The sun., 1919-09-21

neither was more important than its
diametrical opposite.
II am no more afraid OF Satan's
bad than of Gods good:
"And but for me neither could have
been and but for my good health the
| two would never merge:
"And the good health Of my bo1g
and Of my soul is the good health oe
the spheres:
| "And Satan could not damn me
/ alone: God would have something to
say about that:
| "And It Ia whispered me that am
neither to be saved nor damned any
way,
But that I am to save or damn
myself to all eternity:
T. in whom God and Satan, for
purposes not all seen, eternaily melt
beyond severance"
Walling has emphasized TrauberB
lack of ascetism in his treatment OF
sex, holding him in this to be a per
feet disciple of Walt Whitman.
Like all poets who have written Of
fectively Of love, Traubel realizes that
the flesh and spirit, especially in this
relation, are absolutely one.
III you you will tell me why other
things will submit to be denied and
sent away but why love will never
submit to be denied and sent
away E.
III you will tell me what the dreams
Of lovers made flesh are for,
"If you will tell me what the flesh
Of lovers made dream is for
"If you will tell me what love is for
will tell you what life is for.
And so do not doubt that the oog-
ruption in a man with love is purer
than the saintliness in a man without
love
And that you, no matter who you
! are. should go with love to the ends OF
love and not be afraid"
Derogated Mere Literature.
Like Whitman, Traubel held that
literary quality in authorship was Of
secondary Importance. Most Of all
he admired those writer's who were
vital human forces. For him their
work lived in human beings. if not in
books. Such men he held Tom Paine,
Robert Ingersoll and Wendell Phillips
to be.
What did Paine eyer do for the lit
erature OF the world? Or Phillips? Or
Ingersoll? They ask me that as IL II
had some point. I'm not concerned
with that. I only want to know what
they've done for the world. The
worlds literature can take it's chances.
The fact Is that, though they're all
dead. they're all very much alive still.
And they've Had plenty of time to die.
Especially Paine: he's had time to
spare. And they're still potent. Call
them what you choose. It's always
worried some people whether Walt
Whitman should be called a poet
They're willing to call him something.
And something big and worth while.
But poet? No. They shrink from
desecrating so sacred a word So with
the three men I'm talking about. Phil
lips and Ingersoll both survive.
They're walking delegates. They stir
! up strife. They keep the waters from
stagnating. Being dead is not conclu-
sive. For they still live. I'd rather
be a moving factor in the average life
than an essay in a book"
Horace Traubel found many sup
porters OF his creed; many besides Eu-
gene Debs and William English Wall
4 ing have raised him to an eminence
\ where he challenges Whitman him
D self; where the Boswell stands tho
E peer Of the Johnson Yet all did not
E acclaim. The biographers of Whitman
l have been singularly reticent with re-
} gard to him. The preface TO Bliss
!. Perry's book ends with the following
significant words: II have not felt at
' liberty to give in every instance the
{ authority for the statements which I
5 have made, although l have been chal-
lenged to do so by the ConserUdtor. I
4 do not care to have the persons who
S have been kind enough to assist me in
e a somewhat difficult task subjected to
r personal abuse in the Conserpdtor,
e and prefer to take the full RESPONSE
: bility for what l have printed"