Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-31
AMERICAS POET.
Robert q. Ingersoll on the Life and Death Of
Walt Whitman

The ceremonies st Walt whitman's grave yes
terday were concluded by an address from
Robert g. Ingersoll, who was an intimate friend
Of Whitman. and who was requested by the poet
to speak at his grave.
Mr.. Ingersoll said: again we in the mystery
OF life, brought face to face with the my
OF death. great man, a great American-a
most eminent citizen of this republics dead
before US, and we have met to pay tribute to
his greatness and to his worth. know that he
needs no words Of mine His fame is secure.
He laid the foundation of 1t deep in the human
| heart He was above all that have known
| the poet Of humanity, Of sympathy. Great he
was; 50 great that he rose above the greatest
that he met without arrogance, and so great
that he stopped to the lowest without con-
scious condensation. He never claimed to
be lower or greater than any other of the SONS
OF men, He came into our generation a free,
nntrammeied spirit, with sympathy for all.
His arm was beneath the form OF the sick He
sympathized with the imprisoned and the de-
spised. and even on the brow Of crime he was
great enough to place the kiss of human SYM
pathy. One of the greatest lines in our litera-
lure Is his. Speaking of an outcast he said:
Not until the sun excludes you will exclude
you.' charity as wide the sky was his,
and wherever thore was human suffering or
human misfortune the sympathy of Whitman
bent above IT as the armament bends above
this earth.
He was built on broad and splendid plan
ample, without appearing to have limitations
passing easily for II brother of mountains and
seas and constellations-caring nothing for the
little maps and charts that tImid pilots hug the
shore with, and giving himself freely, with the
reckiessness OF genius. to winds and waves and
tides-caring for nothing as long MS the stars
were above him. And he walked among men.
among writer's. among verbal varnlshers and
Veneerers, among literary milliners and tail
ors, with the unconscious dignity Of an antique
god. He was the poet, also, of that divine
democracy that gives equal rights to all the
sons and daughters of men. He uttered the
great American voice, uttered a song worthy Of
the great republic No man has ever said more
Tor the rights OF humanity-more in favor OF
real democracy or real justice. He neither
scorned nor eringed-was neither tyrant nor
slave. he asked only to stand beneath the
great flag OF nature-the blue and the stars.
THE POET OF LIFE.
"He was the poet Of life. 1t was Joy to him
simply to breathe. He loved the clouds. He
eajoyed the breath Of morning, the twilight.
the wind, the winding streams. He loved to
look at the sea when the wind and the waves
burst into the whitecaps Of joy. He loved the
fields, the hills: He was acquainted with trees,
with birds, with all the beautiful objects on the
earth And he saw not only those objects, but
understood their meaning. He used them that
he might exhibit his heart to his fellow men.
De was also the poet Of love. He was not
ashamed OF the divine passion that has built
every home i'll the world-thnt divine passion
that has painted every picture and given us
| every real great work OF art-that divine pas
sion that has made the world worth living in
and gives some value to human life. He was
| the poet OF the natural. and taught men not to
be ashamed OF that which is natural. He was
not only the poet of love-not only the poet of
democracy-not only the poet of the great re-
| public-he was the poet Of the human race
every where. He was not confined to the limits
| OF this country, but his sympathy went out
over the seas to all nations of the earth. He
stretched his hand and he felt himself the
equal of all kings and of all princes and the
| brother OF all men, no matter how high, no
matter how low.
HE has uttered more supreme words than
| any writer of century day. He was above all
things man. And above genius, above all the
| snow-capped peaks of intelligence. above all OF
| art rises the true man-greater than all. He
was true man and he walked among his fellow
| men as such. He was also. as has been said,
| the poet of death. He accepted all-life and
! death And he justified all. He had the cour-
age to meet ALL and was great enough and
| splendid enough to harmonic all and to accept
| all there is of life as divine melody.
ACCEPTED ALL cnEEDs BELIEVED IN NONE.
''You know better than l what his life has
X.
| as he did, what others can know and what
| they cannot, he accepted and absorbed all
| theories, all creeds, all religions, and believed
| in none. His philosophy was a sky that en-
braced all clouds and accounted for all clouds.
| He had philosophy and a religion of his own,
broader. as he belieyed-and as l beIieve--than
others. He was above all. He was true abso-
lutely to himself He had frankpess, courage
| And he was az candid as light. He was willing
| that all the sons OF men should be absolutely
acquainted with his heart and brain. He had
| nothing to cOuceal-frank, candid, pure, serene,
| noble; and for years and years he was maligned
and siandered simply because he had the can
dor of nature. He will be understood yet, and
| that for which he was condemned-that is, his
| frankness, his candor-will add to the glory
and the greatness OF his fame He wrote a
| liturgy for humanity. He wrote a great and
gospel of humanity-the greatest gospel that
| can be preached.
He was not afraid to live: not afraid to
speak his thoughts; neither was he afraid to
die. For many years he and death lived near
neighbors. He was always willing and ready
to meet and greet this thing called death; and
| for many months he sat in the deepening twi-
| light waiting for the night-waiting for the
| light. In his brain were the blessed memories
Of the days and In his heart were mingled the
dawn and dusk OF life. He was not afraid.
Cheerful every moment, the laughing nym!. hs
| Of the day did not desert him. They remained
that they might clasp the hand OF the yelled
and silent sisters OF the night when they should
come And when they did come Walt Whit
man stretched his hands to both-on one side
the nymphs Of day aud on the other the silent
sisters Of the night; and 80, hand in hand, be-
\ tween smiles and tears. he reached his jour-
| ney's end. From the frontier of life, from the
western wave-kissed shore he sent us messages
of content and hope, and those messages seem
| now like strains OF music blown by the mystic
! trumpeter from deaths pale realm.
| To-day we give him back to mother nature,
4 to her clasp and kiss one of the bravest, sweet.
| est souls that ever lived in human clay. Char
| liable the air and generous as nature, negii-
| gent Of all except TO do and say what he be-
| lieved he should do and should say. And l
| today thank him not only for you but for my
| self for all the brave words he uttered.
| thank him today for all the great and splendid
| words he has said in favor of liberty, IN favor
| of man and woman. in favor of motherhood, in
| favor Of fathers, in favor of children. And i
| thank him for the brave words he has said on
the subject of death. Since he has lived death is
| less fearful than il was before and thousands
| aud millions will walk down into the dark
| valley Of the shadow holding Walt Whitman by
| the hand long after We are dead. The brave
words he has spoken will sound like trumpets
| to the dying.
And 30 Hay this poor wreath upon this great
mans tomb. ] loved him living and l love
him still"