Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-18

Gus Imagination, or both. Comparison
contrast. abstraction. generalization
are the steps involved: the great pur-
pose In learning these facts of know
ledge, IL to picture IN the mind the OBJ
tect as II really Is. Yet sack OF every
individual we learn Is a general or q
universal truth; with this. the mind
must identify itself, and not with the
material thing. That is to say. the
Individual presented 70 the senses, EN-
bodies thought to which the mind must
penetrate.
2 A noted writer has said. "a poet is
he. who calls the individral object to
Its universal ccnssoratlon" THE poet
and the object become one, by the
poets seeing the bottom fact, the uni
versal truth Of the object
The material significance Of an OBJ
jecs is ssen by the materiallst or ~
the student of 1t as a fact OF knowl-
edge; the spiritual significance is seen
by the port and his interpreters This
Is what Emerson means when he says
that, Natural history is for the pur-
rose Of supernatural history"
3. In learning this Kind OF truth. ideal
truth, the mind assumes a very differ
cnt attitude. The imagination Is chilled
into play; 1t takes some object Which
by Its nature Is apparently entirely
different from o second object, os-
tablishcs some basis for comparison,
and bulbs on IT, The imagination
creates. and is limited, not by the OBJ
jects viewed, but by .he laws OF ITS
own existence and power.
In zoology, we see with the physical
organ OF sight; in ITO Waterfowl"
we use the inner eye, ln-sight, In
literature we do not picture the strug-
gle, but the reallzutlon--the ideal as
found. The true test OF poem Is Its
universality-its touching some great
common chord OF humanity. Hence,
should the poet write Of some bubble
that flonts on tho surface, that appeals
10 the few. or should ne see some
fundamental, essential principle?
4. In literature, we pay no attention
to the individual as found in nature,
but look to the IDEAL, and strive nde-
quately to embOdy in some individual
what Is necessary to set forth our gen.
erul conception ideallzed. This ques-
ticn of being adequate and sufficient,
should be asked of every poem ana
every other piece Of literature; and Of
every hgure In II.
Thus are Indicated tho three lines
10 which attention must be called.
II Bryant's place in American lit
erature-He corresponds to Words
worth among English poets; he Is the
"meditative poet of nature says
Beers. His best poems are those in
which he draws lessons from nature,
or sings of its calming. purifying and
bracing influence upon the human soul.
His office. in other words, IS the same
which Matthew Arnold asserts to be
the peculiar Office Of modern poetry
"the moral Interpretation OF nature"
This poem marks the beginning Of the
classical period of American literature
III. The poem.
/. Purpose-Dld this question reach
the thought, the feeling or the will
OF the writer? Which is II intended
to reach in us2 To reach the feelings.
Aesthetic. Beauty.
.. Theme-Divine Providence guides
life.
3. Parts-condltlons.
The purpose is seen, not from the
kind of literature as to FORM but from
the content as addressed to a certain
power OF mind.
The theme is not seen at glance,
but from careful scrutiny OF each stan
"a, and picturing 1t clearly. He should
be led through careful study to seq
that the progress Of the human soul
In loneliness, through trials and Vicis-
situdes is typified In the bird migrating
u summer home. II the bird embod-
les the ideal sufficiently, II the ground
of likeness is seen, then the figure
In sufficient.
Ii,,v.,ns, ~ Zach stanza stnnza
shows The RECOMMENDATION, to degree,
Of the waterfowl; shows the relative
p i. iIln a., '" nf ihe,r Conditions The
time, the place, are pictured POLITICALLY.
What is the central thought OF this
stanza2 SO OF every stanza. Each
s .t,, , So 'ren mnIi inns io tbe statinp
~ tho theme,
The central point of each stanzo may
be stated as follows;
% Ihe soli'all is,. 10, na p pa 1u,.'
, ,s S' ono he attained: az ability Of
the bird TO Ind its way alone; t5) un-
weprled, though constantly seeking IT'S
purpose; 90 nearne gas,, OIL h no nn,h Snu
l pSNt ,i, W 9r, eH ~ the q1idjng power
of both.
The unlfying Of these into the gen
eral theme. as SHOWN apoNe' W,lter'
however, does hoI hiWNys, uS hNtc,
state his theme. Inc neaulllul UNITY
OF thought In stan2as l anu u NOT
cqualed by many the ulHerehce IN me
pictured object is lost sight OF IN me
unity OF the theme.
The Individual pictured in this poem
is IN perfect harmony with the thought
TO be set furth--thus fulfilling the third
test OF a good poem.
N,,,,t,.n.,tc.
department
ON Tucsdny the last lesson in
.,,,..,,i, ,.o, mad followed on We'd