The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-25
Sir Edwin Arnold.

Sir Edwin ArnOld'S death in Lon
don, yesterday, removes from the
earth-life one of the brainiest and
most versatile members Of the literary
guild in England. He lived. out his
mark upon his period as a journalist
of extraordinary ability, notably in his
long connection with the London
Telegraph, as one Of the ripest
students Of oriental literature Eng
land has produced. his scholarship
in that direction bringing him to the
principalship Of the sanscrit college
at Poona, in India, and, lastly, he en-
joyed a worldwide distinction as the
author of that exquisite poem, "The
Light Of ASIA" which is richer In
beautiful passages than any other of
his poems.
In this epic of Gautama, or Buddha,
Sir Edwin intended to give the world
a correct conception of the lofty
character of Buddha and his doctrines,
but, in the exuberance. of his active
imagination, he has localized the
Buddha far beyond the limits of his
toric fact. There Is no question that
Arnold, thru 1.-THE Light Of Asia, -
stimulated deep interest in the
Buddha cult, and, by the glamor of his
poetic construction, brought many un-
der it's influence who would previously
have SHE'D at the agnosticism which
entered into the Buddha's teaching.
Buddha's followers, indeed, knowing
that he rejected gods and shr1nes and
images, are among the most vigorous
Of the promoters Of such worship,
while exalting Buddha to priority as
an object Of Worship. In the poem,
Arnold emphasizes Buddha's doctrine
There is hope for man only in man,
and makes him say: 80
Seek naught from the helpless gods
by gift and hymn.
Pray not! within yourselves .deliv.
erance must be sought.
Sir Edwin resents the Interpretation
| of ''Nirvana" as nothing as the issue
and crown of being, but that, view is
sustained by very large humber oil
exegetes and translators of Buddha
who in his utterances quite distinctly
expresses disbelief in the existence OF
soul, thought or consciousness after
death, apparently substituting trans.
migration Of the moral character
after death, into a new being distinct
in its identity and influencing hin
turnout his whole life. - srs..~.a, c.;
But the enchantment of the lines o.
| ;crI,f of e;o FT11,
descriptions of the Sunny land" ovel
which arch the brightest Of skies, are
fascinating, while ones sympathies are
quickened by the portrayals of the
niseries of the people Buddha sough
to free from the decisions O.
Sir Edwards Christian epic, 9TH,
Light of the world fails far below
his masterpiece. He does not appeal
to be in sympathy with his subject
altho there are some very fine pas
sages in the poem. It lacks the fin,
coloring of 1.-THE Light OF Asia.
Notable are the. renderings Of Sir Ed
win from "Mahabharata,' as 9TH
entry. into heaven
The strong orientation of Sir Ed
wins mind led him, in his later years
to wed a Japanese lady, for which hi
sensitive soul suffered thru advers
criticism of the marriage. and he pro
longed his stay in Japan on that &C
count, but latterly he resumed hi
work on the London Telegraph, 70
which he has done some Of the hes
literary and editorial work appearin
!, in that journal during the last fort
years. ss1s: -. ,,<s.tt ..s>ts,:,ss $50.