The San Francisco call., 1896-08-30


is only now that the recognition of his right to
rank with our great American poets is becom-
ing general. His recently published letters,
edited by William Thayer, have created
wider interest in the man and his work.
Mr.. Thayer says: 81 know not where
to look for a series of letters which in bulk
equally small relate so humanely and oeauti-
fully the story of so precious life" While
Lanier lived there were few with the insight
to discern his worth. Since his death each
year has brought wider recognition. In 1890
the English Spectator said of him: "Lanfer
died SO early that he did not really show us
more than the bud OF his genius, but If he had
lived ten years longer he would, we believe,
have ranked high among English poets and
probably above every American poet OF the
past"
This was high praise from great English
journal, nine years after the death of the man,
whose appreciators while he lived might al
most have been counted on the fingers of one
hand In these days of fads and sudden fame
for work of little value, it seemed cruel thing
that the man whose work has survived 80 well
the relen less test of time should have had the
bitterness of unappreciation added to mis- life
struggle. Life was indeed struggle from first
to last for Sidney Lanier. He fought poverty
and i'll health with splendid courage, and
never wavered in his faith in his own ultimate
success. He was one of those rare souls who
I-rite because they must-impelled from with
in by they know not what hidden force. He
speaks in one of his letters of being tracked in
every fiber by the birth of e new poem"
He followed his muse up steep and thorny
path which led him to the heights-never to
the heshpots of Egypt.
Lanier was born in Macon, Georgia, in 1912.
He was the first of those brilliant writers which
the South has given us in recent years. His
family-who dated from colonial days in the
South-were OF French Huguenot descent.
Like Pierre Lott, he had that impressionable
and artistic blood in his veins-with what a
different result in these two men! The living
French writer and man OF the world has for
tune and fame and social distinction, yet finds
himself forever unsatisfied with these and sad
dened by the hopelessness of unfaith while
our dead Southern poet struggled against all
the ills of life, yet left the memory of un-
quenched hope and courage Of spirit.
At the age of IA Lanier entered Oglethorpe
College, from which he was graduated with
honors When the war broke out he enlisted
in the Georgia Volunteers After two years
service he was taken prisoner and confined at
Point Lookout, where he endured many
hardships.
After being exchanged be made his way on
foot to Macon. On reaching home he broke
down with The first premonitions of his ter
rible enemy, consumption, which fifteen years
ldUer enQeQ MS lie. he recovered from the
first attack, secured clerkship and married
a Miss Day of Macon. She became most de-
voted wife, sustaining him always by her ten
der care ana her faith in his genius. Lanier's
father wished him to practice law. He tried
it for time, but found it hopelessly uncon-
genial. From this time his career was sadly
checkered. He taught school for a time,
played first flute in the Peabody orchestra in
Baltimore, drifted from one thing to another
iz RI
health. Mr., Thayer says neither sickness |
nor drudgery conld long turn him from the |
deepest craving of his spirit"
In 1875 his long poem Corn was published |
in Lippincott's Magazine. Mppincotts, though !
not ranking first among American journals.
has the unique distinction of being in many
instances the first TO recognize the worth of
work by unknown authors. Mr.. Peabody, edi-
tor of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, to
whom most of the recently published letters
were addressed, wrote a glowing review of
'Corn" in the columns of his paper. 1t was
almost the only recognition the poem had,
and Lanier was correspondingly grateful. He
wrote Mr.. Peabody q warm letter of thanks,
which led to a correspondence and later an in
timate friendship. After this time Lanier
made shift to keep the wolf from the door by
his magazine verses, miserably uncertain
dependence. Probably only poet can know
the misery of having to write at the demands
OF an empty pocket.
In 1876 he had become so far known that
he had the honor of being chosen to write the
words for the opening can tata of the Cen
tennial. He was rarely gifted in music as
well as poetry, and it was his great desire to
show the scientific connection between these
two branches OF art. Some years later he de-
Hvered a course of lectures on the Science of
English Verse;" in which he sought to prove
that the law of rhythm in sound applied equally
to words and to music.
He was terribly handicapped at this time by
successive attacks of his malady. One winter
he had 10 drop everything and go with his
wife to Florida-their two boys being left with |
the good friends, the Peabodies. The letters
from Tampa TO Philadelphia that winter are of
the most intimate character. They record his
gradual recovery in the balmy air of the |
South and his relief atbeing able to send check /!
Just received from some magszine) in part |
payment of long standing doctors bill.
In the spring they returned to the North |
and next year there seemed to be some small |
respite to those money worries. He writes !
from Baltimore that they have taken and are
furnishing little house, which causes them |
great delight and feeling of Importance at
being absolute housenolders. After this he |
gave lectures in addi ition to his literary work !
A little later there was some idea. much |
favored by President Gilman, of establishing |
cnalr OF music ana poetry al Jonns HOPKINS
University and presenting it to Sidney Lanier. |
This plan was the foundation on which Lanier |
built many dearly cherished hopes, but it was
never fulfilled. He was, however, engaged to
deliver several courses of lectures at the uni |
Versity. 1t was there that he gave his course
on "The Science of English Verse" The sec
ond course, given just before his death, con- |
tain the lectures published under the title of
"The English Novel" There is much even of
contemporary criticism that is still valuable in
these essays. Lanier's bent was always toward
what is sane and wholesome in art
1t is, however, in his poems of nature that
Lanier is at his best His Hymns to the
Marshes" breathe an ecstacy of appreciation
that must thrill every lover of nature who
reads them. The greatest of these is "Sun-
rise" the last poem he ever wrote, and the
one py which his name will be remembered
wherever English poetry is known. know OF
no other poem which so suggests the flavor of
the early dawn, its freshness and exhilsra-
ton.
But no; it is made. List somewhere-mystery.
where?
In the leaves? In the air?