The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-03

CI1Io lAA AASiS
birth. the late of 1892
| in it's head. But more
recent events and tendencies cause
the investigator of American history
to reconsider, and again this date, as
well as it's event. America is not yet
discovered: it is only being discovered
The age Of geographical discoveries
has nearly passed, but the age OF
mental discoveries is only beginning.
In this International movement the
universities Of Europe and America
are to undertake the leadership. TO
them appertains more and more the
~prerogative to bring one nation near
to the other, and thus to unite one
people with the other. The solemn
ceremonies a few weeks g proved
better thar anything else that today
the University Of Berlin more than all
other universities Of the world is ex-
erting just that influence which 1eads
to Cancellation and mutual compile
ment. And the university which 1
represent lowers today her flag be-
fore you and calls to you, Hail n
good luck" to the new century, so
full Of labor and success, which you
have entered.
Before an audience such as this is
one may safely put up the assertion
that a nation can neither be rightly
known nor rightly judged except by
it's literature. If it possesses no lit
erature, 1t is nc nation: it is nothing
more than a union Of States; but, if
it possesses literature, be the same
ever so in significant, then it is in the
best sense a nation. for it's citizens or
subjects are joined to one another,
no onI-v bx n nnp M on ipforncfr h11f o1So
by common ideals. The literature
then Of which [ am to speak is the
youngest of modern literatures. Its
very youthfulness, however, end to
it, if I am not mistaken. a certain
interest Of its peculiar kind. The
language it uses is modern, but the
ideals which it constructs are mostly
just as old as the trunk out Of which
they anne. 1.-The victory in the leu
toburg Forest" says Freeman, was
. the bud of independence and of the
surrender of Yorktown.
To the consideration of American
literature from four points of view,
AS I shall now briefiy~develop it, I was
urged by Faust'E words, which arr
owl to oa;\ namely:
tt is Wrftten: In the beginning was
the word!
Heres-- am stuck already. Who
HoTt help me to advance?
r can not possibly value the word
SO highly.
I must translate it differently if I
am rightly guided by the spirit.
It is written: In the beginning was
the sense.
Ponder we'll over the first line, that
your pen may not overhurry!
Is it sense that works and creates?
It ought to be: In the beginning was
force. Still, also while [ write this
down something is already warning
me not to stop at that. The spirit is
helping me! Suddenly I see the
right advice and write confidently:
In the beginning was the deed.
The Word, the Sense, the Force, the
Deed-these words contain the four
points of view, according to which we
may consider any literature, be il Old
OR new.
Of American literature the first SEN
tence IS particularly true: In the be-
ginning was the word. America
neither created nor slowly deyeloned
brought ready from England. When
the first permanent settlement in
Jamestown was established in the wear
1907, Shakespeare worked on .eTroi-
lus and Cressida" and the translators
were still working on King James
translation of the Bible. When the
Puritans landed, thirteen years later
and brought with them the new
translation Bacon had just completed
his Novum Organun1. Inheriting a
language as rich in beauty and
strength as that of Shakespeare.
Bacon. and the English Bible doubt
less imposes certain obligations. Now