Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-29

tionality characterized the nineteenth
century when taken as a whole and We
must confess that humanitarian feeling
that is TO say, the desire for righteous
ness, Justice and liberty throughout
the world-have rarely coinclded with
national feeling. Most political poetry
I'm England during the latter half OF tho
nineteenth century has been either
patriotic in the exclusive sense, like
Tennyson's outburst Of jingoism in
Maud" or else like Swinburne's lyrics.
or William Morris socialistic rhymes
II has forgotten the interests Of Great
Britain in its pursuits OF some ideal
goal. 1t has ceased to be patriotic in
becoming humanitarian. The English
verse produced during the South Afri-
can war is a good illustration Of the
difficulties surrounding the production
of good political poetry. The political
poet is always tempted to defamation
to speech rather than song. Most
patriotic verse is at best sort of pOliti-
cal oratory. 1t is a special plea for q
special verdict. 1t aims to persuade
and convince rather than to Iiberate
and heighten the nobler emotions. 1t
voices the tenets of the party instead Of
embodying a universal truth.
Pride of race is not in itself sufficient
material for a great poem. The inter-
ests Of the race must identify them
selves in the poets imagination with
the larger interests of man. 1t is with
the deeper effects upon life and char
acter that great patriotic poetry con-
Germs itself, it voices great faiths,
great hopes; it is superbly concious OF
national convictions and desires. The
poet does not create these beliefs and
emotions; he rests back upon them, he
is borne up and onward by them, as q
swimmer yields himself to the surf.
So Sophocles wrote in the glorious hou-
of Greek freedom and faith, so wrote
in fame and music the believing
Florentine; so wrote the great Eliza
bethanG, and the Frenchmen of the
court of Louis Fourteenth; in the
strength of new hope of our humanity,
so wrote the young Wordsworth and
Coleridge before the Revolution. and
the forever young Byron and Shelley
after it; so wrote Emerson in the
serene optimism OF the Concord Hymn,
and Lowell in the poignant sorrow, the
passionate exhaltation of the Com
memoration Ode.
That temper ofmere communication
which has accompanied recent Ameri-
can progress, a sort of sleek campbell
lower in the rear of our victories il q
secret foe to patriotic feeling. HUI
manitarianism and socialism NAV be
opposed at many points to patriotism.
but at least they set up theoretical
standards that are very fine. But the
mere commercial instinct has often
slapped the spirit Of patriotism without
establishing any worthy ideal in its
place. If, as the military experts are
now declaring only those countries
with big bank accounts. the countries
that can afford to go TO war. are likely
to secure their rights, what is to be-
come of those sentiments of national
honor and justice which have hitherto
been recognized as the noblest springs
of national action?
If we need a revival of American
patriotic poetry it is because in this
hour of intensified national conscious
ness we need men who are able to
make a simple, manly, robust reserv-
alton of American principles. Our
sense of our own roll as a republican
nation need not make us fail in
courtesy toward any of our monarchial
friends across the sea. Our sympathy
with Great Britain in particular is
natural and right. But it should not
cause us to forget what we are and
what we stand for. The only courtesy
worth showing or receiving is that
which springs from self-respect. We
can nave no worthy national poetry or
prose without a distinct conception of
American national ideas.