The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-26
DR., K|NGSBURY'S
WEEKLY LETTER
STAFFORD Brooke's Life OF
Milton Reviewed.
ABE LINCOLN A SCEPTlC
Famous North CaroIinians Of the Pasi--Dean
farar's Life Of Christ and Other
liyes--.S'. Louis Expo-

Rev. Stopford A. Brooke, OF the ohuiCn
of England. 1t was published IN 1879, ana
deserves richly to be held III remembrance
by all who had the good fortune 70 reai
it then, and to be re-read by all lovers
of the best in literature. The author prints
as an Introductory, the noble. majestic
poem by Lord ~Tennyson, so we'll known,
beginning,
20. mighty mouth'd inventor OF harmo-
MES"
and closes with the lofty sonnet by VIII
liam Wordsworth, beginning,
'Milton! thou should be living at TINS
hour
| lately read again this too bret HE
of the greatest poet, after Shakespeare
since Dante, the mighty Itallan, sang ms
immortal Divine Comedy. that Is the ad-
miration of the world, and is held to be by
almost a consensus of critics as the great
est poem since Homer produced his m
mortal verse. Not reading italian, but
in translation. it has never seemed to me
SO great and imperial as Millions highest
manifestation of genius in his undying
Epic, Paradise Lost Mr.. Brooke's
Milton is indeed a masterpiece, most
superb. To my understanding it is by
OuuS GIC &c SIIklSdi hAiitiy So ~
life, genius and works that l have ever
read. and l nave read several, including
Macaulay's splendid, incompatible essay.
1t is to me a genuine work Of art IN the
bioyraphic and critical way. 1t IS the
most accurate, the most judlclous, the
most filled with critical Insight, the most
wisely interpretative. the most sympa-
thetic while the most discriminating OF
all that have essayed to place Milton be-
fore the latter-day readers, to Tx a true
value on the productions OF his rich. I'M
aginative. sublime intellect. The style Is
extremely fine and elegant. In fact, ] am
not acquainted with any biography and
criticism the style of which is 50 uni
formily scholarly, elegant, and even
classical. Reader. do you know Milton?
Are you familiar with his minor poems, so
beautiful, so exquisite, SO perfect IN
finish, SO musical, so artistic, so original?
Have you read and studied the greatest
of all English or modern Eplcs? Then
you are prepared to read and understand
and appreciate and relish the delightful
little work of Brooke. the most consum-
mate poetical critic of the last half cen
tury. His book is replcte with beauty and
charm. He has written most admirably
of other p~oets-Tennyson and Browning.
Only a few months ago he published his
small work on Browning, and in some
particulars it surpasses all other attempts
to appraise Browning, and to reveal his
surest qualities as a poet. He places him
only second to Tennsyon among the poets
of the Victorian Era and since. l cannot
see it that way. The Northern critic. f.
C. Stedman, published over twenty years
ago a very enjoyable and excellent cri-
teal article on Browning, and ever one
better on T~ennyson, placing the latter
above all Victorian poets. Mr.. Brooke
published about 1878, an English Litera-
ture Primer that l have not seen. Doubt
less his productions embrace works OF
which 1 nave no knowledge. I would
gladly read any production from his care
full, scholarly, refined pen. Read his
Milton" and you will love the great
Puritan poet far above present concep
ton. Then read the poet once a year fol
five years, and you will at least nave a
better knowledge of him, appreciate more
his magnificent powers, and have a fa1
better conception of the works that cause
the best critics to place him only next tc
Shakespeare among all the poets who
wrote in English, and to believe him real
ly not second to Dante. 1t pays well tc
make a careful study of any very great
poet. To appreciate fully you must I'm
derstand thoroughly, and that means fire
quently5 to read a masterful poet. Hur
ried reading once will not open to you the
great riches within.
There is a great deal of evidence nov
accessible to show that Abr ham Lincol
was a sceptic, an infidel. The New Yorl
Literary Digest says that "a persona
friend of Lincoln affrms that he denie,
the very existence of Cod 1t statessals
that Mrs. Lincoln declared that her hus
band had mo faith and no hope in tn
usual acceptance of those words" Nj
K. G. Roper recently writes that Lincol
wrote "a book on the Bible but he adds
that "Mr. Herndon tells in his biograph
that the purpose of this book was to de
monstrate first. that the Bible was no
Gods revelation, and, second, that Jesu
was not the Son of God" that it wa
similar, in its treatment to Paine's 'Ag
of Reason Roper states that whe
older Lincoln believed in God, in a direc
Providence, and in a prayer-hearing Coo
He admits that he did not believe in til
Christ as God, but as a man merely. II
states that he was an ''admirer in his late
years OF Theodore Parker, Emerson an
Claiming" all Unitarians and rejecters {
the Son of God. He says he belonged +
no church, accepted no creed-that he wa
too great" "too broad 'too simple I
unite with any church. There is MUG
other evidence at hand. 1t would be cas-
TO multiply authorities and some of the
intimate friends of the distinguish
President.
/ have written no little of North Car
hnians OF the past. One of the foremo
IN all that was noble and good and tr;
whom | knew personally after 1860, w;
the late Chief Justice w. N. H.. Smit
lie ranked high as a citizen. as a iuris
as a statesman. He was indeed a trl
man everywhere. and of distinguishe
regal learning. He had very easy. aere,
aoie manners. and drew his friends
hiih with cords of love. He was one
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