The Helena independent., 1894-01-01

WNty "NNSoA1 WVt0Nb0tuS 00SOuh0t VI
Phi!ivsbura. killed while diving. pa.
c. Votaw, JE.. Helena.
August 20-Pster Roman, sgent Of The
FIathssd Indians. at Arise.
September 2O-John w. Dunham, form.
srly Of Alder guloh. a. White sulphur
October Nv. q. Chllds Al bis ranch
aeas Helsna. l7-John North, . Forty
minor. o. Aissou!a. l9-Mrs. w. "A. Clark
Ct New York. 31-Hezskiah Hosmer, the
q. st chisf Justice of Montana. at San Fran
cisco.
November 11-John 8. BartrufI. pisneer
9f Alder gulch. o. Virginia City. l3-Mrs.
Ida d. Sohoppe. Helena.
A STUDY OF WILLIAM WATSON.+
Estimats OF the Rising English Poet by .
Hs'enn Critic.
Written for The Independent.
That William Watson has not received
the laurel from tho English throne may bs q
disappointment TO some Of his admirers.
but II We are TO look upon his rejection a.
an intimation Of his undtnsss. il may be
we'll to remember that sovsreigns have
often erred IN their estimates Of poets and
poetry. Looking over the history of Eng.
sSes@ !" AAsSs voAASUo ASbOA1t0SS S1VuU tu0 tAM0
when the Office Of laureate first smerges
from obscurity. and begins to bear upon il
some Of tho marks Of authentic history, 1t
10 not altogether pleasing to note that this
atft has either been conferred upon sati.ists
who wore willing to drive the muse to the
service OF ambitious rulers, or that its be-
stowal bas been deferred to time in the
lives OF the few Rods Of song who have besn
it, recipients. when they were 10 far In the
ascsndency % to reesive neither benefit nor
honor from an Office to which they added
the splsndor of their fame. Considered a.
a position Of dignity. created by great
nation for the use Of posts, vs expect to
md It conferred In the spirit of app1soia-
tion. and 40 . reward TO deserving genius;
and to find II made subssryient to political
ends. or bestowed merely for the pur pose of
bringing an additional lustre to the royal
court, at once strips it of that worth which
1t might otherwise have possessed. What
ever dignity 10 attached to IL in the present
age. 10 due In large measure to the lofti-
nasa OF psFpose. which. no tmattess. what
Judgment postsrity may sec fit to pass
upon their genius. must ever remain a
prime characteristic In the poetry of both
Tennyson and Wordsworth. The laureate
ship ID, In sense. q mantle from these
Elijahs. and only as such is il to be desired
by the aspirants Of to-day.
1t cannot we'll be disputed that Swim
burne IL now the greatest among living
poets. and In the recognition OF this fact
we are in danger Of losing sight Of group
of poets not far below him who have
Just claim on the poetry reading public. It
was impossible for these poets to gain much
Of an audience while Tennyson was achiev-
ing his remarkable fame. They have had.
1t is true. their circle of appreciativs read
GRE, but their productions have never gone
to tho heart of the people. whore all poetry
must. either by direct appeal. or through
channels, ultimately find its
way or fail in its mission. The death of
Tennyson. and the speculation arising from
IL as to who would succeed him, haye given
them moro general attention. Whsther
they possess the strength OF genius to give
them high place in permanent literature
only the coming years can determine, but
shere is certainly to be found in the poetry
Of William Watson. Lord de Tabley, the
Morrises. and their fellow poets enough Of
the essential qualities to give them place
above nsdioority.
William Watson. tho comparatively
young singer of the group, has given TO the
world but . slender volume Of verse, the
Sest Of which ID sleRiac. He has gone for
his greatest inspiration to tho graves of de-
parted genius. In this age. when science
seems 90 completely enths oned In tho public
mind. such verse 10 not read with avidity.
II looks vary much a. il the post who would
now catch tho popular ear must find sope-
shinR for his art In the wheel and the loom.
the ma,vsllous inventions and discoveries
With which science has blessed mankind.
In other words, science ID extremely popu-
lag, and art to become popular must. to a
extent 90 hand In hand with
science. But syt-and above oil poetry a.
one OF the greatest forms Of art expression
will never bA! ter her freedom for popu-
larity. Whenever poets have attempted to
do IL for her. their productions. although
they may have won the applause Of gen
sration. have eventually become forgotten;
these tRuants of the muse to fams2
II was to be expected that Watson's
poetry would meet with Just such crisic!sm
10 has appeared against It. and II Is NOT
that he has been snserinaly
dubbed writer of grave poems" II IL.
however. quite noticeable shat the charges
made 10 seriously BY his critics could. with
Dqaal justice, bs made against many Of the
great poets; ~ an instance. the repetition
,f thought. 10 II much to the credit Of
these critics that In reviewing this volume
of verse. they put ito author to test which
they refuse TO make applicable 10 genius
that 10 moro universally reooguizsd? II il
requires but reading of this volume to
prove that the faults absorbed to IL exist, IL
'ertainly does not require second reading
10 convince that these faults are triflino and
IT little importance when compared with its
general excellence. "Lsohrymae Musarum"
Ind "Wordsworth's Grave" are NO doubt the
best poems II contains. the former BY far
he dnest verse tribute 10 Tsnnyson that
has appeared. "Wordsworth's Grave" has
jnstly bsen classsd among the best prodse-
lions OF reoentarA Wordsworth. after hav-
ing won for himself a great name In DO
TRY, was destined TO lose his influence
through misguided public taste, brought
about in part By criticism that overlooked
'hs trus objects and alma OF poetry. Those
Who have seen him overcome this neglect
md rise again through the might Of his
~tssA A. -