The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-01-30
WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS.
Standard Bearer of the Celtic Lit
erary Revival.

William Butler Yeats, who has come
to the United States as the standard
bearer of the Celtic Literary Revival,
is the most gifted Irishman Of the
century. These are strong words but
true. Yeats, though still Il youth, has
founded IL school of literature which is
purely and distinctively Gaelic, which
draws it's inspiration from Gaelic
sources, which has reviewed the rich
mass of Gaelic legend and fairy-lore
and folklore, and has made the Gods
and heroes of the Gael forms more
real than living men," And the mar
vel is that he and his school have not
| only won the favor of his own people
but have compelled the reluctant adj
miration of the English critics. \
score of years ago, a Celtic school of
literature would be looked upon as the
idle dream OF Il visionary. To-day the
matchless genius and enthusiasm of
this young Cclt have made it a SPLEEN
Gid reality-one of the few things that
the Irish race has reason to be proud
| of.
And Il Celtic DRAMA! A drama that
would have nothing in common with
! the abomina tons of the stage Irish
man," but have everything in common
with the dreams of Irish poets and the
| tragic history of Ireland; that would
f.x. 1,1,
by its travesty of the Irish peasant,
but Il drama that would give artistic
expression to the genius of the Gaelic
mind. that would gather up and pre-
sent the stored legends of Ireland, on
whose stage Oisin and Cuchullain
would walk again and the dramatic
history of the race would be enacted
such Il drama, ten years ago, would be
considered the wild fancy of mad
man.
10 William Butler Yeats the Irish
race owes more than to any living
man. She has more to hope for from
him and his associates than from all
land is to revive with all it's national
and spiritual elements, the revival is
to come through Yeats and those that
stand by him.
1t is difficult to analyze and criticise
the Celtic revival. 1t would be pro-
family to make the attempt. The Celt-
We may rhapsodize over the splendid
CclticiSm of YeatS-fOr he is the per-
sonilic;,tion of the Celt. The marvel
GUS magic of his language charms and
captivateS uS-for instance, tile stately
rhythm of this prosc-poem from ''rhe
Sladowy Horses; IL hear the shad-
their hoofs heavy with tumults, their
eyes glimmering white" MORA O'Neill
will melt us to tears With her tender
melody, fresh from the glens of An
trim:
Wathers O. Moyle an the white gulls
flynn,
Since | was near We what have l
seen?
Deep great seas. and Il strong wind
sighin'
Night and day where the waves are
green.
Struth IA Noble. the wind goes sighin'
Over the waste O. w:lthers green.
The first poet of modern Ireland to
return to the Gaelic tradition was
james Clarence Mangan. Mangan
ranks with the great lyric poets of
the world, and, as Lional johnson
says, 'he struck Of Il sudden the chiv-
airy of Il nations faith into the i'm
mortality of music" After him came
Samuel Ferguson, whose Lays of the
Western Gael published in 1867, at
tr1cted the attention of the world to
the enchanted land Of Irish legend.
Ferguson tried to restore in his poetic
writings the treasure which Ireland
lost with her language. People who
know nothing of things Irish wonder
why Thomas Moore does not get first
place among Irish poetp He was
finished mechanician, and he made
the music of Ireland charm the world.
But the deep and lasting things in the
Irish nature We're not his. He was
not in touch with the Gaelic bards, nor
was his mind stepped in Gaelic lore.
He was not gifted with the Celtic i'm
agination.
Yeats is the successor of Mangan
and Ferguson, but he has outstripped
both. He has gone back to the heroic
cycle Of Irish literature, and in him
the legendary lore of Ireland finds the
most sympathetic of interpreters. He
has given lis several volumes,-"The
work. The London Academy"
crowned one Of his volumes in 1890
as the best political production in the
English language of the year. But,
dreamer and mystic though he be,
and wslpt up in Celtic legend, lie has
written some short popular poems
which are delightful. Here is
charming little poem from his pen:
FATHER GILLIGAN.
The old priest, Peter Gilligan.
,;rr1>