The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1913-08-15

great deficiency in poetry to be pro-
foundry obscure, systematically dark, as
is true with some OF Browning's poems.
EnigmaticaI obscurity is sometimes
taken for almost superhuman depth
and insight akin to the oracular, when
10 reality it is doubtless often due to
the lack OF clear understanding and
full grasp 10 ones own mind Of what
one wishes to state. 1t indicates that q
poet, while he may have heard pro-
ioundly and voluminously the eldest
grand harmony OF things, yet has
withal heard it somewhat indistinctly.
However, it is difficult, perhaps impossi-
BILE to relate the deepest things Of the
human understanding and vision with
simple lucidity. Hence our greatest
men are nearly always somewhat diff
cult. Even an oracle cannot reproduce
very clearly the language Of the gods.
But the deficiency is ia the oracle, not
in the gods. However that may be,
Mr.. Longfellow reached out, should
think, in longing and in sympathy for
the great common heart OF humanity
with that simple musical appeal which,
while it was doubtless most natural to
him, was also most agreeable to his
will and wish. Longfellow was broad
and liberal in his views, calm and dig
nified in his expression, and he rested
always on the eternities. II not among
the greatest, he was at least great a
noble and gifted genius
Pathos is not one of the noblest and
most bracing features Of good litera-
ture, but it is one that is very apt to
touch and win the human heart. Poe
has said that tone Of sadness is indis-
pensable to the production Of the high
est poetic effect. But that is untrue, as
one shall see If he will only read care
fully that grandest of all short poems,
Millions Morning OF the Nativity. "
Pathos, however, may often exert
wholesome influence; it certainly tends
to lessen mans inhumanity to man.
Longfellow's strain Of pathos runs the
whole gamut OF the emotion OF sad
ness. It is sometimes like lonely wind
signing among the faded flowers Of
autumn; sometimes like desolate
woman weeping beside the grave Of
one beloved, and sometimes it sobs and
walls like motherless infant that re-
fuses to be comforted There are some
very sad touches 10 the Golden Le-
gend" there are tears, bitter, sobbing
tears IN The Song Of Hiawatha. "
Read Of the cruel famine and the death
OF the lovely Minnehaha and you will
understand the truth of what / say.
And Eyangeline" is certainly the sad
est long poem eyer penned. It moves
almost from the beginning in solemn,
patient, grand sadness, like q dirge sung
by the ocean. up to one Of the most
pathetic and weeping climaxes in all
literature. No man ever looked out on
struggling humanity with a kinder and
more sympathetic heart than Long
fellow.
The poet in Mr.. Longfellow was very
large. He naturally drank deep Of the
Helicon Spring. and very easily did bis
Pegasus. with name Of gold," bear
him 10 graceful sweeps. il not through
the upper, at least through the middle
heaven. But the thinker and philos-
opher IN him are not unusual. And as
the nassss pieces OF poetry, those that
have the most powerful and enduring
grasp on the thoughts and consciences
OF men, are founded deep on che eternal
verities Of nature, morals and religion,
and are permeated BY q profound vein
Of philosophy, either logically OF infer.
entisIly expressed that being true. IL
is my conviction that tits on the side 81
philosophy. and almost on that side
alone, that Longiellow's poetry is e..
pecially lacking II is the lack Of high