The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-04-15
w. B. Yeats Estimate of the
Ballad of Fontenoy.
I. D. SULLlyAN'S TRIBUTE TO DAVIS
The Many Opinions of Mangan's
Poetical illusions.


essayist and parliamentarian. has an in
teresting critique OF Davis and Mangan
in the Irish Nation, in which he says:
Mr.. w. B. Yeats is coming in for
sharp and angry attacks in a Dublin
paper for having said. on the occasion
of lecture lately delivered by Frank
A. Fahy in London, that much poetry
of Thomas Davis was mere journal
ism,' and that his ballad of ''Fontenoy"
is specimen of that class of work.
One writer says: Remarks such as
Mr.. Yeats is reported to have made
may be accounted for by assuming that
he has not read the poems referred to. "
But that is an impossible assumption.
Another writes: Popularity and vital
ity go hand in hand as tests of merit.
Davis work enjoys both. The work of
Mr.. Yeats and the majority of his COL
leagues can pretend to neither" A
third lets himself go in this fashion:
"If Mr.. w. B. Yeats in literary efforts
confined himself within certain limits
lie would charitably be suffered to in
dulge in his whims and fancies but
when he attempts to criticise the works
OF genuine Irish writers he cannot ex-
pect much consideration
For my part, if may venture to ex-
press all opinion, I would say these
gentlemen do not rightly appreciate Mr..
Yeats, who is literary man of genius,
poet of distinction and an Irish Ma
tionalist; but l can respect the patriotic
feeling that flames out in their indignant
protestations. think also that the esti-
mate of Davis as a poet held (appar-
ently) by Mr.. Yeats is beneath his
merit, and I do not wonder that some
what brusque expression OF it has given
a certain shock to many Irislmen who
hold the name and fame Of Davis in
tender regard. Mr.. Yeats can plead
quite truly, that his remarks were ell
tirely apart from and irrespective oil
political sentiment and were merely a
literary judgment of literary work. Blu,
I think it is pity to view such a man
as Davis in that cold, dry light. Be
sides, it might we'll be remembered i
this connection that the whole world
loves and cherishes many poctical COM
positions that. touch the feelings and
sway the human heart even though they
may have certain defects discernible by
experts, grammarians, professors and
and cherishcd-by the Irish race at al
cvents-so potent, SO imperishablc arc
several of the poems of Thomas Davis
| "Fontenoy' among the number.
Thomas Davis. as poet, had his
limitations-lke other men--I was
about to say like other artists, but
charming title like that is | hesitate te
apply it to one who was so natural, sc
earnest, so sincere Art was not wha
Davis cared for. He was serious man
he had serious and very noble pur
pose in view. and for its furtherance he
wrote his political poems for the Natior
| Just as he wrote his leading articles
To that extent and in that sense hi:
songs and ballads may be called "jour
nalism," but they were poetry neverthc
less. Yes, he had his limitations. O
wit, fancy, humor, there is not trace
in his compositions. There is not ;
laugh between the covers OF his book
For scope, play and variety OF human
feeling, he is not to be compared tor
moment with Moore, Burns or Byron
There are some graceful and tender love
songs among the poems Of Davis; al
the rest have Irish nationality for thcll
inspiration and their theme. Let us
grant that his range was limited, that
his "scale" or gamut was comprised
within few notes; but within that com
pass what noble effects he produced
All round this planet has rung the thun,
derous refrain OF his inspiring song
"The Vests Awake" for half century
Irish hearts have been touched and tear:
have been brought to Irish eyes by the
fine poem that closes with the pathetic
record:
On far foreign fields from Dunkirk tc
| Belgrade
Lie the soldiers and chiefs OF the Irisl
| brigade.
| What Irishman has not in his hear