Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-09-11

that according 10 his own bitter declaration,
We owe his wonderful poetry. For ho saws
" To withdraw myself from myself has ever
been my solo, my entire, my sincere motive
In scribblIng at all, and publishing also tho
continuance OF tho same object, by tho action
u affords to the mind, which else recoils upon
itself"
THE greatest natne among writer's Of Eng.
lish fiction Is ono inextricably associated in
our minds, with sickness, sorrow and sufIor.
Ing. "Tho basis of his character" says
Prof. Welsh, writing OF Sir Walter SCOTT
Z" tho basis OF bis character, ~ Of all great
ones, was energy triumphant over infirmity,
disease and disaster" | never read that
vivid, realistic and exciting scone of tho as
sault ON tho castle, In " lyanhoe," without
calling to mind the almost in tolorahle o attacks
of pain In the intervals beiweon which the
indomitablo writer rapidly dictated his
graphic descriptions of tho fight. And in
deeu many others of the very finest portions
OF MS novels were produced under like cir
cumstances when Scott was prostrated from
the effects OF his tremendously hard work
which he would not abandon until IL brought
on the stroke OF apOpieSy, which nj last ended
his sad but heroic life. Dickens later years.
700, were years OF suffering, in which, de-
spite his delicate health, hs succeeded In do.
ing some OF his best work. Poo was not a
well man at any time OF his brilliant literary
career though perhaps his suffering was
more OF the mind than the body. So IIaw-
thorne's was undoubtedly disordered nor
vous system. But from their discomfort
and pain we have reaped soIno of the most
precious treasures OF our literature.
THE two most signal illustrations Of my
proposition, however, are afforded us In the
lives OF two female poets, notably in that of
the greatest woman poet our language has
yet produced, Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
hnr 1.n 4.
tIst, w. w. Story, wrote from Florence To
the Atlantic Monthly, the year that she died,
1851 /: " a great invalid from girlhond owing
to an unfortunate accident Mrs Browning's 3
lllo was a prolonged combat with disease
thereby engendered and had not God
given her extraordinary vitality Of spirit the
trail body could never have borne up against
tho suffering to which 1t vas doomed Prob.
ably there never was a greater instance Of the
power OF genius over the weakness OF the
flesh. confined to her room in the country
or city home of her father in England, Eliza
beth Barrett developed into tho great artist
and scholar. From her couch went forth
those poems which have crowned her IA the
WORLDS greatest poetess,' and ON that couch,
where she lay almost speochless at imes,
and seeing none but those friends dearest
and nearest, the Soul-woman struck deer
into the roots OF Latin and Greek, and dram k
of their vital juices" Was 1t not her lie
long invalidism to which we probably owe
that deep introspectiveness, almost super.
sonsitveness, and ETHEREAL spirituality that
characterize her best poems, and give them
their peculiar charm and power?
NOT of the highest poeical quality tho de
| vout and occasionally sentimental verses o
Frances Ridley lIavergal have perhap,
struck sympathetic, helpful chord in more
sorrowing hearts, and been read and pioyed
in more sick chambers, than the writings o.
any other recent poet Wherein lies tho
| power they exercise over sick aud bereaved
| In nothing else than this, that every yors,
| anu every line IL the expression of her owl
| immediate experience, is attuned to tn,
throes OF agony, the quivering pain, tho long
| nights oi sleeplesS anguish she endured fol
so many years before relieved by death ant
that all the sweet aud touching consolation
| and encouragements of the ChI stan religion
| which her poetry breathes forth, had frs
been tired by this suffering young girl her
self and found to be true and effective. Sht
knew from bitter experience that
Rapture Of love Is linked with the pain or ical
| OF loss,
And the hand that takes the crown must ach,
| with many a cross
Yet he who hath never conflict hath never
| And only The toiers know the sweetness OF resi-
| and calm
| Therefore, certified by suffering IL her faith
| so strong and therefore do her fellow suf
ierer5 so confidently accept her triumphant
| message:
| Tempted and tried
| The ~uNiOsT who died
Hath called thee to suffer ana reign by His side
| His cross thou shalt bear
| Ana HIS crown thou shalt wear,
| And forever and ever His glory shalt share eco
| | NGHT go on indefinitely telling of the
sufierings of authors, and how by their
suferings literature and the world have
been enriched. Sidney Isnier and Paul
| Hayne alone would furnish material Tor q
| whole column. But / would have to stoT
| some time so | will stop now. INCA-