The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-15
Letters of sidney Lanier.

For the increasing company of Sidney
Lanier's admirers the volume of his let
tiers just published by the Scribners will
have a real message. The letters supple
ment in way the poems and essays that
he left behind. and those who know THE
Marshes of Glynn,'' 1.-The Symphony and
the beautiful Ballad of Trees and the
Master will find in his correspondence the
confirmation of much that they imagined
lay between the lines of the poems. The
letters have not been marred by clumsy
or unsympathetic editing. but all the
pathos and simplicity of the mans life
shine out in them. Among the most inter-
esting of the letters presented are those
written to Bayard Taylor and to Paul
Hamilton Hayne. Taylor was exceedingly
kind to Lanier-encouraged him, helped
him to find publishers, gave him frank and
just criticism, and was responsible for his
appointment to write the cantata sung,
with Dudley Bucks music, at the OPEN
ing of the Centennial Exposition. This last
honor was OF doubtful value to Lanier,
for 1t brought him severe criticism; but it
was capital as an advertisement, and called
attention to his high merits as q poet OF
force and originality. The correspondence
between Lanier and Taylor in regard to 1t
ought to settle in all minds Lanier'S pur-
poses in writing a poem that has seemed
to many critics merely curious and whimsi-
cal. The fact is that Lanier was a musician
as well as poet, and in both music and
literature he was not a servile follower
of the old models-though a student of all
Of them-but an original investigator. He
played the flute in the Peabody Orchestra
at Baltimore. and knew, indeed, some
thing of nearly every instrument, playing
the grand organ in emergencies. Probably
no other poet has ever felt music in just
the same way; 1t was great passion with
L. vI. nx.I s~a. l. oil
his writing. 1t is possible that If he had
known less of music he might have been
more successful as a poet, for the ideas
of the one, carried over into the other,
fnterfered sometimes with his best lit
erary expressions. But in a day of growing
formality he showed striking independence
both in his methods and in his subjects.
The spell of the New England poet did
not lie heavily upon him and he had al
ways the courage of his own strong con-
victionS.
aSome interesting condolences were ex-
changed between Lanier and TAYLOR. There
was wicked Boston editor who would
have none of Lanier. Taylor thought to
try his own offices as a mediator and sent
enc Of Lanier's poems to the Boston period
tcal with a poem of his own, AN Assyrian
Night Song He wrote of the result TO
I.anier in these words. under date OF April
15, 1877:
'Assyrian Night Song having no mind for
either. But for this fact / should regret
having sent yours. / have several times
half resolved never to send him another
poem, but now / wholly resolve. He has
personal whims in place of clear critical
judgment"
But the songs were good songs-to para
phrase q sentence of Lanier's-and those
who seek them shall find them. Yet. after
all, the appeal of these letters lies beyond
their literary recollections, and In the
courage, the high aspiration, and the devo-
ton to his ideals that characterized Lanier
first and last. He was throughout all his
maturity an invalid; he was frequently
driven from one place to another in search
of friendly climate; he was poor and
suffered serious disappointments in efforts
to improve his material conditions, yet he
never lost hope, and never complained.
There is infinite pathos in such exclama-
tions as this: How / wish that the whole
world had a homei' from one who was
lessons in his life, and all who have been
moved by the felicity and charm Of his
poems will delight in this book.
Two portraits of Lanier are given, one
OF them showing him as he appeared I'm
1857, was first published many years ago in
the Century, and the handsome, high-bred
boyish face-he was then ffteen-carries its
own prophecy of the manner of man he
was to become 1t may not be generally
known that Sidney Lanier was related to
the Laniers of Madison and New York.
and in a letter written In 1877 he speaks
of a visit to Washington Ito visit Judge
Advocate General Dunn, who is a son-in-
law of my kinsman, j. +. ID. Lanier (of
New York;, and who has extended a very
cordial invitation to u.s..