Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-06-26

vi all the 0enultlonS OF ilterature, no
entirely satisfactory one has been found.
They are rather more deficient than false,
for they fail to express, as whole, the
ideas which make up a literature. In
many definitions, such works as Shakes
peare's plays are excluded, but they are
most decidedly literature, aud no true
definition can exclude them.
There are two classes OF literature, the
subjective and the objective. To the first
class belong all those works in which the
personal nature of the author is set forth
and described; and to the second belong
those works whose authors are more at
tracted by external things, and are entire
ly forgetiul of self in the interest taken in
others.
Epic and lyric poetry will readily show
the difference between these two classes.
The epic is objective, in contrast with the
lyric, which is subjective. In lyric poetry,
all the feelings and thoughts of the inner
life are expressed, and the poet is influ-
enced by his own emotion to reveal his
passions in song. 1t portrays not es-
pecially personal life, but life in general,
of which it is only particular manifesto
ton. In the epic, the exploits and ex-
periences of hero are treated in grand
style, and with full detail. The "Iliad"
OF Homer, and Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
illustrate the difference. The "Iliad" de-
scribes the actions and exploits of the
hero and his companions, while Hamlet"
perfectly describes the passions of the hu-
man mind.
The source of all literature is thought,
and the first impulse is found In expert
ence. Long before any literary works ex-
listed there were many beautiful
thoughts, and the knowledge OF things
was as large and as varied as at present.
The very earliest forms disclose many OF
the truths and ideas that are fundamen-
tai to us now. They show depth of feel
ing and growth Of imagination that
seem wonderful to us.
Many OF the earliest forms Of literature
come to us directly from the people as the
expression of their feelings. In Greece,
for instance, the earliest form was lyric
poetry, which shows deep emotion, and
was written rather to be sung than recit-
ed. Every occupation had its set OF songs,
and soon the lyric became fixed form in
Grecian literature.
Mythology is an important factor OF
literature, for the myths show the growth
Of imagination. Many of the heroes we're
in all probability not great men in their
time, but their doings and sayings were
told in tradition, and in repeating it so
many times, new ideas were added, and
stories which would set off the hero, I'M
til, at last, we have hero, the central
figure of great many stories and acts OF
bravery OF magnificent proportions. Ma
bic says: "About these central concep-
tions there sprang up vast growth OF
fancy, not rich enough to send lis
flowers into realms OF art. but vital
enough to scatter beautiful blossoming
along the ways of obscure lfe."
These myths and stories of the folklore,
which form an important part OF the
literature of every race, when read for the
first time open up world OF wonder, but
when read in connection with the myths
OF other countries, we derive deeper en-
joyment and greater knowledge; for,
through them, the noble thoughts OF
primitive men pass into literature, max
ing known to us many of their ideas.
For perpetuating the ideas OF race, the
Egyptian "Rig- Veda" is important. 1t
consists of more than thousand hymns
Z whose authors have been forgotten, but
they show phase Of human life and the
expression OF whole natures brought into
contact with life which otherwise would
have been entirely lost.
The handling OF literary material is
what perfects it. The crude material OF
thought or feeling does not make litera-
ture. 1t is the stamp of the gifted per-
sonality OF the author who makes 1t over
into its final form OF beauty, which gives
it that characteristic which helps 1t In
great degree to become literature.
1t is said that the works OF many an
tbors have been traced to their sources;
that the writers used old material In
many cases, but this does not lessen the
value of their works. Many such writ