The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-02
Is Mpi1g
Too Mucb
Praised?

=. ~ NC
Falgsan says: eft sas alrsys yet the
trick Of our English nation. IL they have
good thing, 20 make It too common
Is not Mr. Kipllng just nov suffering
from this dispositions o. his c1suntryneTs
which, By the way Is npt confined 20 MS
country hut seems TO inspire ali bis adj
nirsrs. ard they are legion. the world
over Ten years ago he vas almost. II not
quite unknown About that time he woke
70 f1ad himself famous ana n6w there's
hardly 3 mock or Granny Ia this "rast
world" that apes rot resouud with bis
name and fame s<sue critics have put
him above -. Paul as a Cfrissian. Isaiah
as a prophet and Shakespeare as a poet
They said that IL ne had laid down ais
pen for good when he had hat close
call" recently he would have died the poet
laureate OF the angla~Saxon race Kings.
queens ard esnperors inquired most dill
gently and anxicusy about him as rSp
foremost man % cur common race. Surely
enough 10 turn almost anyoaea head
Whether this will develop in him HynT,-
tens OF aphaionsness remains 10 be
seen Twas enough To turn the reason
able admiration OF the Just and impartial
into disgust How ear IL help proving. iB
every respect except perhaps a pecunlary
way. a disadvantage TO Mr.. ktpiing% NH
he not be- somehow, handicapped. even
Inundated. bv such fuisome laudation.
even though IL be his misfortune and not
his fault that he Incurred tt7 Is not over
rraise like praise t. the face" almost
''epsn iisgraeeT'
To be sure. ne almost passed through
the valley Of the shadow ~ death, and
much Of this extragagAnt euiogy might be
considered ants~mortem obituaries, and as
such excusahie: Dut Afr. iipiiHg has a
sonsitlve soul and has. no doubt. been
Crieved BIZ such injudlcious aad Indiscrim-
fnate aduiafton. We do not yiold 20 any
ene In genuine reasonable admiration of
Mr. fipiing and of some of his work but
we do lot believe IN syersieppiug the
,nodesfy of nature IN It's expression IL
no, the emphasis az under estimate bet
ter than the rick of future wthered iaa-
rels' or ''reeonsidered reputations?'
r r
What then. We may. perhaps. opportane-
ly ask deiighting 10 hon9r him to whom
honor is due. In MIR Kipling's just and
proper need of praiseF
AS a writer. whether OF prose or verse.
TO POSSESSES originality. sympathy with ev-
cry phase of human nature. a quick ard
sure insight into the meaning Of things,
and quite a wonderful power OF expression.
like Homer, he finsss something new and
wonderful In many common things. As Mr..
Bowles says Of his visit 10 n British fas-
ship
to ria upHH
He saw the meaning through the task.
Instructive took the larger view.
And found the brain behind the mask
And Just so he evidently. looks a, and
through almost everything he sees and he
has the courage, Toe. in his own words. 10
draw the thing as he secs Il for the God
OF things as they are" His works show
close NJ we'll a. extensive observation and
a great variety II powers On the other
hand, no Is sometimes provoking in bis
fondness for obsolete and provincial ex-
pressions, even downright slang. ana he
locks perhaps from old habit, rather too
frequently. Il seems to US. at things
through the eyes. not OF philosopher. but
through those Of reporter or interviewer
moro DESTROYS of making what he calls a
''scoop' than Of doing anything worth do
ing. And are Of those who think that
10 give speeCh 10 animals ~ barely toler-
able but that dialogue between webfranaes
oiigc cssfnps ana cardboard stakes. steam
pia;as. rivets ana seams. IN 80 fantastic as
30 DO absurd.
But there is no denying Mr.. Kipllng &C.
nisas Of high order. aud II Is hard 70 say
whether thls shows mere brightly In HIS
poetry or In his prose. Hgfen's definition
style IS the man himself applies To a.!
his work. AS "a late reviewer says He
puts something ~ his own flaming splr-
ituai quality into everything he writes 81
quality which stirs the blood Of the reader
like tho beating 81 drums and tho bare a.
trumpess'
The best religious poem az the last half
century Is a complete answer te the charge
OF iFseverenee sometimes brought against
him. Ard for refinement. which Ne - sup
posed 20 lack. What could hc asln;ier than
the following:
IsENvot
ITO Whom II MAY Caue~rnD
The SNAKE upon year altar dies. THE aowers
decay:
The goddess ~ yoer sacrifice has flown
whas pront. thea 20 sing or STAY
The faeri;lce from day 10 daye
I'VE know the shrine Is vaid.r they aatd
'she xossfe~s a@aa.
Yet wreattS are eu the altar laif~the altar
stone
Is black with f2n1es Of sacrifice.
Albeit she had dea eur eyes
"Far z may -, II stin We sng ana tend
ghr shrine
Some deity - wandering wing may tAere
lGcssHe.
And aotllos al In oo3er neas.
S,sy white SO worship ss Der feet"
az ;hat ttaEul prayer f2r sleep IN 'er'be
Hrusawcaa 1say" sn '~rto pays work
~ e'aete is wae,3 Sc 81 wYvach 81 fro,g
the setting wh.ee So bec sroee Aa.l evca
ad3s 20 s's chaFrs~-3o * \ rslpsNIs .s}us-
iicr.