The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-17

f1@a.9EoRGEJ. DURAIND has Just completed
EkaYS an elaborate poetical work, in the
AlS preparation OF which he has spent
years OF study, and before this final execution
of his design, in the form that satisfies his
aspiration to produce a thorough piece of
workmanship, he essayed to reach the ideal he
had set himself with four successive works,
each of which he successfully destroyed as TOO
defective for publication. His self-appointed
task was to produce q poem devoted to the
| nature and the principles of the fine arts, such
as music, painting, sculpture, architecture and
poetry.
Mr. Duraind submitted his unpublished work
to Professor David s. Jordan and Professor
II udson, OF the Stanford University, and from
both of these able gentlemen received words
OF encouragement and praise. This work as q
whole has not been examined by THE CALL,
but extracts from it have been sent in, and
some of them are here published, which will
give the reader a limited opportunity OF judg-
ing the authors capacity for poetic compost
tion and Sigh insight into the general pur-
port OF his poetry. Such a strenuous and long
sustained effort by young man TO produce
some thing excellent, unique and needed in
literature certainly deserves the consideration
OF careful examination, and II when the
whole work is submitted to the public the au-
thor is found to have produced as fine work
as he believes he has, unstinted praise and
wide purchase should reward an effort so ar
duous and so devoted.
Speaking of this forthcoming volume of
poetry Mr.. Duraind says:
about ten years ago in going over the litera-
lures of the different countries of the world I
was struck with the fact that in no language
was there such q thing as q protested Song of
the Arts"
Concerning the great wave of artistic criti-
cism and discussion which has swept over
Europe add America during this century, he
states: "Above all, the nature OF art and its
influence on humanity as a creator and shaper
of human ideals were first clearly set forth in
this great movement"
Outlining the design of his book he con-
tinues: ~ saw that as poets represent genera
tions more than any other kind of artists, the
poet who represents this age should have art
for his theme and treat of its ethical lnfu-
ences on the race. The poet whose work is
enduring always represents some important
social, moral or intellectual movement OF his
time.
ITO seize the spirit of an ages culture is one
thing, but TO crystalline that culture in the
form of living work of art requires ability OF
another order entirely. For years studied
this art movement in all its phases.
"Finally I struck literary form which
gave me an opportunity to combine grandeur
of scene, dignity of character, and allow of
the expression of art thought-not permissible
in story or tale, whose fundamental law is
the subordination of everything to passion,
action and character. 1t permitted me to en-
body the critical conceptions of the age on the
subject of art, and couple this culture with
some OF the splendid figures OF medieval
Italy. worked long on this book and called
it The Coronation of Michael Angelo, Cele-
brat1on of the Renaissance as Expressive of
the Ideals of Art
Mr.. Duraind says he put all other business
aside and worked exclusively on this poem
for seven months, and often sixteen hours a
day, in putting the poem into its final per-
fected state. He believes that no work of
lasting worth can be produced unless one
throws ones whole soul into it to the exclu-
sion OF everything else. Here are some OF the
extracts from the manuscript:
ART.
Art is a minister of human good,
A priestess OF the high sublime in man,
And when the be auty of a statue wakes
pulse of noble longing in the soul,
1t passes from the marble to the life:
From the ideal flows reality.
ART AS AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE.
] see its beauty in the painted prayer
OF rapture writ upon the sainted face
Angelice upturned to heaven to show
How angels look when gazing at their God.
1 grasp its power pictured in the stone,
Enwrapt in an everlasting dream
taste its sweetness in the magic lines
Where fair Francesca meets Paolos lips;
But OH feel its soul and know its depth
Alone in music, loves sublimest voice.
=. THE POET
The poet listens to a voice that comes
In dreamlike intonatons from affair."
Silent to other men, and when he speaks
His language vibrates with the song he hears.
He treads the House of Anguish, yet his tones
Forever echo heavenly refrains
Ideals are the steps which men mount
From earth along the lines Of heaven to God.
The price of all soul-treason is defect
Which holds within itself predestined doom.
Forever in the painting and the stone
Is wrapped the mind immorta of man.
The trend of wrong is always to the grave.
The personal estate of the late William Nor
ris was about $3.50 900, which is nearly the
same as that of Lord Tennyson. The wealth.
lest poet of recent times, or probably of any
date, was Longfellow, who was worth $780,
600.
An English paper says: Rudyard Kipling
NAV not have taken up his residence in Eng
land for any great length of time after all. He
was recently offered a handsome price for his
house in Vermont, but refused to sell, intimat-
ing that he might occupy it permanently after
next year.
Mr. Sherard tells US that DR.. Ibsen is 8 great
reader of the German philosophers. His only
relaxation is to spend two hours day at the
Grand Hotel where he reads the papers and
81 is with glass of aqua vitae on his right hand
and glass of beer on his left, from which
he reads he takes alternate sips. He is never
seen in the theater or in society or in any
place of entertainment.
NEW TO-DAY.
OLD GRIST MILL