Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-12
NOTES.

News comes from Alexandrovo. Rus
sa, that several books by Mark Twain
have been barred from admission TO
The country by the Russian authorized
No particulars are sent. but Russia IS
particularly sensitive Just now and the
superstition is that humor Of the Amer
lcan brand Is classed as extra hazar-
oous with the ingenious bombs and
Internal machines that look 30 inno-
cent but are so easily exploded with
deadly effect. In this country we have
sway OF looking at things that is quite
different. We have sort OF humor
which may be said 10 be dangerous and
ne perpetration Of which any fair
minded sovereign might regard as a
capital crime and freely have our for
gNehess but II is not Of the explosive
@rl It's sin lies In Its deceptlon--its
Velentous promise coupled with utter
lack OF achievement.
But Mark Twain's humor is not OF
hls sort and why any sane person on
arm can object to II as dangerous.
politically or otherwise, Is puzzling.
uoVernlng is a serious business In Rus
va and II may be that II the heavy
mana We're lifted long enough from the
- account people TO permit them to
Aush' they might all become nlhilists.
An eminent French critic recently
tlanced the contention that poetry
sas bad It's day. The need for poetry,
Ne maintained, like the need for myth
NA religions, no longer exists In the
NoHd OF Western civilization; there
lo'e there will be no more great poets
elo great poetry, only poetasters and
aeulc drlVel We cannot agree with
wy eminent critic; his temperament,
We must believe, IL fundamentally UNI
Iyeuc' ne Is not moved By a concord
sweet sounds" his emotion is not
ntnse enough to beat into rhythm
,N 10 require rhythm for its utterance.
ne Is probably deluded into the belief.
O, 'hat because his country has pro-
s.cea no new poetic light OF any mag
n.uue ior a number Of yearas, Il viii
Ae,er again see Hugo or a de Mus
Nv but II he would look back over
W ages, he would see what long STREET
.nes OF time have often separated great
iVes from their successors. not only
a. MS own, but in every country. In
uee1' All the centuries have given the
"V,lu uut lew really great poets, poets
y. ,he breed OF Homer and Shakespeare
ma ~. Goethe and Tennyson. 1t would
aot oe surprising, therefore, II our gem
e,suon Jailed to bring one forth: but
o , generations surely will, and the
!. go ones that are TO be will find new
4, ,aeules and see and feel the old ones
81 new ways, and surely will they need
~ imagery and music and license Of
sVsuc forms adequately 70 commune
s,, az 70 others the splendor and inten-
ssy OF thelr inspirations. Prose cannot
, noi.orm the functions OF the highest
a. even such wonderful prose
- tne best French-any more than a
~ y,ss,ol-all-work can fulfil the duties
Srt. thoroughbred racer. English prose.
~. W US Inherent reserve and ifs i'm
rs, - limitations on intensity and on
sa., iahciiul play OF color and images,
e ',, less easily than French dispense
Nun poetry and do the whole work OF
literature by itself.
me Boz club OF London has been din
,s esalh ana eulogizing Charles Dick
~, ~ PARTICULARLY as a reformer OF many
fuss fuss through the medium Of fiction.
.relv We're many present who had per-
n, known Dickens, among them
t aa, Il,zgerald. whose recent article In
.---p eIs Magazine created a heated |