The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-10-07
Is MARMION FIT TO BE READ IN
SCHOOLS:
New York Sun.

New York Sun.l
n discussion has arisen in Canada
whether "Nfarmion" is tit to be read in
the high schools of the Province OF
Ontario. We learn from the Toronto
Globe that it is the custom to adopt for
ordinary high school use there the
books prescribed in English literature
for matriculation at the university.
This plan is convenient, because it en-
ables high school students to pursue
those studies in English literature
which will best tit them to enter the
university, while the same course of
study will likewise be profitable to such
pnpils as do not contemplate entering
college. Accordingly Sir Walter Scott's
famous poem, which is one of the sub.
jects in which students must be eN-
amined for admission to the university
next year, was adopted as part of the
course of instruction in the Ontario
high schools this fall. 1t had hardly
been stuffed at all, however, before the
Education Department ordered it with
drawn, on the ground that it contains
some passages which are morally OBJ
jectionab!e, and Others which may be
offensive to the religious sentiments of
a portion of the inhabitants of the
province; and Archbishop Lynch in
his sermon of last Sunday denounced it
rs insulting to Catholics.
A charge of immortality against any
writings of Sir Walter Scott will prob
ably cause surprise to most persons.
Indeed, our Canadian contemporary
admits that there is no immoral pur-
pose anywhere in "Marmion', and that
the tone ofthe poem is healthy and the
principal motive of the plot is un-
Objectionable. 1t seems there are only
two passages that can be held to war
rant either the action of the govern
ment or the criticism of Archbishop
Lynch.
The first of these is the episode in the
second canto, where Constance, who
fed from her convent with Marmion is
represented as having been punished
for her fault by being immured alive
in the convent wall.
This story is told as merely incidental
to the poets description of the convent,
and we do not quite see how it can
possibly have an immoral influence on
anybody, particularly as the wretched
girls crime is shown to have been
visited by so fearful a penalty. Nor
can we see that there is any more
foundation for the idea that Roman
Catholic students may find something
unpleasing in lines which recall such
severity of discipline on the part of
their Church, although the Toronto
GiObe may be right in doubling whether
any historical warrant exists for re-
presenting this precise punishment rs
customary in Scotland at 50 late n
period as that to which the poem re-
lates. We have carefully read over the
whole episode, however, without find
ing anything to which, in our judg-
ment, either the most sensitive mOralist
or the most faithful son of the Roman
Church can reasonably object.
The other passage which has called
out condemnation is the scene in the
fifth canto between King James and
Lady Heron and it is said that
teacher possessing duo share of moral
delicacy would be considerably en-
barrased at having to explain its true
character. We do not see that it re-
Iuircs any further explanation than to
say that King James was flirting with
one of the ladies of his court. How
little there is to Justify the objection of
our esteemed contemporary of Toronto
is apparent when we examine the text
of this particular passage:
''O'cr Jamcs's heart, the courtierS say;
Sir Hugh the 1Icrons wife held sway.
To Scoiland's Court she came,
To DO Il hostage for her lord,
Who Cessford's gallant heart had gorcd,
And with the King to make accord,
Had sent his lovely dame.
Nor to that lady free alone
Did the gay King allegiance own,
For the fair Queen of France
Sent him Il turquoise ring and glove.
And charged him, as her knight ana love,
For her to break Il lance;
And strike three strokes With Scottish
brand,
And march three miles on Southron land,
And bid tho banners of his band
In English brceZcS dance.
\ nd thus for Frances Queen he dr"St
His manly limbs in mailed vest;
And thus admitted English f;,r
His innOSt cOunSclS still to share:
Aud thus for both he mauly planned
The ruin Of himself and land.
And yet, tho Sooth to tell,
Nor England'S fair, nor Frances Queen,
Were worth one pearl drop, bright and
sheen,
From Margarct's eyes that fell
His own Queen Margaret, who, in Iith-
COWS bower,
| All lonely sat, and wcpt the weary hour.
"Thc Queen sits lone in Iithgow pile,
And wccpS the weary day,
/ The war against her native soil,
/ Her mOnarchS risk in battle brOil;
i'll