The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-09-15
TIE MAN WITH THE HOE.

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A most remarkable production. The
following is B, 0. Towards account Of
THE Genesis of the POEM together
with it's reproduction:
Several years ago Mr.. Markham came
under the spell of Millet's masterpiece,
THE Man With the Hoe is com
pelling realism influenced him much as
it influenced Prof. Edward Dowden,
OF the Dublin University, who recently
said: II have always felt that Millet
pictured the union Of truth to reality
with a noble ideality, and Mr.. Mark
hams poem interprets the two sides Of
Millet's painting" The great French
painter had reproduced the man as he
had seen him in the fields of France
with startling fidelity, and with that
power born of genius which quickens
the intuition of all who come under it's
compelling influence. Mr.. Markham
saw what tens of thousands of people
a v seen in that masterpiece-the type
OF millions who through generations Of
oppression, injustice and inequality
have become blunted, stunted and bru-
tallzed, while their neighbOrs, with
dlfferent environments and opportuni-
ties, have grown and expanded until
the mind has lowered as a tropical garf1
den, enabling the individual to develop
capacities for manifold pleasures al
most as little dreamed of by the dead
ened sensihilities of the ma with the
hoe as they are unknown to the cattle
which browse the fields. All this was
felt by the poet when under the inhn-
ence OF the painting, and as he was
lost In contemplation there foated
through his mind a passage from Holy
writ. learned in childhood: In the
image of God created he man." The
essential tragedy of the picture was
photographed upon the brain. He
conld not throw the imagery aside.
The interrogation point had been
raised, and he felt what all the best
natures Of our time are coming to feel,
that no one lives to himself. The great
fact OF the solidarity of the race IS
c~omplemented by the equally impor-
tant truth that obligations devolve on
every child OF the earth, which are only
limited by the power or capacity Of the
individual to bless his fellow IL and
further the trne happiness of humanity.
1t is doubtful whether the painter
dreamed of the influence which his
work would exert on the sensitive
thought OF II age, just awakening
from a death like letnargy; hut his
work affords another illustration Of the
fact that the artist, no less than the
poet and philosopher. wields a god-iike
power which in the service of progress
exerts an undreamed-of influence for
the advance OF an enduring civilization.
A mind less gifted with poetic imagin-
alton and feeling could not forget that
painting or the message it conveys, and I
with MIR. Markham its haunting realism A
gave him no peace until he began to
repeat the message from the poets van.
The ideas came more |
RAPIDLY than the word symbols which
contorned to poetic usage. and years
went ny IN which. like sculptor at the
marble, the poet wrought upon his cre-
alton. AT length it was completed,
and the heart message OF the poet from
the painter was given to the world. II
read as follows: !
THE MAN WITH THE HOE.
WRITTEN AFTER SEEING MILLET.S
WORLD-FAMOUS PAINTING.
,iod made man In his own image.
!" the image VI GuG made lie nim.-GencslG. 4
itowed BY the weight Of centuries he leans
= poh us noe and Yazes on the ground.
ne emptiness OF ages In his face.
Md on his back the burden OF the world.
" no made hin dead 70 rapture and despair.
A thing that grieves not and that nrvur
hopes,
,toid and stunned. 4 brother to tho OK?
!" y lotsened and let down this brutal NV
Continued on local pnue.l