The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-16
The aghita naiu gayle: grdau aormuo gaue Is, 1888

him-chief1y touching us character
least. are no longer valid objections.
We must bethinls ourselves that his
brain is a big brain and his body
slight body. He has therefore not the
physical ballast that you or l have,
and indulgences that might be quite
harmless for one of Us viii simply de-
prive him OF self-control He has no
measure for his enthusiasm which will
take control of him and make very
extravagant showing. when there has
been, as a matter of fact, only such
an experience as we are all familiar
with and pay no attention to. You
might think he was intoxicated. when
in reality he had taken but single
glass of wine: and you might fancy
him a slave to another form of de-
bauchery when he was merely in love
and telling about it. His life has been
like the lives of other men; only his
emotional nature - his excessively
emotional mathematics more display
of the common experiences. He is
demonstrative: that's the amount of
it. Moreover, Swinburne is no longer
SO radical as formerly, but is quite fit
to hold Office under the crown, owing
to changes in his sentiments during
the last five years, in which respect he
is unlike William Morris, who stands
committed to opposition to the mon
archy.
''If not Swinburne, then Austin Dob
son would be a worthy choice. In the
whole history of English poetry no poet
has written more delicately and de-
liciously than he. His best is as good
as Sir John Stockings best, and then
his average is higher"
Mr.. Stedman spoke strongly in favor
Of the continuance of the laureateship,
comparing it with the French academy,
and saying that it had never been so
important as at the present time.
At this point Mr.. Stedman took from
the book-shelves 4 volume of his ''Vic-
torian Poets and called attention to
what he had written regarding his
favorite-of which the following pass
ages are of especial interest at the pres
ent time:
Il wish to speak upon the one faculty
in which Swinburne excels any living
English poet: in which / doubt if his
equal has existed among recent poets
of any tongue, unless Shelley be ex-
cepted, or. possibly, some lyrist of the
modern French school. This is his
miraculous gift of rhythm, his command
over the unsupported resources of q
language. Before the advent of Swim
burne we did not realize the full scope
of English verse. In his hands it is
like the violin of Paganini The range
of his fantasies, roulades. arias, new
effects of measure and sound. is incom-
parable with anything hitherto known.
He was born tanner of words, sub
duer of this most stubborn, yet most
copious of the literary tongues"
Mr.. Stedman speaks confidently in
regard to Mr.. Swinburne's future, and
as though the full recognition of his
genius, and the highest official reward
that could be bestowed in token of
such popu ar recognition, were surely
coming to his friend in the fullness of
time
Don't you suppose that Paderewslzi
plays far better than Mozart did,"
asked Mr.. Stedman. And yet Mozart
was greater musician-was one of
the really and permanently great
makers of music"
BY this he intended to illustrate
Swinburne's superb execution, with
the two hundred thousand words of the
English language for keyboard.
A happy illustration!
MARION WILCOX