The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-07
A COSMOPOLITAN.
Yet Rudyard Kipling;
Is An Honored Son
of England.
MAY BE KNIGHTED.
Rumors Says He viii Re-
ceive a Title in
1900.
MAY BE KNIGHTED.

An item of much personal interest to
Rudyard Kipling, poet and author, is
aitting eIusiyely through the kingdoms
of the newspaper world. and should
prove contributors to, happier con-
valeseence of the distinguished invalid,
even though it never fructify beyond
suggestion. The announcement is
made apparently on basis of truth
that in January, 1900 Mr.. Kipling will
be knighted. Sir Rudyard, we salute
you, While asking under our breaths
deep down in our hearts, rs it an
nonor?" AS Americans of democratic
principles, we are hardly capable of an
swering the question, and it is posi-
BILE that the merit of the distinction
will appeal much more clearly to Mr..
.zipling's appreciation than it does to
ours, says the Chicago Times Herald.
For this lord of the jungle is an Eng
Hshman To him God save the
queen" is not a sentiment as much as
a sacrament, and in his eyes the queen
can do no wrong. Therefore, II she
should honor him with knighthood, is
it presuming too much on the cOnVic-
tions of birthright to suggest an ODE
dent and grateful acceptance? AS a
reward of merit. the distinction would
be purely honorary, since the world
has applauded to the echo, and the
fame of Kipling is cosmopolitan He
is not one of his own home bred Eng
fish, and he has written of the Brit
ish public without fear or favor, even
as Dickens did. and has said to the
British soldier. You're sent out when
a war begins to minister to the blind
brutal British publie's thirst-for
blood'-which is true And truth is a
virtue that brings recognition sooner
or later
MIR Kipling's peculiar reward of
merit, should he accept it, has distin-
guished antecedents. Sir Walter Scott
was knighted by George ~ who had
read THE Lay of the Last Minstrel
and "Marmion" with great delight, and
even compared the author of those
heroic prose poems to Homer, an ap-
proach to classicism which was great
ly approved by the critics of royalty.
The knighting of Scott was the first
barouetcy bestowed by King George
after his succession to the monarchy,
and it greatly pleased the Scottish poet
and his many friends and adherents.
Alfred Tennyson was made peer
of the realm in 1884, in addition to the
honor of being made poet laureate to
succeed Wordsworth He had known
the sting of poverty which is popular
ly believed to be a poets birthright,
and in London. where he dined with
Carlyle and Fitzgerald, he is described
as existing on golden dreams Carlyle
called him then "a true human soul.
He withdrew from social converse with
his kind. and was said to be less hos
pitable with two homes than he had
been with none. The mantle of great
ness might have caused the change
without the accessory honor, but he
had earned his knighthood before it was
conferred. and the name of Tennyson
needed no prefix of nobility to give it
a high rank in the world of literature.
Browning and Byron scorned the poet
who could accept either the gift of the
laureate or of knighthood as a desc
Grafton of the muse. When Words
worth made a London pilgrimage for
a kissing of hands" and the honor of
a royal stipend, he was scored by his
friends who had honored and admired
him in his poverty. The Lost Leader"
by Browning, is as pathetic as it is
cruel but it was the expression of an
honest Indignation.
Just for a handful of silver he left us,
Just for ribbon to stick in his coat.
wordsworth had received an an
nuity from the queen. The poet
laureate post was offered to him on the
death of Southey. but he refused it.
and only consented to accept when
urged by a letter from Sir Robert Peel.
who assured him it was the national
desire that he should fill the place. The
poet exacted a promise that no duties
should be required of him, and on these
conditions accepted.
When Walter Besant, author of "All
Sorts and Conditions Of Men and many
other literary works. was Snighted by
favor of Lord Rosebery in 1896, a howl
of derisiOn went up from the critics.
and the Saturday Review exploited
their views in this caustic style:
"Our new. knight might have won the
honor for his eminent radicalism. and
It would not have distressed US; he