Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-04-14
William Stanley Northumberland.
ny John E. Bruce j

Sometime ago I was favored by
the author with a copy Of a collec
ton of his fugitive poems. watch he
had gathered together and publish
ed in book form, for the benefit of
those. who like myself delight in
reading his pOetical offerings. The
volume before me is entitled. Tyr
ics OF Life and Love. Il is well
printed and bound and the seventy
five or eighty poems which 10 con
tains show that this brilliant young
Negro poet supports a commerce
with the muses.. which discover gen
ius and talents Of no mean order.
A book reviewer in a Baltimore
daily a few months ago frankly ad
mitted. after a fulsome review OF
his book, that this poets color only
prevented him from taking rank as
One OF Americas greatest lyric |
poets or course this reviewer IS
wrong as in the domain of intellect
there is no color. The aristocracy
brains Comprehends men and wo
men OF all races, all Creeds and all
climes. Mr.. Braithwaite Is there
fore not barred by reason OF his
color from taking rank as one OF
the worlds greatest lyric poets.
What was possible for Poushkin
to accomplish is equally possible for
any man Of pluck and genius. white
or black. Our white friends in the
South and In some parts Of the
North. are constantly .proclaiming
themselves to be the superior
race" as notice the following ex-
tract from an address OF john
Sharp Williams. a Mississippi Con
gresham before the John Sharp
Williams Club OF Economic and So
cial Science.
"The white race now in the pos
session OF knowledge and culture.
the fruit OF development through
many centuries. necessarily has the
advantage and viii therefore move
forward more rapidly than such
race as the Negro. starting as he
does. so near the bottom OF the lad
der and being. as be Is. deficient IN
the qualities needful for building
comm nwealths, framing laws. ini-
tiating enterprises persisting IN ef
fort can'''The migration OF one
race or the other or the intermigra
ton OF both would seem then the
only solution that as left. But is
this practicable2 Yes. 81 we bear
in mind this one thing. That God
in granting us intelligence has made
us his deputies 10 direct the course
OF human events within the bounds
OF physical possibility
What charming conceit- Pear
son in HE National Life and Char
acter' says: 1T is In the lower stra
Ia that we have 90 seek for the
springs OF national life. ''"And the
whole tendency OF modern reforms
is 20 improve the condition OF the
masses"
The ct am holier than thou" the
CRY which the DiXOns. Nardamans.
Tillmans and Williamscs are seek
ing 20 popularize viii not stand the
test. No race has a monopoly Of
either goodness or badness. n
thanks 20 the wisdom OF the God Of
races, no race has yet been success
ful in creating a corner in brains.
The Southern vicegerents of the Al
mighty would doubtless be glad 10
bring about such a condition either
through prayer or persuasion. but
they have doubtless long since dis
covered that neither will avail
ne haiiucination that they arc
Gods deputies. commissioned TO dill
rect the course OF human events.
would be very important II IL were
true. The oral gymnastics Of these
misguided Southerners. are quite In
teresting and amusing. Florid i'm
aginations give birth 90 many alb
normally developed thoughts and
just now the birth rate in the South
is on the increase. We shall next
be told that the late Mr.. Jefferson
Davis was q lineal descendant OF the
man OF whom Jean Paul Richter
said. "Is the hottest among the
mighty and the mightiest among the
holy.
But I am DEPRESSING. I was
speaking OF William Stanley Braith
waite, the poet-the Negro poet IT.
you please; a representative of a
race Of whom Gods self appointed
deputies" arrogating to themselves
all the wisdom and learning, and
culture of all the ages look down up
on with plying contempt and lofty
disdain.
In the little volume before me
are some poems that show how fool
ism and vain Is the pretention TO
intellectual and moral excellencies
based merely on a white skin. As
COwpsr has we'll said
Fleecy locks and dark complexion
Do not alter natures claim,
Skins may differ but affection
Dwells in white and black the
same.
Mankind is one" says another.
''and hath but one great end"
Mr.. Braithwaite is a true poet
who looks at nature with both eyes,
and sings with a charm and delicacy
as captivating as il is refreshing.
In the entire collection of his verses
IL will be hard 10 find anything more
beautiful IN sentiment or delicate
in expression than this:
TO A PERSIAN ROSE.
In the worlds garden close
Where a wild Eden blows,
Where the earth's treasury
Hoards +1y the Arat Sea
You grew a rose