Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-05
THE MAy WITH THE HOE.
How He Himself Has spoken
Through the Pen of Bobby Burns.
Newark Advertiser.


Edwin Markham, born IN oregon, ana
hailed as q poet Of national fame from
the time that he published in san Fran
cisco hi- poem OF 1.-THE Man with the
Hoe" has given expression 10 wide
spread sentiment Of would-be reformers,
Observation-Disclosures and altruists, con-
corning men whose lives are spent IN
manual toll This class Of people, who
labor chiefly IN conventions. and IN the
distribution OF Leaflets. living meanwhile
i'm great comfort upon the benefactons or
patrons or at the expense OF indusLflous
or well .tO-dO wives and husDands-ate
fond OF representing hard-work:ng men
and women who earn their living by the
sweat of their brow and the aDor OF
their hands. as doWn-trOdden, oppressed,
worn weary and unhappy. 1hey are
also ready with indiscriminate Criticisms
and Recommendations OF all those who nave
e,ained aud hold wealth, Of employers and
Capitalists, and enj0yers or the good
things OF life, and Of modern society ia
MIR w. D. Howells. I'm recent No.
NJ "IAterature." makes comparison
between the poetry Of Bret Harte ana
Mr. Markham. and introduces the posnl
- tLe latter with an exposition OF TINS
fdeo Tie SAYS. The Man with the noe
vas inspired by Millets weil-known pic
fure of the WOrk-WOrn peasant pausHS
la tho field a moment with his nands on
~ ~ we ne n1 lar5le 10 rest his aching back.
~ o. snough praise that tho poem re-
dects the pathos Of the painting ana puts
its mute appeal into words. IL couiu ho1
wen do more. but It certainly uots e""'
WI tha words are mostly SO simple, so
,t~onG ana true. that they 80 10 the
,,s"rt9 thew are also somewhat volcano >
~, noiIr a lava-tlde OF scorcnins qpes-
tions from the soul Of humanity upon the
eeIf-cOnplacency or society
ffyHf n
,.oon hi b,s hoe and gazes on the ground,
THE emptiness u ages IN nis race
4nd oo his back the burden or the wor1u'
Who made him dead TO rapture ana oes-
A thing In,' that grieves not and that never
s,oi,a IND and stunned. a brother 70 the Ok
Wbo loosened and let down ans prul~l
whose ls~ was the hand that sIanted back
Whose ss,'i breath e, blew out tho light within
T. this III Inc Thing the Lord God made and
ro 80 dominion over sea and land;
"a tsace the stars and search the heavens
,ro rseI the passion of Eternity?
~ his tho Dream lie dreamed who
And S niI'aprea the blue armament with
Down ns an the stretch Of Hell to its last
gulf III, .to.
this LA.
More tongued with censure Of the worlds
blind greed .
More Allied with signs and portents FOR
More fraught with menace to the uni
what guIfs between him and the sera-
phim
slave az the wheel Of labor, what 70 him
Are plato and the swing OF Pieiadesy
What the long reaches OF the peaks or
rhs ria OF dawn. the reddening Of the
rosey =. -.
ages look. -.
Times tragedy is IN that aching stoop;
Through this dread shape humanity De-
p,,,,dered profaned, and disinherited,
| crJes nrotest 10 the Judges OF the World,
A nrotest that IS aIso prophecy
This poem Is the exaggeratlon OF an
idealist. az the painting may also be.
Manual labor Is a curse only so FAR as Il
| g. The result or companion OF ssn HUI
| manity Is betrayed, plundered. prosaned
| and oislnherited," only as II Yields 10 ths
mower OF evil. The labarer " not OF
necessity stolio and brutal. "a brother 70
| the OK" A greater poet than the author