The news & observer., 1905-10-22

unique and gracious charm. the BoS-
ton edition is rich in illustration, num-
bering 127 by leading artists, and is
rendered thereby the more acceptable
and helpful. The portrait of the poet
is very striking, and was taken in 1858,
when he was forty ylearS old. The
portrait in Macmillan is finer and pre-
ferable, and is the only Illustration in
the large volume. The Boston edition
has sketch of the author. Both
volumes have each distinct value,
and are very desirable. / have read
Macmillan'S through several times in
the last ten years, and the Boston edi-
tion much since 1899. l read all of
Tennyson certainly within every three
years and sometime in about Two
and h half years. Among all poets he
is my favorite next to Shakespeare.
Milton is greatest of all after Shakes
peare, but | do not read him so Of
ten. | would rather have the Boston
edition because of its large number of
exquisite illustrations, but | would not
fail to read the 54 omitted pages to be
found only in the Macmillan copy.
Both editions arc in desirable type,
but l rather prefer that of the Mac
milan copy. Buy both, and study
them. They will bring you great
charm.
far as | am informed, was published
in Germany in 1901 and 1902. 1t is
in two parts, each containing six acts,
the whole amounting to over 500
small octave pages. 1t was written
by Werner who had many given
names.
1t has been wisely said by great
author Thomas Carlyle, that I'VE have
not read an author till we have seen
his object whatever 1t may be, as he
saw it, This is eminently so of
poetry. To\ q man of prQsaic mind
most of the merits of true poem re-
main hidden or positively obscure,
dead letter. Most readers are too
hurried or indolent TO seek the real
meaning of a poet or a thinker and
hence catch but little of what is I'M
tended or impaired Carlyle says that
in 'intellectual matters, in CONVERSE
tion, in reading, which is more pre-
else and careful converse ton, ii is not
what we receive. but what we are
made to give, that chiefly contents and
profits u.s." But the thohughtless OIL
indolent reader will never catch on to
the significance of this statement. The
ordinary, contemporary novel has not
enough of thought in it to require
more than one DeruSal, and that
hurried One. 1t requires but little of
the reader, either to receive or i'm
part in term. mo book that viii
not improve by repeated readings de-
serves to be read at all" That is
probably correct. and it is the opinion
Of the illustrious Scotsman. Great
books are always better at each read
ing. The noble poems that are repeat
cdly read are those that enrich and
deepen in power and give out the
"minutest meanings" to the solicitous
soul. Read the best, and you are
tl,n II 1.l, tod
reading you are filed with a pro-
founder pleasure and Il deeper insight.
The lifelong student of Shakespeare
knows that this is true. Of all great
poetry it is forever true that cor
rectly discern its meaning and appre-
hend its rare beauty and artistic
qualities, there must be frequent
readings. The student who reads
solely for past-time or amusement
will never drink deep or acquire
profoundly. The real mature of
poetry remains forever hidden from
them in deepest concealment," for
correctly appreciate or apprehend the
richness, the purity, the art. the pow
er of poetry of a high and inspiring
kind demands a constant reading of
it, Carlyle says that thousands on
thousands read poetry and attain not
the smallest taste of it. | believe
that to be absolutely true. | met
man once in Wilmington who said to
me Il see you like Tcnnyson" My re-
ply was: II do" He then said with
abrupt Vigor. 81 don't" | left him TO
the enjoyment of his deprivation and
inCapacity. man without eyes can
not see. a man without ears to hear
cannot hear. Carlyle happily says
that r'the blind or purblind man
travels from Dan to Becrsheba,' and
finds it all barren If young man
or woman of culture would select
dozen of the greatest poets and read
them habitually, he or she would love
them and understand them and ap-
preciate their singular and rich quail
ties as never before. Read your fa-
vorites often. reading one every day
save on Sunday, reading from 100 to
500 lines as circumstances may permit
Leaving out the great Greek and Latin
poets, begin with Dante Shakespeare.
Chaucer, Spenser, Dryden, Words
worth, Colerdge Keats. Shelley
Byron, Tennyson, and read them Of
ten, again and again through the years
as they go. The more you read them
| the higher your pleasure. the pro-
founder your insight. You might ex-
tend now and then the sweep of your
reading, and take in Pope, Gray,
Burns, Scott Browning, Mrs Brownl
ing Poe and some others of the glo-
iito VI litCl IL YOU So CelcI EPtlu
TaSSo,, Petrarch, Hugo and Others
But the point is to make the twelve
greatest the constant companions of
your studies and literary pleasures. If
could but go back to my twentieth
year. / would read some in Shakes
pcare every week day through life. /
would be so much richer, fuller by
my 18th year. | would know some
thing, and have enjoyed richly every
day. If you desire to widen your
studies out farther. go to Greece, and
read Homer, Aesehylus, Sophoches
Euripides and Aristophanes | have
in translation read probably parts of
forty Greek poets. You might still ex
tend your reading and take in Vergil
Horace, Catullus and some others
among the Romans. But however,
wide your sweep, keep always your
eye on tho twelve greatest English
poets. and read some one of them
every day. / have read poems by per-
haps $50 English poets. would
have been wiser to have spent the
time upon the greatest.
In London in 1928, there We're more
than 100 regular professional grave