American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-06-08

mother country-England. Every
cause demands that its fundamental
doctrines be spread broadcast In the
most effective manner, and it is at
such periods that the noted orators
pour forth their best efforts. Our or
ators, Samuel Adams, and Patrick
Henry have made themselves heard
ont only in America but In Europe as
we'll.
AS the pendulum swings from one
end OF It's arc to the other, so every
extreme calls for a reaction and this
reaction often progresses SO far as
TO become the other extreme. This
was the case when the spirit of ro-
manticism entered American literature
Tor 1t was the exact opposite of the
stern simplicity of the Puritans. The
themes became unusual, the thought
supernatural, and the style very
flowery, but coming, as 1t did, In a
period when a change was greatly
needed 1t was welcomed and continu-
ed In popular favor for some time.
Charles Brockden Brown, who be-
came so popular as to attract the at
tention of English writer's. was the
foremost exponent of this school in
America. After a time the literary
man became tired of the romantic
trend of the times, and sought a rem
edy which would not be al extreme
but a medium. TranscendentaIism
was the result of their labors. The
OF this line of though en-
deavored to transcend the range of
human experience, maintaining that
there was to this world than the
material things. The teachings of this
school were ~self-evident containing
vital truths which have been of great
benefit to America. According to
these men each individual was n SILL
perior being, the past was something
which ought to be forgotten, solitude
gave freedom to meditation. nature
was divine, and ought to be Thought
of as such.
Just as Charles Brockden Brown
was the greatest Of the romanticists.
so was Ralph Waldo Emerson the
greatest transcendentalist. His hest
essays, "Self-Reliance" and "Compen-
sation," were tr~anscendental subjects
Emerson, however. was not merely n
PROSE writer, but has enriched our
literature with his exquisite poetry.
Appreciation Is due every writer
VINO strives to give something worth
whlle to humanity but that something
Is often difficult to give. To appre-
clate Emerson n must read for one
minute, then mediate ten minutes on
the material read in one. I'm no other
way al his wonderful message be
grasped.
To remain long IN public favor n
person. a theory. IA doctrine, or a work
OF literature must continually pre-
SEM new aspects for variety Is the
spice OF life" Because t~ranscenden-
tai literature did not produce suffi-
cient diversity, a new element enter
eu literature-that of imagination. es-
pecialiy In poetry. Just as flowers
become less attractive when their fra
GRANGE has disappeared, so poetry
when IL ceases to express sentiment
VIII soon lose its charm. II is true
That transcendental poetry expressed
sentiment but that was not of tho
character to appeal to the people. To
reach the hearts of the people. to con-
struct themes that will please them
TO make them think the thoughts of
me writer requires Il nand that knows
the masses-their nature and every
electricity.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. the
poet-iaureate of the people, possessed
a hand for his subjects were
commonplace, his language simple
and his thought cosmopolitan. When
reading Hiawatha, or Evangeline our
hearts seem to fairly vibrate-so clear
cut are the pictures drawn. PERHAPS
no poet has been more appreciated
than Longfellow.
shadow rs the companion OF sum
shine; sorrow the associate of low.
: esslmism the team-mate of ontism
inc civii war was the shadow, the
sorrow and the pessimism that came
after the most glorious age of our
Needless as 1t is to enumerate the
beliefs of the North and the South one
but feel the justice OF both fac
when reading their literary
{
Two writer's Of the period stand be-
ore all others-Harriet Beecher
Stowe. the author II Uncle Toms :
and Thomas Nelson Page, a '
OF southern stories. Their
views are often opposite. and their