The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-09
CHE Gntelliqtttrer:
BITS OF CRIriCIsM.

have caught 1t perfectly, and affirm tha
there is no subtleness in it-that ii is
mere commonplace, put into the poOres
and unmelodious Language. 1t lack
rhythm, rhyme,and everything that goes Il
make up true poetry. 1t is the sort o
thing which would not be accepted from
schoolboy, and which when put forth b!
alaureate in colossal type suggests mourn
full reflections as to the intellectual de
generation at which great poet may ar
rive. Mr.. Tennyson and NJ. Victor Hug
are both great men. They have writer
things which are beautiful and admirabl,
in every way; which will long be quoted
for the encouragement OF those who are
inclined to seek their inspirations for the
higher conduct OF their everyday live
in poetry. But that Is no reason why
they should now be privileged to write
twaddle-thereby setting a pernicious
example to younger writers, who may be
tempted to initiate their mannerisms with
out having the genius requisite to vie with
them in their finer qualities. We do not
want rising race of poets who shall weary
us with blank verses (blank OF sense and
rhythmJ or dose US with localities, per.
sonalities" and realities" We do not
want mysticism pushed to point where
1t becomes mere foolishness. A single
drop OF water boiled may send forth good
deal OF steam; so may one single, Door
idea be clouded in great deal OF verblage.
But the art OF poetry consists in clothing
great ideas in such words as shall make
them shine forth as il they had the clear
light OF MONDAY blazing on them. Verses
which are written in 4 rude delirious
tongue which requires great deal OF pars-
ing and constituting are not poetry at all.
They are trouble TO read and puzzle to
understand. They are neither poetry nor
prose; they are nothing.-Pall Mall Ga.
zette.
The SOCIAL SPHISx.-Little as we know
about the men who are our Contemporar'
les, and still more slender as our knowl.
edge Is Of the men Of the past-ghosly
figures seen darkly through the glasses oil
comedy and memoir-we know infinitely
less OF women.-"P oor little beasts" Guy
Heavistone would say, when they were
discussed in his hearing, and, after a
moments silence, he would stroke his
heavy mustache, and exclaim, "Egad"
The wisdom Of the ages, its pity and con-
tempt and It's afterthought Of perplexity,
are sufficiently well caricatured in Mr..
Bret Harte's burlesque. In spite OF Solo
mon and Shakespeare, and Mr.. Charles
Reade, and Mr.. George Meredith, who do
not know much about the beings concern
ing whom we eternally debate. The
great Schopenhauer, who had discovered
the riddle land an uncommonly painful
one it proved Of the earth, was aceustom-
ed to dine daily at an ordinary in Ger
man town. Every day he laid louis be-
side his plate when he sat down, and dali
" he pocketed the coin when he had done
his duty by bis AitGgsean. a disciple
who had long watched this ritual with
wonder veutured to ask the master what
he meant by apparently supersitious
practice. Was the gold piece an amulet
like that lent by Montague to friend on
another occasion) to inspire the due d.
gestion OF dinner? "No," the sage re-
oiled, .butI have vowed TO give this coin
10 the poor. when the military gentlemen
present talk about some other topic than
woman" Yet, despite he anal. sis, civil
and military, Of the sex, We know less
than nothing about woman.-Saturdsy
Review.
MATHEW ARNOLD on BuRNs.-Upon q
historical or personal view Of Mr. Arnold's
own genius, nothing would at first sight
seem more opposed to it than the genius
of the Scotch poet; and yet we doubt
whether Burns own countryman, Mr..
Carlyle, has formed 80 just and sympa-
thetic an estimate OF the poets real excel.
lence. Scotchmen may resent Mr..
Arnold's description Of Burns poetry as
"a poetry dealing perpetually with Scotch
drink, Scotch religion and Scotch man
ners;" but even Scntchmen will admit
that critic who can describe "The Jolly
Beggars" as superb poetic success" in
spite oil its hideousness, squalor and besu-
atty, has formed no narrow-minded esti-
mate Of their National poet. Mr.. Carlyle
LAYS stress upon 1.-THE indisputable air oil
sincerity" in Burns poems; it is this
mark OF all great work, and often high
aualities-the largeness, freedom, shrewd-
ness and benignity OF the Scotch poets
view Of life, his archDess and wit, his
pathos and the spring and bounding
swiitness OF his verse-that have fascina-
ted Mr.. Arnold; but he has sufficiently
mastered the dialect and over come his
repugnance to the want OF beauty in the
world about which Burns sings, to be able
to detect with fine critical SEN
sitiveness an occasional note Of insiu.
cerity. Mr.. Arnold's estimate OF Burns
must give everyone a new sense OF the
range Of his sympathy and the hueness Of
his insight, OF his powers TO discover high
qualities Of song brought to bear upon the
least familiar aud Congenial MATERIAL
Pail Auu GasettE.
A GERMAN Book on AMERIcA.-The re.
semblance between the political constitu'
lions Of the German Empire and the
United States is not slight Of iarfetched
although somewhat disguised for the pres
emit by the apparent tendency OF the form
er to q more centralized organization
this tendency may not prove persistent
and at all events the difficulties which
have recently arisen in adjusting the
claims Of the various States represented
lin the Reischstag lend weight to DR.
Schliefs exnortation TO his couutrymen tf
acouaint themselves with the most sCien'
titically constructed OF Federal Coustitu
tons. Enough is not said ot the weakest
point in the United States Constitution
the extreme difficulty Of maintaining the
dignity and purity OF judiciary chosen
by popular election, and oil q Supreme
Court whose members are notoriOusl!