The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-09-08

'iishl i4o ian S ooSSo, S[NSSpsibS pOSSlUiy
those of the Orient, will long remain
formidable competitors of the
English.
THE BRYANT ANNIVERSARY.
On August 16, among the green hills
of Cummipgton, Mass, where "Thana-
topsls" and "Inscription for the En-
trance to a Wood" were written BY the
poet, not yet out of his teens, the hun
dredth anniversary of the "Father of
American Song" was celebrated with
simple and impressive exercises by
relatives and personal friends of the
poet, who was born there November :,
1894. William Cullen Bryant's place
in the literature and history of America
is unique, and unique also in the his.
tory OF universal literature, for there is
no other instance of two as noble
poems as "Thanatopsls' or the "Lines
for an Entrance to Wood" written
by youth before his twentieth year.
This high standard which the poet set
for himself can scarcely be called an
advantage, however, for the reader of
Bryant's poetry will not find in his
later poems higher reach of accom-.
plishment than in these first dewv
wreaths laid on the altar of beauty. In
another respect, also, the more famous
of the two poems named, the immortal
"Thanatopsis," is unique, not only in
the maturity, but the sadness of the
genius it reveals. As a "Vlew of
Death it is unapproached in the his
tory of literature, but the view Of nature
it discloses is, we almost venture to say,
unnatural in its sombreness. 1t is true
that in the sense in which the poet
speaks OF it, the earth is zone mighty
sepulcher
But nature is something more than
sepulcher, as the poet himself felt
and appreciated in some OF his other
poems. The flowers blossom in the
woodlands every spring, suggesting
eternal youth and hope. The noun
tain breeze comes as sweet and cool as
if blowing from the gates of heaven
itself in the golden days of summer,
and even autumn and winter speak of
beauty and hope quite as eloquently as
OF decay and death. Herein, we think
may be noted the limitation of Bryant S
genius. The sombre tone OF "Thana-
topsis'' is characteristic Of his genius,
as may be seen by re-readlng the
poems of his most likely to endure,
such as the 'Lines to Waterfowl"
wune," "The Death of the Flowers"
"To the Evening Wind" "The Land
of Dreams" "The Past" "The Battle
field" and his long Harvard poem
written in the maturity of his years.
Rarely does Bryant escape from his
mood, which, though to it must be
ascribed the greater part OF his noble
verse, the poet himself feels, is not
wholly true Of nature whom he loved
so well. The gladder appreciation OF
nature, which is the complement of the
sombre view, just as light is the COM
plement Of darkness, does find expires.
sion in his verse as in his "Forest
Hymn" "Inscrption for the Entrance
to Wood" Robert of Lincoln" and
few other poems, but 1t cannot be
said to be the prevailing spirit. The
strain of the Puritan in his blood,
which ran back to John Alden and
Priscilla Mullins, may account for this,
but that it is there and is characteristic
of his verse every lover of nature must
recognize. Bryant himself acknowl.
edged Wordsworth as his master, as
Mr.. Dana tells US in his "Idle Man"
where he reports the poet as saying
that "upon opening Wordsworth, a
thousand springs seemed to gush up at
once in his heart, and the face of
nature of sudden to change into a
strange freshness OF life." Bryant's
poetry is of inestimable worth in its
appreciation of nature, and in his life
"the visions splendid" did not fade
into the light of common day.
| Negligence looks at the battlefield
then maks its arrows.
The fish which escapes from the
hook seems always the largest.
Give to the hero the jeweled sword
to the beauty, perfume.
Where there are no birds the bat
will be king.
Seeking information i'll moments
shame, but not to learn is surely &
lasting shame.
In trying to straighten here horn:
the COW was killed.
The bee stings a weeping face.
Doubling minds will ever bring q
swarm OF demons.
Proof is better than theory.
The escaping warrior, after defeat
fears the trembling of the grass.
Everybody has eight eyes tor hi
neighbors business.
Without shoveling the snow away
from their own doorsteps some peo
pleare ever gazing at the caves O
others.