The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-21
THE QUAKER POET.
A Tribute to Whittier and the Community
to Which he Belongs.


to Which he Belongs.
George William Curtis in January Harper.
The Friends have been always an important
element of the population in Rhode Island, and
the Newport Yearly Meeting is kind of annual
convocation or general assembly of that silent
communion which is very familiar. In the older
days, when the narrow streets of the town were
filled with the plain garb of the brethren and
sisters from all parts of the country, how true
seemed the gracious words: 'The very garments
of Quaker seem incapable of receiving a soil,
and cleanliness in them to be something more
than the absence of it's contrary. Every Qua
keress is a lily and when they come up in bands
to their Whitsun conferences, whitening the
eastern streets of the metropolis, from all parts
Of the United Kingdom, they show the troops OF
the Shining Ones"
If the young Whittier was ever brought to the
May meeting in old Newport, he would have
thought it soft diabolic enticement if some
fancy had whispered to him that one day he
would be held in reverence and honor as a writer
of verses, and that his portrait would be cher
shed among the chief ornaments of school of
his unworldly fraternity The muses. were but
pagan goddesses to the older Quakers James
Naylor and George Fox would have put aside the
sweet solicitations of color and of song, as St
Anthony avoided the Establishments of the lovely
syren whom he knew to be the devil But
gently the modern Quakers have been won over
That grim austerity, as of the Puritan has
yielded to kindly sympathies, and the whole
some gayeties and the refining graces of life are
not disowned by the quietists. Nay, even in a
severer day was there not a certain elegance Of
taste in Friends raiment2 If the bonnet were
rigidly OF the Quaker type was 1t not of exquisite
teXture! Was not the fabric of the dress as deli
cate and soft as if woven in Persian loomsl
Was sense of Quaker aristocracy unknown,
and has no Quaker equipage been seen which
rolled with an air as superior as that of cardi-
nails carriage!
But what delightful character the Quaker
tradition impaired to everything that it touched!
A certain grave and sweet simplicity, air of
candor and OF plain rectitude, frank and
fraternal heartiness-these were all distinctively
Quaker They were initiated to base ends, in
deed, and no rogue so roguish as counterfeited
Quaker; no stories of such snug duplelty as
those which were told of the smooth knayes IN
drab. But it was only the homage to virtue.
Knaves wore the Quaker garb because the
Quaker garb was justly identified with honesty.
Those whose early youth was familiar with
Friends, as with them and among them, but not
of them, still delight in the recollection, and as
sociate with them still a refined superiority.
That the rigid traditions have been relaxed is
apparent from the very incident that we have
mentioned. The muses. have penetrated the
Friends Boarding School. There is a piano in
the hall. There are busts and portraits of
famous Friends. There were eloquence and
poetry in commemoration of a Quaker poet,
There were universal affection and gratitude for
the singer and his song Bernard Barton was a
Quaker poet, But Whittier is the Quaker poet
It was curious illustration of the happy fusing
of differing creeds in a generous human sympa-
thy and admiration that at the Puritan dinner
in New York on Forefathers' day, some years
ago, Roman Catholic, James 7. Brady, the
famous advocate said to the Easy Chair, ''My
poet of poets is Whittier" John Bright has
publicly testified his honor and regard. And
who does not2 That purity. and simplicity, and
native dignity of life blending with the pure, and
tender, and humane song-they are national
possession, they are ennobling and inspiring.
That example in the sight of all American youth,
thinking is inexpressibly valuable It is not
appropriated, and it can not be, by the tranquil
religious community to which the poet belongs.
1t is common benefit