The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-01-14

RpEi2ndsS lrre8fe8t fOct-oiHtnuhs cSAhA ~
Secretary Seaman-Sketch and Portrait OF
n.rv A sil,oway-Notes from the L. w.
Patriotic Teaching.
ESeLASp's GREATEST POET.
BIZ Lcmore Sherwood.
william Morris is dead
Who is William Morris? Look through your
English literature and / doubt if you will lind
his name mentioned among the Victorian
poets And get he was known among critics as
The greatest poet of the Victorian age, ana
lived in our enlightened 18th Century, which
prides itself upon recognizing and encouraging
genius and talent.
Now that William Morris has passed away. it
Is to be hoped that, like our own Walt Whit
man. his poems will become universally popular
and that the public at large will learn TO love
and value them. ..,-
William Morris was one of the most versatile
and gifted men Of his time. lie was not ohiS
a poet but designer an inventor and manu-
facturer. He had his own weaving establish
meat his printing house. and dyelng piant Oh
his own designing.
His laborious life was devoted to the repro
auction of the beautiful in wall paper. stained
glass archaic printing and medieval tapestry !;
the DEVELOPMENT of the beautiful in everything.
His entire code of ethics was embodied In
the one word beauty; beauty OF life. OF action,
OF tDOuSHt otdues IA oua no-'SS ~A
environments.
His whole cry was against the uniovliness oil
life. OF late years he has been heart and soul
in the socialistic movement; socialism IN us
broadcast sense. Not the socialism that belieses
in the equal distribution of wealth, hrains ana
industry, regardless of individual effort, but a
far-reaching aitruism, true democracy WIZ
equal opportunities Tor The iuiiess oe'e'opinen'
and growth.
He preached his doctrines on the street cor
pers. in parks and in country lanes; he marched
at the head of angry crowds Who denounced
the things that we are proud to honor. :,
He was the determined foe OF trusts and
monopolies and the present capitalization sys-
TEN. He claimed that the prevailing mode OF
ineeuality had killed the beautiful ana the
ideal in the 18th Century. and plunged US INTO
q morass of ugiiness that offered no escape
under existing standards.
Unlike most reformers William Morris was
an optimist, and be had an abiding iaifh in
humanity and the final triumph OF aitruism.
Men called him a dreamer. because he tried TO
change life as he fouEd it into life as be dreamed
it. lie accepted life and found it good and BE-
cause it was good he called it beautiful.
These are mis- words: If you love not the
earth aud the world with all your souls. and
will not strive all ye may to be frank ana
happy therein. your toll and peril aforesaid
shall win you no blessing but curse"
Not only as poet and philanthropist was
William Morris known and admired; he was
sought after at social functions. consulted aud
respected in the business world, and was rec
ognixed leader in art and literary circles.
When Lord Tennyson died the friends OF
William Morris wished that his mantle might
fall upon his shoulders, but this without hope,
for his socialist views were in conflict with the
ruling powers. Queen Victoria admired the
poet. bat she would not accept the socialist.
"The Earthly Paradise" was William Nor
ris's masterpiece. John Greenleaf Whittier
called it lone of the few great poems OF the
century, and critics everywhere heralded 1t
az q wonderful poem.
1t is really poem of poems, telling the story
of company of gentlemen and mariners OF
Norway who have heard of the Earthly Para
disc" and sail in quest Of it, and after the
larse Of many years they come as old men to
some western land. where they are received
kindly by the inhabitants.