The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-28
A LITERARY OCTAVE.

The evolution of literature in every age
and country is marked by stages. There
is the period OF the dawn; another period
Of the full morning; a third of high noon.
and then. perhaps. an age of the setting
sun. They who have the literary inspira-
ton produce according to the epoch. The
literature of the ina g~ination precedes that
of reason. Thus epoch of poetry comes be-
fore the epoch of prose. As soon as a race
or community finds itself possessed of a
vehicle of literary expression and moved by
the passion of writing the bards appear.
Poetry is the first form of literary flight;
after that. comes the multifarious evolutions
of prose.
The earlier decade Of the present century
was noted for the extent and variety of
composition in verse. A great deal of this has
perished-only the better quality has been
preserved; enough to make us acquainted
with the poetical style of the f%orerunners
of our subsequent literary development.
Not till after the civil war, however, was
poetry as an art and profession sufficiently
patronized to favor the production III more
elegant forms.
In our literary dawn facilities for publica-
ton did not exist. The poems of the
colonial age were done into manuscript, TO
be put away in the rude drawers of the
cabin bureau. Not often were the frag-
mentary Iliads Of the frontier seen in print
ed form. The early songs, however, gave
token in many of their features of a. bril-
liant age that was to follow. The Territory
was rife with poems. At length numbers
Of these were printed, and found their way
to distant parts, testifying that hopefulness
had followed the descendants of the Puri-
tans and the Huguenots to their homes in
the West.
Perhaps the pre-eminence Of Indiana i'm re-
cent literature has been attained most large
ly by the success of her authors in prose
fiction. A few of the most distinguished In
diana writers in this field have reached an
international fame. The style Of such, as wei
as the fascinating subject-matter of their
productions, entities them to a first rank
in the consideration of our literature.
The breadth, solidity and beauty of other
form and styles deserve more than the
brief mention that space permits. The es-
say and the sketch have achieved distlnc-
verted to the channels Of philosophy, they
nave reached out TO questions of society
and state. Our neishbors at the present
time have attained a national, if not an in
ternational, reputation. The personal teach
ings of their abundant literary, productions
have acquired confidence abroad and appre-
citation here at home.
We can run the gamut of literature
and not go beyond our native heath. The
HISl HOtc WAS pTODdDly STRUCK Dy EuWdru
Eggleston in the dialect that has become
associated with Indiana The note is re-
garded by many (notably by Judge Nc
IN NUT eyer ,nG sbSe 10 born fae q sta BneR 6s he yet loyal
as false in the portrayal of our true Lam
guage. However that may be, the tones
have echoed down the aisles of the years.
have been caught by other voices and re,
Ierberated until shaped by Wallace into
artistic molds of the utterances of great
ness.
As our new country sought to speak to
the outside world in language adapted to
its power. the poet arose, whose outburst,
or song marked a period where the heroic
In history joins hands with the softer ele-
ments in human nature-each as a means
to a common end. In history we have
DR.. Ridpath returning to solve the riddle
of the Sphinx; while delivers less deep have
won recognition from the secrets of our
multi-gifted State. Comparisons in the art
of perpetuating what is best fitted to live
we have Benjamin S. Parker and James
Whitcomb Riley, whose tender accents
f'1 swell miIa Of Tim nD1s battIe-son nseeI It may
seem a matter OF little labor to speak the
language of Poetry. but less easy of &C
complishment is the conquest of a nation
by means of tetrameters.
There are other forms.of expression Civ
ing to us an entertaining revelation of
facts by the pen of the journalist w. T.
Ffshback has struck the keynote to this
rendition in his reminiscent papers and
pioneer village anecdotes. which contrast
beyond comparison with the modern es-
says OF Maurice Thompson. Each fills its
niche in the completion of the literary
drama. Richard w. Thompson, though
pre-eminent in biography, after a life of
over four score years, still moves the peo-
pie of the present day as a publicist of
unusual power. 1t Is said that at the age
of sixty the silver-tongued orator began
and vanquished the study of the Greek
language. In science, as the pioneer under
stood its voice and pierced it's recesses,
the Dale-Owens represent, ch~ronologically,
the State Of Indiana, and many with sue
cessful results have walked in their foot
steps.
In briefly touching upon the public
lecture as a means OF presenting instruc-
ton to the busy man Of this age. the
well-informed mind of the teacher may ac-
complish much in voicing great truths to
the incuiring student. OF this class Gov
! ernor Cumback has given to his. state in
his latest utterances crystallized thought
from an intimate knowledge of a long and
busy life.
/ have aimed TO represent the passion OF
/ the human mind yearning for expression,
nv grouping a few harmonious forms that
unit, the sfory-teller, poet, historian, SCI
enlist. biographer, essayist, Journalist, lee
.Tnterpreters of nature who perceive
The lines of life beyond the common Ken.
Prophets of truth, who give what they re-
ceive
Rv inspiration, to the sons of men"
IDA MAY DAVIS.
Huntington, Ind, Oct. 26.
cournr ngGnvCAU. AIN.