The San Francisco call., 1906-07-01

! 'Rubaiyat of Hope" by A. A. B. Cava-
ness, is as might be quickly guessed,
some kind of righteous, well-inten-
toned graft on Fitzgerald's famous,
/ genius performed translation of old
Persian Omar's world-fame deserving,
but. save for Fitzgerald's savior-like
translative genius, perhaps all world
forgotten, rubriciy beautiful Rubaiyat
of red wine and red roses and red
| lips right here and now without risk
ing these present treasures of delight
to the hazard of a hoped hereafter.
The little book is a protest against
the doubt Of Immortality. as expressed
in Omar Khayyam's immortal poem. II
/ is written in the same verse form as
/ lFitzgerald's translation and it follows
somewhat the form OF expression used
| in that remarkable work. so as to
make this new Rubaiyat of hope sound
like reply in detail to old Omar and
proclaim that Hope is master of De-
fspair
This Rubaiyat of Hope may serve
some useful purpose 10 set among the
| many sidelight things that serve to
call attention to THE Rubaiyat 1t is
natural that TO the modern, orthodox,
firm believer in Immortality the note
| OF agnosticism in Omars poem must
| provoke protest. and the spirit that
prompts this protest is. of course
! beautiful: but to the agnostic, and per-
! haps also to thousands of people who
have quite a large amount. of religious
faith in their makeup. it rings out as
one of the noblest expressions of what
| is wise In the doctrine of eat, drink
and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
| If Omar's. utterance can be called de-
| spair," 1t is the brayest and most mag
unanimous despair perhaps that ever
human poured into Sakfs ear. In 1t
| the human heart pays full homage to
+! Fate for the joys granted to this pres.
ent life and sends UP all its wealth of
gratitude for today's delights without
demanding any assurance that there
will be tomorrow. Thank you, O
Saki. / have feasted TO the full-grand-
| ly, gloriously, gratefully feasted on
life's delights. When have had my
| turn and you prepare the feast for
other feasters, turn down an empty
glass where I made one" Never did
the hostess, Life, entertain a more
gladsome, gracious, courteous and
grateful guest than old Omar: and
without asking too curiously whether
or no she will ever invite him into her
house again. he bows himself out
| through the door toward .death-whole-
souledly thankful even for life's tenn
porary hospitality.
However, without damning old Omar
| too much. We can look at the short
conings of his philosophy through eyes
religious, as in the ,Rubaiyat of Hope
and so enjoy both worlds--the one by
faith and prayer and hope, and the
other by taking Omar's recipe for hap
piness here and now--the spreading
bough, the poem book. the shady: nook,
the glory girl. the joy of jug. the loaf
of bread, the breath of love. the wine
of life-drunk to the last drop of all
that's delicious. SO that going, we say,
O Saki. turn down my empty cup, for
have drained iti II
Here Is the closing stanza of the
"Rubaiyat of Hope; =
And Spring VIII come. aud turn her Empty
g Glass, ~!
And .Roses die upon thy Mound of Grass;
But Love, through Rose leaves Dhst be.
holds the sky,
And knows that Love to Dust shall never pass. :.
Jennings & Graham, Cincinnati.
Eaton e. Mains. New York;