The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-09-08
MADISON SOUTH DAKOTA, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5. 1892.

years wrote poems gratuitously because
they expressed his sentiments and princi.
Piles, had actually come long before his
death into possession of what would once
have been considered a large fortune.
Persons In position to know say that he
was worth fully 100000, well invested.
and that his late animal income three or
four times exceeded his expenses. The
price of poetry has greatly advanced
within the last fifteen years, owing to the
increased demand, particularly for noted
names. These have latterly been reduced
to three or four; consequently Whittier
has repeatedly received $50, and some
times S1,puO. for 4 short piece Of verse.
Nothing could have surprised the vener-
able bard more than his pecuniary acqui-
sition. which he could not have antici-
pated. and would not have believed possi-
BILE when working on the Haverhill farm
in his youth.
A consistent Friend through life. his
creed was always OF the broadest and
highest. Many persons think that the
Friends have some distinctive creed Of
their own, but they have not. The
founders Of the society did not claim to
have discovered any new truth. Their
aim was to establish q change in manners
rather tha in belief, and to persuade
men to live as the early Christians lived.
They have no ministers in the ordinary
sense and no puIpits. Any member Of
either sex ID entitled to speak ct the
meetings IL he or she feels the inward
prompting. They are without ritual,
cerem onies, or regular form Of prayer or
formal or methodic preaching. But they
have always been noted for strict honesty.
purity and all moral practices.
Whittier accepted all men, whatever
their belief or condition, and held unre-
seryedly TO the brotherhood OF humanity.
Religious In strict import, but not in the
least theological, he ever vindicated the
doctrine that God ID love, and that the
ultimate destiny Of the race is happiness.
whiftier's Poetry.
Whittier's poetry Il remarkable for its
sustained power. His early work il not
thin or callow any more than his late
work ID haccid or senile. He was emil
nently q full man. His subjects came to
him; he did not go In search of them; and
when they came they wooed him or forced
him into loving expression.
TO read his poems any one would think
him facile writer, but he was not. MY
own LANGUAGE he often said, seems at
times :oreign TO me- Words will not
come at my command; ,hey elude me
when want them most; the word, the
one and only word. particularly. have
frequently ransacked my brain, tortured
my memory for hours, before could run
down the sole word that would exactly
serve. hope that the labor spent on my
poems III not apparent. II it were, I
doubt IL anybody would or could read
them. =
This consession shows him to have been
. msster OF his art. His verses ara a.
pure. lucid, gliding as crystal stream.
They seem to have been spontaneous, to
have flowed directly from his brimming
mind.
Our poet was not regularly or classic
ally educated: be had never been on for
eign soil or travelled much at home, in
which he may have been fortunate. Per-
haps 90 this IS due TO the fact that he is
altogether American, even New England
ish. in his themes and their treatment.
He sings OF what he had seen and felt and
known OF humble things, OF the emotions
of the heart, of the aspirations of the
iverage mind. He is. profoundly lyrical.
and 50 natural and spontaneous that
those read him intently who say they do
not care for poetry la general. This Is one
OF the highest compliments that can be
paid him, and q compliment he would
doubtless value most. He never aimed at
the admiration OF scholars; he tried to
move the co mmon heart, to touch the
cord Of popular Sympathy, and succeeded.