, 1897-04-17
THE POWER Of POETRY
PRESIDENT GRAVES LECTURE AT
THE BAPTIST. CHURCH LAST
EVENING.
Without Poetry Life Would Be Low and
Groveling and National Existence
Would Be Hardly Possible-The
Future Great Poet Will Be Born in
America-An Irishman or a Jew.


ry.' The speaker was well received.
His latest effort, being closer to the
people than his ''Demosthenes'' lecture,
received more generous applaus, al
though the former is the more scholarly
production.
Prof. Paul Lehman touched the hearts
Of the audience with his mastery per-
Torrance pom the violin, and many
have expressed the opinion today that
he is the equal to Herr Walther, who
delighted the people Of Laramie at the
university auditorium during the win
ter. He vas encored repeatedly and
graciously responded.
President Graves was introduced by
the Rev. Arthur Willett in a few we'll
chosen remarks, and the speaker plung-
ed at once into his captivating subject.
The estimate OF poetry which is gen
orally entertained in his practical age
was well expressed in my presence by a
gentleman Of considerable intelligence
and cultivation. He said that poetry
seemed to him n roundabout way OF say
ing something that could be better and
more clearly expressed in prose. This
gentleman is a graduate of two univer-
stiles and his training has been rounded
out and polished in yet a third eminent
institution of learning. Moreover, he
has given unusual attention to ancient
and modern literature. If one of so
rare attachments holds that opinion, it
is fair to assume that the majority OF
men do not place a high value on the
minstrels art.
Is this a correct estimate? If scien-
life statement were the only province of
literature this might be true. Yet eve
science would suffer were poetry and
poetic thought taken from the minds
OF men. There is hardly anything else
from the loss of which We should sui.
Ter SO deeply. except religion. And when
we read the bible, it is difficult to sep
arate poetry from religion. particularly
when we regard the sayings of the di-
vine poet of Galilee.
Without poetry life would be low and
%groveling and national existence would
be hardly possible. The suggestion as
to the necessity Of poetry to national
existence will not seem an exaggeration
to n who lived through our civil war
The battle-scarred veterans Of either
side will testify to this. When the new
regiments went through the streets on
their way to the front and chanted the
words OF the battle hymn OF the repub-
lie, every one felt that utterance was
if need be, for the safety of the country.
You will pardon me if l quote a stanza
for the purpose Of illustration.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord,
He is trampling at the vintage where
the grapes of wrath are stored;
He has loosed the fateful lightning of
his terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on"
Then came the rolling chorus which
the soldiers never omitted:
GLORY, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on!'
The fire OF the poem set aflame hun.
dreds of warriors. Our hearts would BIZ
hopelessly dead did they mo- RESPOND
wildly to the love Of country that evok,
ed the Battle Hymn of the Republic
There was a ruder song, which hat
less artistic merit, but fully as much
passionate devotion. 1t is the lamen
of a captive in a confederate prison. On,
stanza runs thus:
In the prison cell I sit, thinking, moth
er dear, of you,
And the bright and happy home 81
far away;
And the tears they fill my eyes, spite o
all that l can do.
Though I try to cheer my cOmrade
and be gay"
To this the marching chorus was:
Tramp, tramp. the boys are marching
Cheer up, comrades, they will come, the,
will come:
And beneath the starry flag we shall
breathe the air again
OF the fredeom In our own believe,
home"
To have heard that song in the crowd
ed factories Of the north. sung by wo
men whose husbands and SOM and low
ers were in just that plight, would con
vince any skeptic Of the power of poet
ry and song to console the sorrowini
and rouse dormant love of country.
Dixie" was accepted as the typica
lyric Of the south. Its words were @
little consequence. except as the sym
bols OF burning love for the new repub
lie. But it's influence was 40 demoral
izing that the IN was forbidden wher
ever the power of the north extended
Then there was Maryland, my Mary
land" which, although sung to a thread
bare college tune, reused the passion G
the south to a frenzy. This inspiratio
nerved the southern soldier to face tn
carnage Of Gettysburg.