The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-29
POETS AND PURITANs.

however nlolOln may NudhbC 's0
couDtenance. the one problem which Is
the heart of it remains eVerlasGngly
the same. Through all thought and
action, all civilization and life, in every
age. there beats the sombre monotone
of one question-What does it mean!
Human destiny is problem always
waiting TO be solved, and according as
men have interpreted it, so have they
lived. Nations and races have felt its
burden and risen to its inspiration.
They have made life beautiful with the
radiance of Greece. strong with the
strength of Rome. ponderous as Egypt,
proud as Israel, dark with the ugliness
of Islam or of Scotland, accordingas the
eternal tone sounded in their ears. And
SO, too, individuals make believe to fill
the brief hour with light and song, and
try to forget that they were born and
have TO die. Or they turn away from
the music and the mirth. and wrestle
drearily with the destiny of death and
hereafter, forgetting meanwhile that
they might live. But from the book OF
Job to In Memoriam, humanity ls only
a rock around which surge the waters
of the Infinite, and its clearest light Is
hung about thick and dark with the
shadow of destiny.
The true significance of the problem
is not as il questions the darkness. but
as il relates to the light. Death reveals
no secrets, but life puts us riddles which
we must solve or perish. Even religion
bears out the justice Of this view OF the
problem. the true reading of which is
not What shall become OF me when l
am deadPn but. What does this life
mean to me?" Even where he finds a
new aud stronger life accruing to him
from belief in the supernatural, he
still must begin with the facts around
him. and translate his divine faith to
meet the issues of human affairs. These
two sides together form the model ON
whose diverse may be traced sprIgs OF
flowers. implements of toll, and weap-
ons of battle, and at the foot skull and
bones, but on the reverse there Is writ
ten a hieroglyphic which no eye can
read.
Perhaps nowhere else in the history
of a nation do we find the two sides so
absolutely and irreconcilably discover
ed. as in the antagonism OF parties
which reft asunder English life in the
early part and middle OF the seven
teenth century-Ihe one party lightly
smiling on the fower-sprigs and the
battle-gear the other too darkly pom
dering the hieroglyphic. Cavalier and
Puritan may be taken as in a sense rep.
resenting the comedy and tragedy oil
life. its finite and its infinite. its natu-
raj and its supernatural. Their opposi-
ton presents only partial phase OF
the profouuder problem. To Chilling
worth's quaint and pathetic humor .he
struggle was only between publlcans
and SINNERS on the one side, and scrlbes
and pnarisees on the other.
The Puritans early betrayed an anita
gonism TO the stage. founded on Ieligl-
Gus principle Shakespeare was abused
and anathematIzed as heartily as Dry
den or Congreve and long before It
had assumed the supremacy, 1t had
driven poetry and the drama INTO open
protest. Tue Incomplete. gaunt IDEAL
of the Puritan, 80 forcibly obtruded'
impelled the Cavaliers to lay an exag,
oerated emphasis ON the other side oil
life. Their joy GUS temperament sougn'
only the light of ladies' eyes.the sparkle
of the wine-bowl. and a song that had
the ring of Ruperts march in it.
We observe the limitation OF the Cava
liers' view of life. its want and waste
its frivolity and insipidity. its elevator
of Irritation aud coquetry into man
chief end, its regardlessness OF exalted
motive, except when the war noI'
sounds. and then thrill OF bravery
leaps into words eloquent of the idea
soldier Macmillan 5 Magazine.