The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-27

The death of Sir Edwin Arnold removes
a poet whose work has had one of the most
remarkable vogues of modern times. That
years ago, and Arnold's readers now are
few where once their name was legion.
Nearly a score of years ago the poet made
a reading tour of America. and on that oc
casion his minimum figure for one reading
was $500. Ten years later he could not have
obtained half so much.
When 1.-The Light of Asia" was written,
in 1879. there were few people who had any
notion whatever of the teachings of Gau-
tama Buddha. But Madame Bavatsky had
just published her much-talked-of work on
Oriental philosophy, and the public was
ready for popular exposition of the prin
ciples ancient in the worlds thought
but SO new to modern civilization. For this
reason Arnolds poem, which idealized the
ancient teacher and made the teachings so
simple and beautiful, at once sprung into
an immense popularity. Denunciations from
certain pulpits helped the sale of the book
the thing had happened before and has
Happened since-and the poets name be-
came famous.
The Anglo-Saxon people is apt to judge
religions by their results and teachers by
their followers; for this reason Buddhism
had always been looked on as "heathen-
esse" pure and simple They now learned
for the first time that it was a wonderful
philosophic system-just as pure, if not
quite so simple. 1t was hard to reconcile
such lofty and beautiful faith with con-
ditions in India, but Arnold himself limited
that it was a case of pearls before swine
He says in the preface: I'm point of age
most other creeds are youthful compared
with this venerable religion, which has in
1t the eternity of a universal hope, the i'm
mortality of a boundless love, indie
structible faith in final good and the proud
est assertion ever made of human freedom.
The extravagances which disfgure the rec
| ord and practice of Buddhism are to be
referred to that inevitable degradation
| which priesthoods always inflict on great
| ideas"
| When the craze for Orientalism died down
Arnold's fame suffered accordingly 1t is
| hardly necessary to state that he was not
| "a great poet" His work is lofty and pos
sesses both insight and sympathy. Most
| quoted of his verse in the future will per-
| haps be After Death in Arabia'-a fine
expression of perfect faith in Immortality.
| He and She is variation of the same
| theme, only more beautifully and tenderly
written. 1t is reproduced in another col
umn of the Journal to-day.
Arnold loved the East; he lived and
worked there during large part of his life.
| and his third wife a Japanese woman.
| How greatly his personal belief was af-
fected by Buddhism we cannot know but it
| is very plain that he made many of its
| ideals a part of his life and thought. He
| left directions that his body was to be Gre
mated, and this may possibly be in defer
ence to the Buddhstic idea. 1t cannot be
| doubted that his faith in individual i'm
| mortality was one of his distinguishing
| characteristics, and that he died believing
| as he had written, that he should be-
| lone with Life
| Yet live not He is blest, ceasing to be.
ON mani padme hunt The Dewdrop slips
Into the shining seai'