New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
LIFE AND DEATH.

The beauty and exuberance of spring have
come upon us unusually early this year. Ten
years ago the later weeks Of March and the
early weeks Of April were held firmly in the
icy grasp OF the great blizzard, and even in
ordinary years the last week of bluff and blus
tering March does not present the spectacle of
reviving life that may be seen to-day in the
fields and forests of the countryside The
early flowers are decked in the glory OF their
vernal freshness, confident in their intuition
that death Is swallowed up in life. The buds
are ready TO burst their swaddling bands and
spread to the breezes their beautiful garniture
woven during the last few months in the mar
vellOus loom Of Nature. There are feeting and
intangible suggestions Of spring in the air. and
delicate whispers Of the season, inaudible to
the common ear, may be heard by him who
"in the love of Nature holds communion with
her visible forms" Birds are Justify singing
their sweetest songs and even the commonplace
notes Of the barnyard fowl add something of
interest TO the vernal symphony, while the low
ing Of the kline that scent the early verdure Of
the field is pleasing alike to the urban and
rural ear Nature IS to-day celebrating her
annual festival of peace and of creative life,
and In that divine sacrament Of triumph over
chaos and death is speaking powerfully 10 the
heart Of man.
And in how different spirit is man appar-
emily receiving that message at the present mo-
ment The spectre OF unrest, Of conflict, Cf
war; Is abroad in the world. The nations Of
Europe are watching each other with hardly
concealed jealousy and dstrust Many of them
are making aggressive inroads on the peoples
Of the Orient, those lotos lands of Nirvana
where it is always afternoon. Nations whose
symbol is the Cross Of the Prince of Peace are
dreaming dreams Of conquest and war which
may, and probably will, end in a holocaust of
ruin and death. Nor are things very different
in our own land. Our people too. are contem-
plating the possibility of an armed conflict with
Spain. if peace with honor shall finally prove
to be out Of the question. The hustle and din
of warlike preparation are heard from Maine
to California and from the lakes TO the Gulf
far above the message of peace and life that
Nature is whispering to her votaries in these
days of vernal beauty. 1t may be that in de-
fence of the right and in the sacred cause Of
humanity the creaking doors of the Temple Of
Janusawill be flung wide open. and the cruel
sword will reap grim harvest of death and
disaster. Far different indeed is the temper
Of men the world over to-day from these days
flowers 10 paint the laughing SOIL
Yet, after all. Is NOT this difference super
fetal and apparent rather than real? Death
equally with life is the true child Of Nature
nay, death is in a sense her frstborn, for
through it, and only through ii. she makes life
possible Before the resurrection Of spring
comes the dissolution OF autumn. followed by
the grave sleep Of winter. and. with what
ing into being myriads Of lives only TO lay them
low in death. Her slaughter Of the nnocents.
indeed never ceases. for of death it may be
truly said that "all seasons are her own" SO
careful of the type she seems. so careless Of
"the single life The cruelty of Nature so far
as her individual creations are concerned. is the
overshadowing fact about her. She casts aside
the most exquisite objects that she has wrought
into forms Of glory and beauty through long
cons Of toll and pain and even her smiles-for
she ever smiles upon her children from her
throne OF death-seem to us but
Short svallow-hghts of song, that dip
Their wings in tears and skip away.
Bur though all this be true shall we there
fore give way 10 despair and gloom? Surely
not Out Of the storm and stress of Nature
come lie and beauty and peace and ont Of her
dead and discarded forms she Is every moment
building something nobler and better Man Is
neither supernatural nor exra-natnral but a
part Of the great sum Of things that we call
the universe. In his hopes and aspirations. in
hie hates no less than his loves he IS uncon-
sciously working out the destiny Of his Creator.
Who can make even the wrath OF man TO praise
Him. and in Whose divine plan pain and death
are necessary incidents in the law Of progress.