The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-10

brought Epictetus 10 US, though he
owes more TO Plato and Montague;
how Tennyson owes debts 20 Byron. to
Wordsworth, and to Theocritus, the
poet Of nature. and to SpenseT. who,
in his turn, it Is shown, borrowed from
AriostL
Although DR.. Egan speaks always
with respect Of Tennyson. a careful
perusal OF his essays will show that
here is one poet that at times he is not
in sympathy with For the Idylls"
he has nothing but admiration. but for
In Memoriam,' he has scant respect.
Lovers Of TennysOn VIII tell Us how
that poem has helped them and aided
them to cross CULTS Of sorrow that
threatened to Oyerwheln them To
many that poem has enabled them TO:
Hear at times sentinel
Who moves about from place 90 place,
And whispers to the worlds q space
In tho deep night that all Is well
And yet Dr. Egan. while ne compares
the elegy with that Of MOschus, can write;
doubt whether any heart in affection has Re
ceived genuine consolation from this decor9Us and
s1peybiy measured ls0w Of grief It j. not poem
d faith nor is II poem Of doubt; but faith and
doubt tread upon each others footsteps. lnstesd
Of the divine certitude Of Dante. have O doubt
the holly wraathed baptismal font the peaceful
vcaTago because they represent serenity and order.
he detcsts revolution If he had lived before the
coming Of Christ. N the wales Of Sicily, he would
probably have hated % the rural sports Of the
pagaus disturbed by the disciples Of a less pic
tUessue and less natural religion
Admirers Of Or. Egan-and they are
many-will like him better in the mood
which allows him to sing.
Light in the East land al TIE doubt Is past,
And all eartb's beauty b1ds-tho risen One
Has taken from our race the seal Of doom
Sweet peace has oome-and We are free at last
Indeed, though much Of the varied
output Of DR.. Egan there runs a strong
note Of faith and reverence. One can
not read him. or talk to him, without
! realizing that here is a man with high
ideals; a man who stands for the best
aspect and attitude toward letters. II
is American letters at their best. With
him literature is the symbol Of Cod
Life has always turned toward God.
( he writes. and literature eChOing life
has always written the symbol Of God %
In different times different modes Of
expression-always
The old order chanze,h,
Yielding place - new
and so IN different ways and in various
moods AeSChyluS ana Racine. JOb and
Pindar. St Augustine and Dante. Caed-
mon and Milton-all express God.
And this thought one may carry from
DR. Egan and be grateful for.
Life cannot escape from its Creator. and litera-
ture. Dulsating with life Acknowledges His power,
Leopard. Cariucci SWin5urne fallen. clad, 90 use
Ruskn's phrase Ia "melancholy god''-cuTse the
flaming sword that VIII not allow Pan 10 come back
! % esrtb- Leopard asks for death; Cau1ucci and
SWiubuUe yean for tie time before the Galieau
bad conquered They express TENDENCIES Of life. not
merely themselves. God who is the center # life
Is the center q the written expression q life
which is literature. ST. Paul cries with God IN
I his heart: Charity is patient. IS kind; charity
erYieth not dealeth not perversely; IS not pufed
Up. We see COW through q glass in a dark
manner: bgt then face 20 face. Now ] know in
part but then I shall know even as / am known. 81
St Augustine begins passage fun Of Joy IN God
And thou Eayest my mother another answer q
her prayers, which ] remember All this. coming
from tbs soul q life. is literature. The
wizard waves his wand, and We forget OF are con
soied- High % heaven we 50 with ST. John OF
down 20 hell with Dante. We have left for a
time the chill q earths wind Life demands this
and the demand is a cry for Immortality. Lit
eraturs answers the demand. for literature IS a
servant and master u life.