The sun., 1918-10-25
The Seeger Manuscripts.

Tho Seeger Manuscripts.
Harvard University has done
handsome thing in acquiring the origi-
nal manuscripts Of three Of the late
ALAN SEEGEs's poems. His alma ma
ter could scarcely pay a more graceful
tribute to her soldier-poet who dlstin.
guished himself and her. both by word
and deed. Estimates will vary as to
the precise value Of SEEoER's poetry.
Already are to be heard dlspa rage.
ments In the form of caution against
permitting circumstantial interest to
influence critical judgment. But de-
spite all. SEEeER's name bids fair to
live. II not as that OF great poet. at
least as poetlcal legend Of the war.
The melancholy accuracy Of bis II
Keep a Rendezvous With Death" goe-
far. of course. toward contributing to
this effect. II Is the case Of RUPERT
BRooKE's 1.-THE Soldier" over again.
sEEaER kept his rendezvous not very
long after the poem was written; and
popular interest may be counted upon
to Indulge. for q time at least. it's
wonted spiritual speculations on the
coincidence. This, in fact. is the pri-
mary interest and the primary ele-
ment In the Seeger legend. It is OBJ
servable that OF SEEGER's poems. II
Keep a Rendezvous With Death" Is
much more celebrated and familiar
than. for instance. his America and
France" or Champagne. 1914-1915."
though both Of them In many re-
spects were more notable productions
than the first. T
There will be literary sticklers
among the critics who will be unable
to see why a Seeger manuscript Is any
more desirable than that Of dozen
other young poets Of his day. But
these fail to remember that original
manuscripts derive their value from
number Of considera lions outside Of
literary excellence. Indeed. literary
excellence is by no means a quality Of
some Of the worlds most treasured
manuscripts. nor did it originally fur
nlsh the motive for their being sal
aged and preserved. Historical IN
terest surrounding the production. per.
sonal interest In the writer. and other
considerations enter In predominnntly.
The seeker after literary curlosiiies
will cross the ocean to see the original
manuscript Of PoPE's translation Of
rhe Had. scribbled on the backs Of
letters from bis friends The pieces
are among the most cherished OF the
British Museum. Yet no one will
claim that the seat Of this interest ls
in the literary quality Of the produc.
ton. The original manuscript OF the
Dunciad. we can imagine. would he
even more teasing to the interest. We
should wish to look closely to see II
spleen were not sp.attered with the
ink. Yet the DuncIad Is not to be
compared in literary excellence with
half dozen other literary productions
II the time. for the original manu-
scripts Of which we should not care u
fig. This being true. one doubts II 1t
were Critical sagaclty" merely which
moved the Egyptian Ptolemies to de-
cline to sell the hungry Greeks n sup
ply Of grain until the latter agreed to
furnish forth certain original m nu-
scripts of !EscHYLUs and EuRIPIDEs.
In our own day, we have lately seen
ONE original manuscripts Of Zoe and
STEVENSON eagerly bought up by COL
lectors. In each case there were con-
lemporaries whose work must be
ranked as high or higher than these
But in each case again. the writer had
taken up his abode as a definite per-
sonallty. for one rea son or another.
| In the popular imagination-a cIrcum.
stance which impaired lively and in
! Innate interest to the work of his
hand on paper. The dlssolute POE is
- familiar figure in the tavern of the
mind; and he Of the velvet jacket and
/ inevitable cigarette Is kindly and in
| innate presence in our Imagination.
! Thus various circumstances are at
work to inject interest into original
manuscripts. where mere literary ex-
cellence might fail to do So, With
SEEoER, the legend Of the young poet
killed in battle was quite sufficient /:
md when the legend is colored by the
, poetical prophecy fulfilled. the appeal
becomes nearly irresistible. The work
itself. in the opinion Of many. is far
from commonplace the legend may
be counted upon to hold it up from
! ohscurity for n time nj laoSt