The New York herald., 1922-06-18

his studies OF literature. with the
classic essay on that. Nica-aguan
genius. the poet Ruben Dario Nica-
raguan? Yes, but beginner o. a new
literature for both Spain and her Odd
colonies. The United States was
penetrating everywhere commercial
ly, and everywhere finding suspicion
of its motives. In Latin America as
in Russia, the universities are the
center of intellectual life. and from
that of Montevideo came "ArieP' in
1900. 1t represents a professor in
his study-shal, We say Rode bid
ding farewell. seated by bronze
statue of the genius or Shake. pear rs
Tempest The identity of the old
Spanish and the American
spirit appears in almost the opening
words. He urges first to have faith
in themselves. and march forward to
meet the future with visions like
those in the chronicles of tie Con-
quistadores. Their Inspiration must
be that of Greece, Greece. the spirit
of youth. looking. like the bride. for
him who is to come And this spirit
of hope never left Rodo; it is here
in his first great book. and e chose
the title eel que vendra" for the lit
erary study which years afterward
gave the name to his last collection
of essays. "Arief' is an appeal to
make beauty the goal and guide OF
life. to find in Greece the model to
be initiated. He recalls the cathe-
dral where the figures of the saints
are so carved that their other side
is composed of flowers. and Macau-
lays saying that a day of Aihenian
life furnished a finer program than
can be found in a modern university.
There was a time-too brief a sea-
son-when Christian Love Helenized
itself at ThessalonicS, and Phillippi.
Such is the age which Rodo would
see return. But to it is opposed as
great temptation the Unitarian
ideal. And this is due. according to
Renan. whom Rodo admires to the
advance of democracy. which is the
real Caliban of Shakespeare play.
But Rodo will have no such democ-
racy. mediocrity such as /. advo-
Gated by Prudhomme and Illustrated
by the United States. That high cul-
ture had been represe nted there by
Emerson and Poe he admits. but they
are not the guiding spirits of the civ
ilization. Even the utilitarian Her
bert Spencer advised them to have
a gospel of Rest. There has been a
spread of universal semi-cuItUre, and
Boston and Philadelphia are giving
way with the rest OF the seaLoard to
plus Edison. Nature has denied
this people the gift of lovableness.
amabilidad. and consequently the
apostolic calling The Statue of Lib
erty does not awaken the profound
religious emotion which came with
the golden ray from the lance of the
Athena of the Acropolis.
Ariel represents the ideal CT Beau
ty and it is toward the Andes that
the eagle flies with this hope for the
world. The Southern Cross extends
its arms over America-for america
to the Latin excludes everything
north of the Rio Grande extends
its arms to defend a last rope of
mankind.
The students passed out from the
presence of Pfospero, the teacher,
and as they mingled with the throng
in the street one said that While men
looked not above at heaven heaven
was looking down on men, and the
stars were like the hands OF 4 sower
of seed. SO ends Ariel" bu' so be-
gan the life of a book little in size
but great in influence.
Ill
In the United States such a book
would have attracted little attention,
and this fact II is which makes it in
terestIng. Why did that stir the
L.atin-American world. which except
for beauty of style would have been
all but unnoticed here? Something
must be attributed TO political events
for within three years Mr.. Roosevelt