The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-03

with atheism and in1dolty. its hopes. also.
and aspirations. and transformed dreamy
musings Of sorrow and the nero expression OF
ba1led selflshness into tho history OF human
soul cropping through af1iction and doubt to-
ward tho right. In other words, Tennyson
may he said to have crystallized I'm Memo
riam" the thought OF tho nineteenth GEN.
fury. In the paper before us 1t Is tho purpose
OF Brother Azarias TO test tho character OF the
doctrine that pervndes it
The author doubtless is right In saying that
I'm Memoriam" was suggested by "Adonais,"
Shelley's clcgy on Keats having. in fact. been
issued at Cambridge Mt tho In stance Of Richard
Monckton Mines and Arthur Ilalam. Tho
two poets agree with each other and with Mil
toms "Lycdas' in this. that each mourns n
spirit snntchcd from earth in the bud and flush
Of sprngtime promise: each finds In nature q
reflection Of the desoation that Nils his soul
on the death Of his friend; each rises above
his grief and sings q p;Can rejoicing in the
friend triumph over tho grave When Milton
sang. however.
Weep no mere wotul shepherds. weep no more.
fof lycidRs. your sorrow, Is nos dead,
his was the Christian idea OF future life.
But when Shelley exclaimed.
Peace, peacei lie Ia not dead be does not sleep,
his is the very different belief TINT the soul OF
his fricnd has been merged in tho universal
soul OF nature. and that tho is portion of
tho loneliness that once ho made moro lovely"
This doctrine Tennyson considers TO be
faith Ms vague rs all unswcct." lie believes
that the human soul will retain its identity
and individuality through all eternity. flo
has no sympathy with Shelicy's rantheism II
in one o: his closing lyrics he conccivcs his
lost Arthur rs n "dirusive power" In star and
flower. whose voice is heard in tho wind land
where the waters rum" it is only as II memory
ever present and ever cherished. 1t is true
that in another Of tho lyrics no for n moment
dreams him self to have become convert to
the philosophy of Shelley. He feigns himself
wandering through the wood OF the errors OF
skcpticsm and ranthesu. wearing u crown
OF thorns. in consequence of which his brow.
like Shclley's. was branded and ensau-
guined." md he was an object OF mockery
until relieved and comforted by faith.
Brother Alarms would call " In Mem oriam"a
lyrical drama OF tho soul. and he dcvotes some
seventy pages to a minute analysis OF the
poem from this point OF view. 1t is pointed
out that the Introductory lyric. which was
among the last composed. contains the nrcu-
ment of the whole drama. That argument is
that loss may become gain when grief is cher
Iheld 1t truth with him who sirg,
TO one clear harp in divers tones.
Of ther deaa h sere se to on ssppf
Tho poet referred to has not been identified.
but the creed sot forth Is PROFESSIONALLY
Goothe's. for Faust energies from the ruins Of
his dead self to q higher life and u broader
assertion Of selfhood. Such is the lesson OF
In Memoriam." so far as it Is IN elegy. but
it is also. as the author of this essay began by
marking, the poetical expression Of a souls
moral and intellectual growth through strife
with tho difficulties that beset tho truths and
mysteries of religion. Hero the lesson is that
the soul may rise to higher things by silenc-
ing doubt This Is not pcrceptible upon first
reading. That it is not is due to the fact that
the poet never loses sight OF the fundamental
distinction between poetry and philosophy.
The sphere OF each Is distinct: the method is
distinct: the aim is distinct. Philosophy deals
with distractions; it lays down its premises
with care and sees that no link in the chain OF
its reasoning Is wanting: 1t formally draws its
conclusions Poetry is concerned with the con-
crete. or If 1t introduces abstract truths 1t rem
ders them concrete By giving them q local
habitation and name: it places itself in the
heart OF a subject and expresses in rhythmic
language the thought still FACILITATING with
life. Tcnnyson has himself defined the poetic
method as pursued in In Memoram":
From art from Nature from the schools,
Let random influences glance
That Ss x. nboS n hs i inixsesI poo
But that which is apparently random has none
the less purpose running through it The
silent work. the earnest thought. and the deep
study is not visible. but it is there. making Of
the poem n thing Of ifo and power. Though
ha es hra ~ 1l in NO Orck
it is not his own doubts alone that he is solv-
ing: it Is not the progress OF his own soul
alone that he is tracing: it is the story Of the
inner life OF humanity that he is relating. He
has himself said that ~ in these poems lis
not always the author speaking Of himself.
but the voice OF the human race speaking
through him."
Brother AZarias recurs more than once to
Tennyson's rejection Of the panthesti notion
OF the neo-Platonists. that tho human soul
should be finally remergcd in the universal
soul Ilo reminds us OF o passage in which
the poet sald:
Eternal form shall still divide
All eternal soul from ali beside.
and AYERS that each soul shall know tho other
When in q final fight o! fancy Tennyson for
moment admits tho supposition OF absorb
ton in tho general soul. he insists that even
matcly to lose its identity. yet so strong and
persistent is the power Of love that the spirit
OF his friend would await his own to clasp it
and bid 1t farewell before losing itself in the
cosmic radiance:
lie socks at least
Upon fhe last and shnIpest he .ght,
before the spirits fade AWAY,
- some landing place, TO CLASP ana say.
Farewell We lose ourselves In .isht"
Here We must take leave OF some OF the most
delightful essays that have been published
OF recent years. They should be overlooked by
no ono who appreciates earnest thinking
clothed in graceful and admirable words.
FARMER WOODWiRD'S AIRSHIP.
Comin- This Way When II Comes, All the |
Way from the Pnc,,c ou-t.
From The Sia Fr,nci,co ELdmir.r.
Robert J. Woodward. a farmer OF Ventura |
county. is preparing 10 sail from Fan D.cgp TO |
New York in IL hal n huI pNppptrl %