The farmer and mechanic., 1912-03-05
LITERATURE AND THE
PROVINCIAL VENEER
acquaintance With Best Cnntcfnnor.
ary Art and Thought a Necessary
Means OF Self Weakening.

Means OF Self-Awakcpinp.
Editors note: The following para
SraHhs are the predatory remarks 70
2 lecture on the Modern Drama de
llVercd by Or. Archibald Henderson
before the Womans Club of Raleigh
IN me auditorium Of St. Marys
Hcnool on january 26. 1912. They are
reproduced here not because Or.
Henderson has spoken kindly OF the
\orth Carolina Review. but because
MS words are timely and patriotic.
Certainly the day has come for q
vital practical interest in literature;
an interest which viii parallel and
strengthen the notable present inter
.st IN State history. The overdue
Tenascence can come only when We
| a.e tit To be reborn. But DR.. Hender-
son Will best speak FOR himself
Some time 40. Weil-known North
Carollnlan was present at q banquet
| IN city at the far North. Being
a very tifnid man, it was not unit!
he had nartaken literally OF cham
| pagne that he WAS finally iuvcigied
! into responding to the toast: North
Carolina. Rising. somewhat unst ,td-
| lily to his feet. he spoke as follows:
| North Carolina, my friends, is the
greatest and the most remarka bic
State in the Union. I am proud 70
! hail from a State which Is t.lc ..oiut-
/ Of the hookworm. the pride Of the
| pine beetle and the paradise Of pei
/ lagra. 1t is our prOuGes1 boast that
We were first at the Creation. fur
thest at the Flood. and will probably
+; be last at the Resurrection. Need
less to add that he took his seat
! amid a storm Of uprUcTfons mirth and
applause.
1t is not for me 70 reply to this
! panegyric Oh North Carolina. But ny
attention was irresistlby rlveteG by
the phrase. last 1t the Resurrection. :
IN the renaScence OF this hopeful!
hour. when we behold q reeurrection
OF ali the vital forces .f this com
monWea ltl, it is the manifest daty Of
all Of us who have at heart the pro
founder interests of North Carolina
TO See that she is not last at the
Rcsurrection--or, indeed. anywhere
else. Everywhere about Us we SEE
the burgeoning of great vital i'm
pulScs-in agricultural. industrial anc
civic life. Never has there been !;
time IN our history. I daresay, wheI
there was deeDer. more intense, O
more inclusive interest in the stnd,
Of the history and traditions OF GU
people Indeed so all peryasiye i
: this historical interest. that ever,
man. woman ard child III North Caro-
; lima seems to aspire to be pctentla
or IN actual historian. Children ad
vance historic doubts as to the exc
cution OF Marshal NeS. women scien
tifcaliy fix the date OF contem porar
, evidence in regard 10 the Mecklen
; burg Declaration Of independence
>1J even 4 few men occasiOnall
speak out upon some minor point
in our local history. SO passionat
! and So universal is this historical in
| terest that the hope OF ever heaIir
e a literary address, even before ou
e Literary and Historical Association
e seems to be little more than q hase
I less and iridescent dream.
1 With deep and sincere enthusiasm
! I celebrate and rejoice III this Erea
( outburst Of historical activity in OF
Z, State It is a remarkable and sign
|. ficaEt tribute to our Historical Com
$ mission and to that able historian q II
a valuable citizen Of our State. II
: friend, Mr. K. u. w. Connor. ;:n
Il in all ways, at his service in his pa
triotic task. May | beg. hove|e
here IN the capital of oar common
Il wealth. to advance the novel i'f
e that literature Is an indispcu.t!'l
It part Of history. The literature
n North Carolina Is part Of The histoi
II Of North Carolina. | take as deep
n patriotic prluc " ocIpI. 'it-\eA.
h Avery. and Q. Henry; in Stockar,
q Sledd Margaret Eus;'ee Shipp an
is others. as in Darie and Iarnett, Hu-
fin and Vance. Henderson and Boon
If history be. in som. sense, tf
biography Of great men and gres
women; in a far deeper sense. liter
ture Is the autobio grapi,y of y II:
8 tons life. ideals. and destiny.
- The South. as Edwin hras = no
y adtnira bly, pointing cat, sss rt:alizii
= herself indeed --av actually be saj
10 70 have realized herself. IL aSricu
n tural. industrial. and civic lie Mort
y C1,rciina is a prime mover III tli
. spleEdid self realization. But it
5e equally clear that We have not y
e. come TO that greatly dasiderated sci
.e consciousness IN literature, whio
= should now become the aim and an
II hitioE Of our people Ne have
y ceutIx learned that inc literary cent
& ~ e-rat-irE OF the United States