The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-27
Bishop Whitney's Lecture Be
fore the Teachers. r.
GEMS OF MAJESTIC THOUGHT.
The Mission OF the ."Heaven Born
Maid" Pictured and Defined
An Eloquent Effort.

found that we have taken pains to Sc
cure it entire for the SUNDAY HERALD.
Our readers will agree with US, we
feel sure. that il Is an effort
which should be given n place
among the prominent achievements oil
our literary annals; /. will be particu-
larry curious to large class OF those who
are accustomed to regard the term Nor
mon as the equivalent for everything
besotted and ignorant-as being the
work OF gentleman yho is bishop in
the Mormon church, and one Of the
foremost opponents ofits d ,ctrines:
M. President Professors, and Ladies
and GentLemen: In an sge and world
given up TO the rus and roar Of rail
ways. steamships. the miracles OF
, labor-saving machinery and other
mighty practicalitIes, when things re
gar ed rs theoretical or purely ideal are
looked upon with comparative in iffer-
ence and ar at a discount in the
DO ular mind. the mission Of the poet
Is apt 70 have its udlitv gravely gue5-
toned. What is the poet good fort and
what is the good OF roetrv7 are queries
that have doubtless fitted through
many n mind. imnued with the idea
that nothing IS useful which does not in
some way increase mans mR.erial
wealth or minister 70 his temporal
needs.
To answer, in part, these queries.
and rrfute this sordid ana all
too practical argument, will be
the purpose Of my present ef
fort. And with an an Hence like this.
willing TO be and perhaps already con-
wheel that the poet has a mission in
the world aud that the world would do
well to give him at least, a respectful
hearing, anticipate no very difficult
task.
am satisfied that much OF the preju-
dice against poets and the disteste for
poetry which exists in this prosaic age.
are due entirely to misapprehension.
Only those who are ignorant of what
poetry means. will ask the question;
what is II good for7 this is true of two
classes, those who have no poetry. or
very little of IL. in their natures; and
those who are brimful of poetry ard do
mot know il; who are really capable of
|appreciating il, and only need enlight-
ening in order TO enjoy TO the fullest
extent the fragrance and beautv OF this
flower, plucked from the gardens OF
Paradise and thrown TO earth to
delight the senses and refresh the souls
of all lovers OF the beautiful and refined.
1t is my belief that many persons who
think they dislike poetry are really
poetical in their natures, and are in
debted to il. more than they imagine.
for the success they may have achieved.
even in practical pursuits, and for the
enjoyment witch their lives have
N-s~tf.- -. = ~
with many public speakers, who owe To
the poetic vein OF their natures-which
they perchance lightly esteem or en-
tirely ignore the purity OF diction.
magnetism, emotion and power OF
utterance with which they sway the
minds and hearts OF the multitude.
Where there is no poe try there can be
htile or no eloquence.
The commoneet error made by many
in relation 10 poetry, is that 10 consists
simply in verse-making They mistake
The casket of meter aud rhyme for the
jewel OF thought which it eneioses. and
perhaps in many instances, after close
they have found the cas-
ket empty and turned away with feel
ings of disappointment and disgust
TheDceforth, all rhymes were 70 them
poetry. aud all poetry trash and SEM
worst specimens Of doggerei that could
De selected. they have based thrir esti-
nation OF the whole library OF cong
Newspaper warnings on Spring"
''Snow." Fallen Leaves" did you
Ever Call Ne Darling" and other hack
neyed or effeminats themes, they have
classed with the divine epics OF Milton
and HON r. The croak OF frog in the
marsh has sounded as sweet to them rs
the song Of the nightingale in the forest
and the bray of the long cared half
bruther to the horse has been 70 them
no less lofty and soul inspiring than the
roar OF lion.
Furthermore, poetry. as expressed in
verse, like all other arts and sciences.
has its technicalities. The prose reader |
il often puzzled BY its transpositons. its |
eontractions, ellipses. and other poetic |
sary to rhythm and style, and compare
lively unknown in ordinary compost |
non. And as these require some study |
TO overcome, the mind naturally tires
unless the Inducement TO proceed Is |
grea or than the tempta. ion 70 desist-I
and turns in impatient preference 10 the |
easier forms OF prose. This may be one |
reason why poetry, even Of q superior |
order, Is not pleasing to some.
But al poetry, il must be remembered.
is not written in verse OF rhyme ]
heard very beautiful poem read few
weeks since. at The commencement !
exercises OF the University. II was an !
essay on the Influence OF Passion. by /
one Of the young graduates. Not two
lines OF IL rhymed together. nor was II |
written with any apparent regard TO the
rules Of metricsl com o-ition, but IL was
poem nevertheless, and the pen that \
wrote it was welded BY poet, or one
gifted with poetic ability.
We must not mistake the fruit Of
tree. either, for the tree itself What is
called poetry-thst, which
We read or hear spoken-is the blossom
and fruit Of psetry, or more properly
speskin I, of poesy. Poesy Is the gift.
poetry the expression OF the gilt: poesy
l. the fount poetry The stream that Is
sues from H..
Says The poet Coleridge: Poetry is
tae blossom and fragrance OF all hu-
man knowledge, human thoughts, m
man passions. emotions, language"
Another writer defines it at. greater
- No