The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05
By Henry Meade Bland


ties he saw in them: and their faults he
passed over with a kindly humor. No
wonder he was always addressed in
letters by close acquaintances as Dear
Dad"
Yet a writer may be and do all these
things and still be drawn slowly under
the wave till not even ripple tells
where he has been. There are certain
critical standards, generally recognized.
that his art must measure up to, and by
which we must be guided in our liter
arX judgments. The canons of literary
art require, first of all. a compliance to
a certain form. The language. whether
OF prose or poetry. should contain none
OF the feeting dialectic element that
may obscure its meaning to readers to
come; and. in poetry, the thought must
be transcendent that dares to neglect
the time honored forms of rhythm.
style should be a transparent express
sion OF the thought. Further than this.
the subject matter must be ever new
and inspiring 1t must lead US to try
TO think clearly on the great problems
OF lie. Further, the author must be
tinet with the gift of prophecy
II we turn our gaze on Stoddard's
poetry, the best of it is found to nos
sess one peculiar but strong quality.
II is the expression of intense passion :
ate longing for the intangible and spir-
ltuaL II is the expression of what
somebody has called the divine unrest
! quote the Cocoa Tree:
cast cast on the water by careless hand,
Day after day the winds persuaded mo.
onward drifted till 4 coral tree
saved say me among ITS branches. where the sand
Gathered about me, and l slowly grew
fed BY the constant sun and the inconstant dew
me sea birds build their nests against my root
An eye my slender body's horny case
widowed within this solitary place
into the thankless sea / cast my fruit:
Joyless ! thrive FOR no man NAV partake
Of all the store ! bear and harvest for his sake
No more heed the kisses of the morn;
Inc marsh winds rob me OF the life they gave.
] watch my tattered shadow in the wave
Ana houriy droop and nod my crest forlorn
Mlne All my nbers stinen and grow numb
Beek ming the tardy ships, the ships that never
come.
Some Cne to Some other" is express
sive OF the same yearning:
iove me not that may long for thee
Or loving me, show not thy love Away:
For love that seeks shall weave a song for thee
But love unsought is love thar's gone astray
Love me anon. and love VIII sicken me-
Even thy love. the love / most desire:
The waat of love alone NAV quicken me:
Jbe love mat kindleth doth e'en quench the fire.
aea, II Is right for me. but wrong for thee
To breathe fruitless prayer with bated breath;
SO. love me not. that may long for thee
love and desire thee even unto death.
These lines are drawn from Stod-
dard's later and stronger poetry. An
examination of his first volume. pub
lished in 1867, shows only now and then
an approach to the art in these lines
Poetry undoubtedly the early verses
are, but of weak and evanescent char
acter. Only two or three times the lines
rise TO the rank of genuine literature.
Thus, in AT Point Lobos"
White caravans OF clouds 20 by
Across The desert of bright sky
And burly winds following
The trailing pilgrims as they fy
Over the airy bills Of spring
What Mecca are they Fastening to?
What princess 1ourneylng TO WOO
In the rich Orients
In DEGREES" we have:
sit in sorrow by the watery gates
A-questionihg the fates.
ask What manner Of strange ships are
these
Slipping adown the seas?
Slipping aoown the slanting seas-what sail
Is yonder calm and pale?
Turning from Stoddard's verse to his
- important work, namely. prose,
TO be pointed out that humor,