The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-22


paralysis which u produces by faith In
the progress Of science and civilization
and hope In the final triumph OF good.
"Locksley Hail. Is o step forward. BE-
cause the path of deliverance is not back
ward toward q fancied paradise OF chud-
hood but forward. carrying with him the
aspirations Of childhood and the bitter
experiences Of youth to help the organ
lied labor Of manhood.
In "LocksIey Hall Sixty Years After"
he does not recall this creed Of his early
days. 1t Is rather warning TO modern
times not to forget the higher posses
sions In the mad struggle for the mo-
mentary. II does not sound the retreat
from the position so hopefully maintain
ed In the first, but II reflects the condi-
tons of sixty years after" and protests
against them. For II Is but too true that
triumphant democracy counts many camp
followers who know nothing Of the great
movement which carries them along.
with their lips they worship me, but
their heart Is far from me-" complains
an old prophet. Was there not cause
enough for similar complaint on the
part Of the seer of our own times?
"Enoch Arden" Is written In Tenny-
sons purest fdyilic style. Two children,
Enoch and Philip. love their playmate
Annie Lee. She is willing TO be little
wife to both, though secretly she loves
Enoch better He marries her and they
prosper, till he falls from mast ana
breaks his limb. Then, though God
fearing man, doubt and gloom fall upon
him.
He seemed as in a nightmare Of the night.
To see his children leading evermore
Low. miserable lives Of hand to mouth.
And her he loved a begBar; then ne
Save them from this. whatever comes to
me-"
The shipmaster comes and offers to
take him as boatSwain. He consents
joyfully. and bids his wife farewell who
entreats him not TO leave her He bids
her cheer up and cast her cares on God.
That anchor holds.
Is He not yonder in hose uttermost
Parts Of the morning? II I fee TO these
Can 60 from Him?
He is away for years. He Is wrecked
upon a tropic island md no tidirgs
reach his wife. With infinite warnings
he thinks Of her. and his child. far away
in his home.
Once likewise In the ringing Of his ears.
Though family. merrily, far and far
away,
He heard the pealing of its parish bells.
Then, though he knew not wherefore.
started up.
Shuddering.
Al last he is reached by passing ves-
sci. He returns home where his Annie
lived. "But finding neither light nor
murmur there" the sad wanderer seeks
a tavern, which he knew OF old. where
the good, unsuspecting, garrulous hostess
tells him
All tho story OF his house.
His baby's death, her growing poverty,
How Philip put her little ones to school
And kept them In Il: his long wooing her.
Her slow consent, and marriage, and the
OF Philips child; and DER his counte-
nance
No shadow passed. nor motion; any one,
Regarding well, had deemed he felt the
tale
Less than the teller; only when she
closed,
''Enoch. poor man. was cast away and
lost"
He. shaking his gray head pathetically,
Repeated. muttering, cast away and
lost!
Again, in deeper inward whispers, lost"
Longing to lock once more upon her
sweet face, Enoch goes and peeps in at
the window, sees them all In perfect COM
fort, retraces his steps, and prays;
Uphold me, Father. in my loneliness
a little lOngerl aid me, give me strength
Not TO tell her, never to let her know.
Help me not to break in upon her peace.
The great beauty Of the poem is this.
Here is sailor, and in his heart there
beats the whole depth Of passionate hui
man love. Everything self-denial can do
is done The sorest stress ever laid on
human heart is laid on his; he overcOmes
Il all 1t is indeed, a noble pCem-pcr-
feet as a work OF art. pure In its language.
simple In its narrative. deep in it's pas
Son, showing the depth OF the human
soul In the simplest forms Of modern
life. It is the tale Of love stronger than
death, OF heroic soul told In matchiesS
language 1t is easy to zee poetry IN
King Arthur's life. but to see 1t in the
lowly sailor requires the vision or mas
ter like Tennyson. Sir LaLncelot and the
Round Table have their being in poetry;
but to take sailor and his wife and
make all this in the highest degree poetic
REQUIRES far greater work than 10 put
noetry ito the running brooks. In
.Enoch Arden" he shows us that this
generation Is as picturesque as any that
ever lived; but 1t requires a man ike
Tennyson TO see IT, Others must go back
IN ancient or medieval heroes, who are
Grand figures beyond all description. no
Doubt: but Enoch is nobler. because In his
rough and humble garb we find all the
qualities OF the very nohlest knight. II
g. an idvl OF the noblest herolsm. told OF
sirnnle people, in simple circumstances,