The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-07

hesitated between these ana poetry -
~ which should be his Afe-"oFA- fe
anticipated ~ nearly nan Z -
the modern widespread interest n thS
fna arts. such poems as IRA ilppo
ir,i' " ..Andrea del Sarto, ola re
tnras IN Florence and some doZeh
others that might be mentoneo' o.
INDISPENSABLE TO modern tFaNetrio aiN
students of aTt-no other "oFa9 toHi
50 readily 10 ones lips IN the ART
j. uarias of Florence. An almost com
plete history of painting couiu .
made from his poems or al least suS
gested. for browning had a knack OF
representing 4 period Of history by
creating an Individual VINO suiilhleu
up the tendencies OF his age.
With all his culture and his lilIel-
lectua. power. he was constantly
showing their limitations in COMPARE
son with the fundamental emo'onS
of men; mere aestheticlsm OF intel
l~ectGalism was 10 him one OF the dedu-
Il sins. That he has written aboutI
love from more points OF Vie" IMAM
any other poet can scarcely be gam
aid-lov ranging from the most
sensual to the most divine types. rms
i. not to be wondered at when We
realize that the lOve-StOry of Robert
and Elizabeth Barrett Browning IS
the most loe-story OF the
century. We did not need to have
he IPtlcIS u Ct t1Iio 49, 80 -
a dozen poems Browning has record
ed his own rapturOus love, while her
response is found in the 'SonnetS
from the Portuguese
But even these appeals would not
have drawn about him so great a
circle of readers had it not been for
his Astounding faith. There may De
gathered from his poems certain fun-
dAmental ideas of life expressed IN
: such vigorous and Withal S~uch@eOn-
polling poetry that they form a sort
, OF book Of marching songs for the
church militant.
, Briefly summarized his philosophy
: o. life centers about a few constantly
recurring ideas, emphasized by vary
ing men and women in widely differ
!, ent settings. The struggle Of life. in
I Eolying as it does misfOrtuneS, defeats,
S tragedy, is the very glory Of life; for
E when struggle begins, a mans worth
4 something. The whole object Of life's
conflicts is to "educe the man
0 Suffering is that which distinguishes
e man from the animal: instead OF
: whining we should welcome each re-
e buff that turns eartllS snOOthnesS
e rough. Aspiration is another key
IS word witt the poet, aspiration thai
IS reaches beyond any definite achieve
Inent, beyond the portals Of death
n What l aspired to be and was not
IS comforts me, says the venerable
le Rabbi Ben Ezra. Tennyson argue:
ir out in I'm Memoriam" the question
Te Of immortality. Browning present.
n men and women in such condition;
r that they denand it-otherwise life i
a stupid bunsle,"< a "wretched fail
ure." He will fight through death a
- he has fought through every othe
obstacle, and with the same courag
and unconquerable hope. His deat
- scenes in his tragedies are his mos
triumphant, for upon them breaks tn
le light Of another world, where all dis
cords are h~armonized, all aspiration
"a fulfilled. Was there ever a bolde
~ challenge to death than "Prospice," 0
& nobler expression Of undying love
20; PROSPICE..
1S64.)
IS, Fear death?-to feel the fog in m
The mist in my face.
~ When the SHOWS begin, and tt
oSt blasts denot
Ate I am nearing the place..
OF > h power Of the night, the pre-.
ID Of the storm.
a The post Of the foe;
IN Where he stands. the Arch Fe;
'ys in a visible form.
VIA Yet the strong man must go;
For the journey is done and II
summit attained,
ere 10 And the barriers fall,
Though a battles to fight ere Il
the guerdon be gained,
The reward of it all.
was ever q fighter, so-one fig
be more.
the The best and the last,
IN Is ! would hate that death bandag
my eyes. and forebore.
re- And babe me creep past.
IAN
)eSt No. let me taste the whole Of
ell fare like my peers,
With The heroes of old.
an Bear the brunt, in a minute D
in glad life's arrears
nds 90 OF pain, darkness and cold.
his