The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-22
- - ai=-H=s=a aial=7-l
IN MEMoRIAM.
BRANTLEY AsTOR DENMARK.
A BRIEF MEMORIAL
T. NJ. NORWOOD.

When the mortal part of a monarch
lies IN state, the nation puts on the
trappings and the shews of woe, and
affects to mourn. Beyond the court
or palace walls no eye glistens with
the dew of grief. Vain custom even
hallows the mockery of empty coaches
drawn by steeds sable as the veil of
night to swell the funeral train, and
thus overburdened hearts by proxy
weep. And hired mourners, skilled in
facial mimicry of distress by practice
In looking glass, bear false witness
to the virtues of the dead. This is
the hypocrisy that pays homage to
Evolutionary virtues. 1t Is relic of
the feudal falsehoods, 1.-THE King can
do no wrong" ''the King is the founz
tain of all lunur, power ana property
1t is custom sprung Of the servitude
of near twenty centuries that enforces
and demands confession of sense OF
personal. inferiority. Hence 1t is but
sefvfle court paid to rank, station and
power.
This fiction is not confined to royalty.
AHC 10 NOill IL dlli SlACh5 III
to those who attain the highest sta
tions. If one be seen on the rugged
nights of Fame he Is there by right,
through inherent strength. This is uni
versal. And the converse is likewise
true, that mankind do not expect to
find exalteda merits in one who treads
1.-THE noiseless tenor of his way" He
must kill a lion, bear off gates, pull
down a temple or build one, conquer
- n ta
power and worth. The door to the Pan
tReon turns on rusty hinges as the
intervals are long between the install
ment of it's gods. And they turn re-
luctantly, as the credentials of the APP
plieant must be above the cavils of
the envious.
And, yet, we know that some who
gain admission there are most an
worthy, and that many most deserving
never reach the portal to that con-
secrated hall. How true 1t is that vii
lagos have their mute, ingloribus Mil-
tons" their ''Cromwells guiltless OF
their eeuntry's blood" their he
roes who need but opportunity
to make them HampdtnS, Tells, EN-
NETS Bayards, or martyrs dying from
devotion to a creed.
No mans merits are to be gauged
by the breadth of the blazonry OF his
name. Fame is too often cheap; often
the mushroom from the damp of
printers ink, or of ducats scattered
by Industrious hands. There are true
standards for measuring men, and
when they fit the standards, even envy
and hate are silenced, The unanimous
verdict of all who know best ones
daily walk and conversation; his pre-
cepts in honor. truth and virtue illus
trated by example; his humane emo
lions followed by timely deeds; his
face immovably set against wrong in
every shape, is one the world accepts
as proof of moral grandeur. To reason
with almost unerring logic, to see the
end from the beginning, to carry mo-
mentous affairs to successful results
to plan without fault and to execute
! without failure, to detect the false and
| discover the true by a rapidity of rea-
scning that seems intuition are intel.
lectual powers that make great mar
tisl heroes, great statesmen and finan-
ciers, and some are thus endowed
| whose fame a ''pent-up Utica con.
| fines"
or such was the subject OF this briel
memorial. But few men knew him, be.
| cause modesty and indifference to plau.
| dts shackled his popular progress. His
/ appreciation OF the good and true wa.
too keen, his Intellectual cast was to<
/ massive, his judgment of men ahs
things was too balanced, TO seet
or prize the bubble. reputation" III,
bu.h on character alone and 'buildec
stronger than he knew" for, In life
he knew not how like a monarch h,
would be In death. Words are at best
but imperfect pictures and are too OF
| dissemblers. but tears wrung by griel
from men who have faced death OF
sanguinary fields without a sigh, ar,
loves crystal libation and the heart,
most eloquent paneRyric on departed
worth.
Had Brantiey Astor Denmark lived
when chivalry was in flower. he would
through noblesse oblige, have been a
Knight, and one sans peur ct sans re.
proche. Blu, he could never have beer
a courtier though hedged in and tempt.
ed by all the regal splendors OF Tho
Court of either Louis, and though
threatened with Punishment. or tho
Bastlle. for compliance. For M
gave no quarter TO sham. dlssimula.
ton, hypocrisy. or deceit AS well ok.
pect Jura 10 break from his granite
base and stoop 10 kiss the Alps. as his
iron soul 10 condeseend TO fiatter q
peasant or n king.
Simplicity Of character. like the Dor.
&c column. IL a mark OF strengt h. The
great are above pretension. Conscious
Of superiority they never infect A. at
affecl alton a. confession OF con.
scious inferiority. or Ia proof OF un.
conscious folly and insincerity. "seesi
I A. "a