scaled well-known cliff
on the south coast, ever before and ever
since reputed to be inaccessible. All
of which repudiates the charge of phys
ical debility aud puny proportions laid
at his door. Several years ago the Re-
form League "a body of extreme reform
ers not now extant, believe, but of
some note and power for time) solici-
ted him to sit in Parliament, offering
to insure his seat and pay all expenses,
as representative of more advanced
democratic or republican opinions than
were represented there. He never in
his life felt any ambition for any work
Of fame but poets Except, indeed,
while yet boy for soldiers; but his
father resolutely stamped that out). He
appealed to the man be most loved and
revered on earth-Mazzini being then
luckily in London--if he thought it
his duty to forego his own likings on
the chance of being of use to the cause.
Mazzini told him he need not. He new
er was more relieved in his life than
when he felt that he could dismiss
the application with wholly clear con-
science. As his anti.theism has been
10 much babbled about, perhaps l may
here say what he really does think on
religious matters. Having been as
child and boy brought up a quasi-C Cath
olic, of course he went in for that as
passionately as for other things Ii. e.,
well nigh to unaffected and unstrained
ecstacies of alteration when receiving
the Sacrament); then when this was
naturally stark dead and buried, it left
nothing but turbid nihilism, for a
theist be never was. He always felt BY
instinct and perceived by reason that
no man could conceive of a personal
God except by superstition or else by
true supernatural revelation; that ma.
tural God was the absurdest of all ku.
man fgments, because no man could
by other than apocalyptic means e., by
other means than n violation of the
laws and order of fnature-coneeive Of any
other work of Divine power than mar
with difference; man with some quail.
tiles intensified aud some qualities sup
pressed; man with the good in him ex'
aggerated and the evil excised. There.
fore Swinburne might call himself, if hs
wished, q kind of Christian of the
church of Blake and Shelley, but as.
suredly in no sense theis; that is
taxing the sSul-iSecuuafs ShiASs "a
type Of human aspirations and per
fection, and supposing Gf you hke) tha,
Jesas NAV have been the highest and
purest sample of man on record. Swim
burne's friends all know and joke bin
about his lifelong fondness (Which h'
has always found reciprocated) for very
little children and very old persons
! OF the latter be has known two grand
examples in his grandfather and Wal
ter Savage Landor, and last Summel
he made the acquaintance OF MIR. Ire
lawney (the friend of Shelley. Of Byron
and Of Greece, o triad Of Iitans, o.
whom one was giant of genius. The
present piratical old hero calls Swim
burne the last of the poets, who b
thought all died with Byron. Swim
burne's penmanship is of a most rough
and ragged style. but it is more legibl'
than that of many literary men, for th'
reason that every stroke means letter
and he never fails to dot his is aus
cross his t's. Of 81 he has done