Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1896-05-08
CAN WOMAN WRITE POETRY
Centuries of Repression Have Impcdcd
Her Ability of Expression.

ventures OF depression Have lmpeded
Her AFFINITY OF Expression.
II may be said that some women
have been born with the germ of lyrical
genius in their soul; the path of won.
en through centuries is strewn with
abcrtive possibilities. But more fail
ure is wrought by want of will than
by want of ability, so the divine spark
has been quenched in mute imaginings
or in stammering efforts. That aspect
Of genius which is the capacity for talk
ing infinite pains, the travail Of formu-
lating nebulous thought, the labor of
embodying those thoughts in the music
of words, has never been pos.
sessed in sufficient degree by
the woman singer to impart
to her poesy that desthless beauty
which alone shall endure eterna)iy. No
depth of poetic vision will accomplish
this If the power and patience be lack
ing. In the constitution of women
these qualities are rarely present in
a supreme degree, and never coupled
with great imaginative ability. Indeed,
it would seem that The finer her artistic
instincts the less power Of developing
her dormant faculties does she possess.
And for her failure TO scale the
heights of Parnassus there are other
reasons. In spite of tradition to the
contrary, the sympathies of women are
narrower, less profound and universal
than the sympathies of man. Within
the narrow circle of her personal in
terests she will rejoice with those that
rejoice and weep with those that weep,
but the beloved alone inspires her with
emotion. Thus her sympathy becomes
Inerely refined form of selfishness
The passion for self-sacrifice which has
been called the divinity of womanhood
is generally phase Of natural or SEX
ual affection, quite divorced from the
milk of human Kindness and the heart
that is attuned to earth's infinite per-
vading sensibilty. This is the essence
OF the genuine poetic temper not to be
found in woman as yet, at least in con-
junction with the artistic tempera,
ment.
Want of will and want of sympathy
are much, but there is another thing
lacking opportunity. Centuries of
repression have certainly impeded the
Development of poetical expression in
woman and have possibly marred at
least one who might in more toward
al, e4n, .
poet. The poets nature is, moreover
intensely sensitive to opposition or ridi-
Guile, and unless united to a determined
faith in its own future and sui1iciency
that delicate quality of mind which dis
tinguishes the poet from his fellows
is bruised, violated, and in the case OF
a woman probably stified altogether
True, the disabilities under which
women labor in the vineyards of poetry
are inconsiderable to what they were
when Caroline Lady Marine published
that exquisite song: "rhe Land of the
Leal," pseudonymously and disguised
herself as market woman when she
visited her publisher lest he should dis
cover her identity. From the same mo-
tives Lady Anne Bernard denied hei
authorship of AUD Robin Gray" unit
the poem was so years old.
Certainly the trend of modern life
and the development of feminine abili
ty to think, 10 feel and to warrant oul
faith in such futurity, when educa
ton of mind shall have taught her tc
conserve and concentrate her energies
when education of heart shall have
purged her of whatsoever things ar,
small and futile, restricted and unlovc
y, the larger vision that comes will
; the wider sympathy will enable til,
woman poet to see life clearly and So,
it whole. On the other hand, the in
tensified will TO accomplish something
perfect and indestructible will enabl,
her to mold and to use that wondrou
gift of poesy so as to render her worth,
,, not only of laureate's crown and ;
grave in poets corner, but of an mmor
tai shrine in the heart of nations We
to be.-London Star.