St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-27
WALT WHITMAN.

The death of The Good Gray Poet"
removes the most unique and pictur-
esque literary worker of the nineteenth
century. 1t is a death that will come
with no startling shock to the world.
The end has long been anticipated. and.
on the part of the poet, conscientlously
prepared for. The world that has faded
from his aged eyes is none the worse;
the friends whom he loved and the un-
fortunate whom he cheered are better
for his threeScore and ten years exist
ence in it. Critics and laymen widely
differ, and may continue to do so in the
future, regarding the poetical merits OF
WALT WHITMAN. But the memory Of
the man, the broad-minded, democratic
humanitarian; the singer of songs OF
humble life; the patriotic army nurse;
the political writer above party bias;
the generous cosmopolitan and man of
good deeds and noble impulses, they
will ever cherish. The personal
ity of WALT WHITMAN was
reflex of the larger life lived
by the average intelligent American
workingman. lie wrote down no senti-
mental theories concerning manual Ia
Dor to give them the lie by living the
false life of dilettante. He learned
the printers trade; worked at it in sum-
mer, and taught school in winter. He
became master of the trade of carpen-
try; he edited newspapers; he went
out into the fields and followed the
pillow; he found employment on steam
boats; he drove stages; he toiled long
at his desk as a government clerk at
Washington. For all that he received
from tickle fortune WALT WHITMAN
returned full value. He dies debtor
to no man; the creditor of many.
Turning from WALT WHITMAN the
man to WHITMAN the poet, we en-
counter the first valid criticism that can
be urged against his fame. Widely va
ried is the estimation of his claim to be
considered poet. Yet the same differ
ence of opinion is found in the worlds
estimation of BROWNING, of WORDS
WORTH, of THoREAU. The youthful
efforts of TENNYSON met with fully as
diversified literary measurement. His
tory but repeats itself. The one who
blazes a new path through the literary
forest will ever find ready and fluent
detractors of his daring innovations.
Many to whom the jingle OF rhyme is
lullaby declare that his verse is obscure.
To the charge of obscurity others add
that of coarseness, verging upon lnde-
cency. For the latter assault, Leaves
of Grass" is alone responsible. In the
verse of his maturer years. November
Boughs" and Sands at Seventy" the
charge is not sustained. However, the
permit us to assail the genius of
SHAKESPEARE, BYRON, BURNS - the
list would more than fill this column
on the ground of the immoral phrasing
of certain selected passages. WALT
WHITMAN was a careful worker. He
''threw OFF, nothing in the heat of pas
sion. lie toiIed patiently on, and care
fully weighed the opposition and abuse
with which his volume was assailed,
and which he Sagaciously anticipated.
He spoke of it as an expected SOrtie on
common literary use and wont, on
both spirit and form" He moreover
said, and we can take him at bis word,
that "a century may elapse before its
triumph or failure can be assured" 1t
is sufficient for Americans who would
fain honor the poet equally with the
man, that his admirers, especially in
England, have been extravaganza IN
their praise of his works; that TENNY-
SON babe him God speed, and that
RALPH WALDO EMERSON announced
on the first appearance of Leaves of
nary piece of wit and wisdom that
America has get contributed.
l find Incompatible things incompara-
bly, said"