The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-04-22

ti7 that take Pegasus
M on giddier hlghts
MI OF fancy. and writ
w ers that Sit him
more grandly. and
writer's that put him through dainiier
PAGES, and writer's that burden him
with anguish nearer that Of the dead
Rider OF the White Horse. and there
IRE writer's that make him a very buck
lng broncho Of wit. hut there Is no one
that turns Pegasus into just such an
ambllng nag OF lazy peace and pastoral
.ontent as james, had almost said
Joshua Riley. II you want
panacea for the bitterness and the
fret and the, snobblshness and preten-
sion and unsympathy and the COM
merclal ambition and worry and the
other cankers that gnaw aud gnaw the
soul. JUST throw a leg over the back Of
Rlley's Pegasus, perfectly safe for
family driving" let the reins hang
loose ne you sag Imply In your saddle
and gaze through drowsy eyes while
the amlable old beast joys down lanes
bllssiul with rural Quictude, through
farmyards full Of picturesque rusiies
and through the streets Of quaint VII
lages. Then utter rest and a peace
akin to bliss will possess your SOUL
avs n writer IN GOdey's.
To make readers content with life.
and glad to live Is one OF the most dag
dinghy magnificent deeds IN the power
Of an artist. This is too little appre-
clated IN the melodramaiic theairlclsm
OF our life. This genius for sooth-
ing the reader with pathos that Is
not anguish aud humor that Is not
cynlclsm, this genius belongs TO Mr..
Riley In n degree have found In no
other writer IN all literature.
or course. Mr.. Riley Ia essentially n
lyric poet. But his spirit Is that OF
Walt Whitman: he speaks the univer-
sal democracy. the equality OF man.
the hatred Of assumption and snob-
berry. that our republic stands for. II u
stands for anything. Now downright
dijacticlsm IN a poet Is an abomina-
ton. hut II n poet has no right to
ponder the meanings OF things. the
feelings OF man for man and the high
er "cri,iclsm Of life" then no one has
n to Pope's THE proper study OF man
kind Ia man." you add nature" and
natures Cod" you will fairly well
outline the poets field.
Mere art CIIoavon save the "mereTl
I Il not and has never been enough "a
place a poet among the great spirits oil
the world. II has furnished q number
OF nlmble mandollnlsts and exquisite
illetianta for lazy moods. But great
poetry must always be something more
than sweotmeals: Il must be food
gomptlngly cooked. wlnningly served
well spiced and well accompanied, but
yet food to strengthen the blood and
the sinews Of the soul.
Therefore I make SO bold as TO insist
that even In n iyrlst there should b
something more than the prosperity
or the dlrge OF personal amours; ther,
should be a sympathy with the world
Joy. the world-suifering. and the world
kinshlp Il 90 this attitude toword lyric
poetry that makes me think Mr.. Riley
poet whose exquisite art Ia lavished
on humanity 80 dcep-sounding as "a
commend him to the acceptance OF i'm.
mortality among the highest WRISTS.
Horace was an acute thinker and q
frank speaker on the problems OF life
This dldacticlsm seems not TO have
harmed his artistic welfare. for he has
undoubtedly been the most popular
poet that ever wrote. Consider the mag
nitude and the enthusiasm OF his audi
cncel lie has been the personal chum
OF everyone ,nat ever read Latinity
but Horace. when not exalted with his
Inspired prcachments ON the ART OF life
and the arts OF poetry and love, was a
bitter cynlc redeemed by great self
depreciation and jovlallty. The son Of
slave, he was too fond OF court lie
10 talk democracy.
Bobby Burns was a thorough child
OF the people. and Is more like MIR
Riley IN every way than any other poet
Yet he. too. had vicious cynicism. and
he never had the polished art that en-.
riches some OF Mr. Rlley's non-dialectl,
poetry. as In parts OF his fairy fancy
THE Flying Islan is OF the Night"
Burns never had the versatility Of
sympathy that enables Mr. Riley "a
write such uupastoral masterpieces a.
"Anselmo," "The Dead Lover" -
scrawl." "Tho Home going" some ol
his sonnets. and the noble verses be-
ginning
"A monument FOR the soldioni
And what viii " build Il OF"
Yet Il must be owned that Burns Il
In general Mr. Riley's prototype Mr.
Riley admlts Il himself In his charm
ing verses ITO Robert Burns"
sweet singer that loo the malat
o. ony. rln' VT eager haste
/ smacksl balru lila over the taste
o. hinnici sang"