The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-09
RICHARD LIE GALLIENNE
YOUNG DECADENT POET AND CRITIC
ARRIVES IN NEW YORK.
Believes Whitman the Most Original
Man Next to Christian Adj
mirer of ZOIa.
Compiled from New York Exchanges.


Richard LIE Gallienne. poet critic, writer
and Interpreter of Omar Khayyam, the
Persian poet arrived this morning on the
White Star liner Teutonic with his wife.
Mr.. LIE Gallienne said he would be in this
country about six months. the first three of
which he will devote to giving readings
from his works and ecturing. Two of the
subjects he has selected for the latter are
''The Persecution of Beauty and Young
English Poets" The summer months he will
spend with a friend somewhere on the New
England coast.
Mr.. LIE Gallienne talked as freely as the
extremely cold temperature on the dock
would permit. walt Whitman has had
greater influence on me than any American
poet" he said. "He may not have the cor
rect technique usual in verse, but his orig
inality and the truth he tells are what
make him superior to all others. 1 consider
him the most original man, except Christ.
the world has known. His writings have
made very profound impression upon my
mind He is my favorite
American literature has helped me more
than any other. Perhaps you are suffering
more from the reaction which came after
the race of poets of the anti-slavery agita-
tor had passed, just as in England we had
had reaction from the great poets of the
Tennyson type. But we are getting over
that. In America, too, think = great poet
will soon arise
who is the most promising English
poet?"
Stephen Phillips by far. He is young
man. about thirty years, and holds out
great promise. He has tile making of a
81 eat poet. The English are most ccnser-
vative. They do not give the same warmth
of recognition to their young writer's that
you in America do. And perhaps you don't
appreciate your really great writer's as we
do. In London it is dangerous to BE- new
and suicidal to be yourself. Americans are
more ready to welcome new things.
1.-The poetry Of William Norris contin-
ued Mr.. LIE Galliene, has had very con-
siderable effect on my thought. With the
things he sang I am in accord. 1 sympa-
thize with the movement for a fairer divi-
sion of labor and the worlds enjoyments.
Let people have more leisure and pleasure
and perhaps less treasure. | hope that
MorriSS aspirations will be realized and
that finer humanity will come to the peo-
pie of the earth. Yes, believe in idealism,
for what is realism but idealism? The
business men on the ship seem to talk Of
nothing but dollars. vet each in his way
was an idealist, looking for, to what
to him an ideal condition" He asked for
Dreyfus case.
Il am intensely interested" said he, gin
the noble stand that lola has taken in the
matter. ] believe that in this stand too,
he represents the general sentiment Of the
whole world. | know that his opinion of
the innocence of Dreyfus is shared by
nearly all Englishmen. Every one must adj
mire lola for taking what is decidedly
the humane stand in this controversy. 1T
means much when novelist takes up the
cudgelS IN public matter, as he has done
at the risk of his nerves and his strength
for future work"
Mrs. lie Gallienne whose pale intellect
ual face is charmingly framed in bandeaux
of dark brown hair, nodded emphatic APP
prevail of her husbands words. She
roWly escaped serious injury last Monday,
when, in the toughest moment of six and
one-half days rough voyaging, she was
thrown clear across the saloon. She luck
lily had nothing worse than bruised arm
TO remind her of the accident.
Mr. lie Caffeine owned to q hearty adj
miration for American poets we English
men, SAID he, owe to them more than
most of us are willing to confess. believe
that when the literary history of this CEN
fury comes to be written it will be found
that America has done more for letters
than any other country. Think of Emerson
Lowell. Hawthorne, Whitman. Whittier
every one a name to conjure with / hope
Englishmen will be more frank about the
high position held by American literature
than they have, been; 1t is to this country
that we must look for the great achieve
ment IN poetry, as well as prose, that is
to make this century famous.
stephen Phillips volume of poems"
went on Mr.. LIE Galienne, (which took the
prize of $1,000 for the best book written in
1897, IS the most able poeticaI work we
have have had for q very long time. do not
think OF anything to approach it of late
years. What am L doing just now? Moth
ing, | assure you. but planning to conquer
the stage fright know I'll have when first
| face IN American audience. NY Quest of
the Golden Girl which raised such a storm
about my ears on its production. is still sell
ing well, am happy to say, and hope to
hear some American criticisms
The leader of the decadent party in Eng
tured and plainly clothed His hair is as
thick and almost as long as that of his
wife, but beyond this he looks like the or
binary everyday person of commerce. Ee
has trained his features to set sadly" and
only frightened them up when he asked
that the rumOr that he wore silk boomers
be emphatically denied. He carried copy
of "Chmmie Fadden' in the breast of his
coat, and appeared vastly surprised when
not one of his welcOmers to American soil
said 'Wot tell"
Mr.. lie Caffeine has two works forth
coming-one book of verse, Love in Lon
DON" and another a novel; 1.-THE Romance
of Zion Chapel. which latter tells the story
of young Methodist minister who uses tie
Christian platform for humaniZing purposes
Both of these volumes will appear shortly.
Mr.. La Caffeine is a young man. not
more than thirty years old. His wife-a
Mrs. lie Galienne speaks English like a
native. She is correspondent for PoIitikan,
a Danish paper. Bliss Carman, the writer
of verse. met them at the dock. They went
to the Waldorf