The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-08

that his audience must pardon him If he
held them longer than any of his elo-
Cuent predecessors as he had 10 deal with
q longer fellow" than they
Mr.. Hatfield. in his lecture. used no
manuscript, only notes, hence the follow
ing are but excerpts:
~AIl poetry was written before time
was. Its author is the Perfect One. its
realm the spaciousness OF nature. its
theme IS beauty. in all its myriad perfec-
tons Of form, oGor, color, and sound.
He who stamped the stellar characters
on the dome OF night. wrote poetry. He
who first dotted the meadows OF the val
leys and the glades OF the mountains with
fragrant flowers, wrote poetry. He who
first tinted the verdure and blossoms of
spring and painted the leaves of autumn.
wrote poetry. He who first gave 10 the
evening zephyr the melody of vesperS
and caused the swaying forests to bow
and moan in sadness 10 the passing of the
storm king, wrote poetry. He who first
gifted purling waters with the voice OF
music and permitted the waves OF the
ocean 10 play a deep diapason from the
gentle, tapping waters on the sands TO
the crescendo Of roaring breakers on the
everlasting rocks, wrote poetry.
Indeed. wherever the finger of God has
ture. in perfection Of form. Odor, color.
sound. there poetry has been written.
Poetry is the purveyor of the High
and Holy and exemplifies them 10 the
sensuous man. lis these chords Vi
brating in the human breast that incite
the most impassive and phlegmatic TO
intense energy and enthusiasm. as he
hears the appeal OF fervid oratoTy. or
listens TO the enchanting strains of mar
tial music.
Bailey says. in his Festus, Poetry is
itself Of God; He made His prophets po-
cts; and the more we feel poesy, do We
become like God in love and power
Unfortunately, all rythmical or me-
trical writings are not poetry; neither are
all prose writings devoid OF poetry. Much
of the so-called poetry is but an aggrega-
ton Of phrases and sentences, devoid of
Intelligence, grace or beauty, with the
Jingle of emptiness. While much OF our
prose is the very embodiment of high mo-
tives, exalted ideas and the musical grace
OF expression.
bilities are sufficiently acute TO receive
clear and lasting impressions of the beau
tiful in nature, and posses the power TO
intelligently and delightfully."- express
them. The distinctive difference between
the poetic and the non-poetic soul is
simply in degree of sensibilities. One
walks out in the world, in attentive COM
munion with the voices. forms and colors
about him; TO him there is sweet converse
in the rustling leaves. purling waters,
swaying and signing trees. Another
passes amid the same suggestions. seeing
not. hearing nOt-as one born sightless,
deaf and dumb.
Poetry is more accurate than history;
more truthful than philosophy History
but records the transactions OF men, with
all their fOibles and failures; while po-
etry records transactions as they could
or should be; the volumes Of the most
eminent scientists and profound philoso-
piers OF ten years ago. are now removed
from our libraries and universities, be-
cause Anticipated and unreliable; while
the poetry OF Homer, Virgil, Dante. Shak
espeare and Milton is as accurate, as
truthful, and more appreciated, today
than in the long ago. when first written.
Plato says: CPOetry comes nearer TO
the vital truth than history Hence. the
vast Importance OF true poetry. II exaits
our ideas, incites us TO higher endeav
ors and sustains us in our search for
truth. The Great Master Of poetry and
Author Of nature and natures truths. adj
monishes US, Know ye the truth, and the
truth shall make you free
lives and achievements of some of our
discoveries of truth and inventors of
its application to liherate man from the
limitations and restrictions of his ignc-
rance. Particularly Geo. Stephenson of
the locomotive. Robert Fulton of the
steamboat. Prof. Morse of the telegraph,
Eli Whitney of the cotton gin. Alexander
Bell of the telephone. Thomas Edison of
applied electricity, William Marconi Of the
wireless telegraph, Sylvester of the tele-
scopic telephone and Professors Hough-
ton and Loeb of potassium Of cyanide
process for prolonging live cells. None
of these may ever have written a stsnza
of verse or couplet of rhyme, yet each
was unquestionably possessed OF the true
poetic spirit which consists Of high mo-
tives, lofty idals and an intense yearning
and determination TO know the truth.
And truly we will all concede that their
many inventions. in their power, grace
and beautiful contributions 70 the utili-
ties and luxuries of man, possess the very
essence Of the beautiful.
we have thus spoken at some length
on the nature, place and power Of poetry.
and so shown. we trust. the broad and
meritorious foundation OF our subjects
claims for place among the benefactors
Of his race.
we wish to note Just here. that Long
fellow was not a politician: hence not
presented with any foreign embassies:
he was not a humorist, nor given 10 YER
nacular. provincial nor witty writings;
he was not a literary critic in the general
acceptation Of the term; and says: II
is the prerogative of the poet 70 give
pleasure. and the province Of the critic
to give pain He was, however. pos
sessed Of a most cheerful, wei balanced
good humored nature. and delighted in
al forms OF fun. Invested Of any humiii-
alton or embarrassment for another.
Henry Wadsworth LongfeIlow was
born ar Portland. Maine, February q,
1897. He was descended Of both Pilgrim
and Puritan stock. His father. Stephen
Longfellow, was born in 1916, IN the year
of our national declaration OF independ-
ence. graduated from Harvard in i7aS, and
was prominent lawyer Of Portland. His
great. great grea- paternal grandfather,
william Lonefellow. emigrated from York
shire. England. and settled 81 Newbury,
Massa ehusetts. in 1851. thirty-one years
after Mary ChiIcoti. the FIRST OF The pas
sengers OF The Mayd0Wer. 10 touch foot
on American soil lis mother, Ziipah
WadswoTth. inherited The blood Of no less
than five Of the passengers Of the May
flower. including Elder Brewster and John
Alden The marriage Of the latter with
Priscilla Mullen is celebrated in Court
ship Of Miles Standish
1T the birth of Longfeliow. Portland
was a small cry If 7.oe0 people. situated
on the shores OF Casco bay. whose gentle
waters were dotted with numerous Is
lands. which il the Imagination a. our
poet il after years. we're the HespeTides.
To the west there Vas a beautiful back
ground Of landscape stretching away 10
the White mountains. with tile Snowy
summit q NJ. washington visible in the
4 stlnee TO TIE north iay the great.
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