The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-07-02
Walt Whitman.
Nashville Banner.

.SaSnFhte DanhEi+4
 The discussion over Walt Whitman $ poems. Leaves of Grass" discloses a singular state of affairs in Massachusetts. , One of the first publishing houses in An,e-ica has consented to publish. and has issued for years. book winch has 1, been largely read in England and Amer : ica by many of the most cultivated and refined people Favorable criticism has perhaps failed to discriminate. because Il has found much that Was beautiful. pure and wholesome. The atiarne, gener. of Massachusetts has recently discovered that the poems of Whitman contain much that Is obscene. tending 10 immortality and icentiousness. Upon this opinion he bases a censorious ukasc and forbids the circulation of the poems unless the objec- ,ionable passages are stricken out. l he publishers call upon the poet and he re fuses to admit that he has been guilty q. impure thought or sentiment, and stands >quareis by his iabors and their results, nnf altering Il line.
 We confess that we lack appreciation of Whitmans poems. Peroelving beauties and merit we fnd them of;en coarse. and. for The mes, part. unlnteresting. No lust reader sill nsist upon laying this state of opnion as to d work upon the author when il nav be in himself One who has failed in catch and enter into the spirir nf q book or o; thc laburs of poet will surely fail tn appreciate il. and the fault will be his. although | may not is ie hi> dlscredit. Bu, NC have failed lust as far ,o perceive ;he immoral,>. bceauousness and ob- >ccnty m Whitman as Q perceive the beau,le, of his poetrv. Coarseness we dc ind. eoarscness which is sometimes dis sa>lins and always offensive: bui T l. not immoral. or conducive te evil. Whit mans poems can never inciie the young ., eyil courses. excite the passions. inflame the hear to hery and fatal sentiments. Ne sio not admire the filih of d hog wal !ow. and sc' Il ls m .nnoeuous filth: far clcarller- looking things giVeoti a dcadller malaria We do not md eoarSeness III Whitman relieved. as in Chaucer. by beau iies IT humor: others do md beauties which make eoarseness less vulgar.
 The intense admiration expressed bv the tsthcuo school of English poets we ihnk can hc easily explained. Knseiii. SHinbugne osesx Wilde and all of that school haxe expressed the most intense admiration Tor Whitman. Theirs k the school nf exhausted visor. of aTer-renne- rr1-ri,-in i.,arncr. futr, and cvprcssTen. and utter Lack of the spirit. truth and reff ,isor of natural manhood They are m artjfi, lal creation the pfoduc, nj T peculiar citii1atjon ' his l. k about dxine in order ,e Ipe ayan new life. They md in Whitman precisely mha, they Lack and worship r. herou>e i k naisf,d. vigorous. manly and robust. even where | is dis- zuSIng and coarse. | is the cearseness oi thc natural man.
 it seems on the surface a most remark able phcromen"n that the most artificial and unnatural school outside of lttri, ,h"uld worship. wljh ali the tcrver ei m .eiols,ts. the man whn i, most natural and aniane, iH III his uueranccs. writing down H;'hnu, ! thought of cvl or coar>c- 1c>> ;he mo>t disgusting facts ot human iiy.
 h,.-c ], nothing Il, all strange about il. Naic Ahumfa mas, book w5ih natural d5>dA.a apou the pfodu ;iaa, of that >ehoul. tempered. pcrhao,. bN natural .tniv aroused hy t'1cir aduA,on. II |, the mos likely ihing in the world that they Wofst D the freshness and n.,iaralne>s of poet If nature. He is as unconscious and natural as ,,lNagc: they are all artincial aad >auccd ma seasoned ,o sui, an art ae'al t.-fe winch has produced them. to WhsCh thcN munster and which they tn- 3sl -C. b., theN have na; la>t the =pe,,'R- tn at inc pampcrcd taste for one draUght | he natural. one dcep draught with the kce, cpsa>meu' ;hcN have ',;
 | 'ua IL, . 1Hctsd .sppc;i;- pt the -tttrts- -.a-e fa,aF'- ss,tA :e41fss and cnNhn}c>efne ycaninS to the bacon tHd sggn, q: sts auth ,e sec whether h. e.tate. !FNas5Ho, ti he r.sunn, feel once more ,aHethin: Sc the keen lci>h oi the s..,y, .. ca'tb. | i> gone. he >n"sys. but hes T teal his cmaeiaicd ,p,r,. wi:h ,ial- l:..! iall, r .o tAe -t,t ef a ,,ee'd anteiite. lt3>e..s,> r. ,.fy, stand fssu | t,4.g.e ,e.iu eauid aiite s,.ch s.il.~.laeis pfe,t> a4n,~s.,,. a, ,>,.,- serHe,> cNeh4nzr et s' tbc ihc> and Ian Aj'ars oi >lfiue far the 'ar,#re> and ,-,,e> ufsiee. waild Hn.. >nHclhN. jo Nc4rn lor. ,ezwesh ;A, he caald understand and = worship without understandings n he u.turalncss q: Whitman. IF h., truth and p.anGc>S and 1inng with h, s,.at>ct3css. ~h'ea sometimes becomes almost cmcuc aHd sppfua hes the qualities af com paunt e.UaAf;te.
 Bu; there l. nothing e>il in Whitman. SVinnufne> dcccN,cst poem x more dan gerou> to the young. Whitman is nor allN pure here hc ,s a, h> worst. Pure morals, though eue-Sc and vulgar. in thought and pure n sll possible results.
 The pA.e tAlioW-iaced man who pur- chA>cS tnc Leaves of Grass. moved therl.a b> ,lc recent advertisement If il d; I'D hlusr than Il ought ,e be. will be dfsappoioicd When he yetirc> "a h:s chamber j, nigh; ,o reycl ln something suAed to hlS pale taste for the supremely wicked and neNou>ly opens il with his always trrmbsng fingers. prepared ,o sleat over il. he will rise from i,s perusal feeling that the attorney general ot Massachusetts owes hsm the prce of the book. II will no, eorfup; the you,h and il ~il not min isier to him who need. no further ccrrup- ton. While we confess that VIC do no, admire Whitman and ;ha, his ooarseness