WhileinthemainLanier’ssentence-constructionisgood,occasionallyhissentencesaretoolong,asin`MySprings’,`ToBayardTaylor’,and`Sunrise’,inwhichwehavesentenceslongerthantheopeningonein`ParadiseLost’,and,whatisofmoremoment,notsowellbalanced,andhenceaffordingfewerbreathingspaces。
Thatthisdetractsfromclearnessandeuphonyboth,everyreaderwilladmit。
Tocometothefiguresofspeech,onemustbestruckatoncewiththedelicacyandthevigorofLanier’simagination。Thepoet’sfancypersonifieswhatatfirstblushseemstousincapableofpersonification。
Thusatonetime*1*helikensmentoclover-leavesandtheCourse-of-thingstothebrowsingox,whichmakeswaywiththeclover-heads;
whileatanotherheaddressesanoldredhillofGeorgiaas\"ThougashedandhairyLearWhomthedivineCordeliaoftheyear,E’enpityingSpring,willvainlystrivetocheer。\"*2*
LikeotherSouthernpoets,*3*Laniersometimesfailstocheckhisimagination,andinconsequenceleaveshisreaders\"bramble-tangledinabrilliantmaze,\"
asinhisdescriptionofthestarsin`JuneDreams’*4*
andinthe`PsalmoftheWest’。*5*WhileIdonotlikeamaze,brilliantthoughitbeandsweet,ImustsaythatIprefertheembarrassmentofrichestotheembarrassmentofpoverty。Onthewhole,however,Lanier’sfiguresstrikemeassingularlyfreshandhappy。
In`Sunrise’,forexample,thepoetspeaksofthemarshasfollows:
\"Thetide’satfull:themarshwithfloodedstreamsGlimmersalimpidlabyrinthofdreams;\"*6*
andoftheheavensreflectedinthemarshwaters:
\"EachwindingcreekingraveentrancementliesArhapsodyofmorning-stars。TheskiesShinescantwithoneforkedgalaxy,——
Themarshbragsten:loopedonhisbreasttheylie。\"*7*
Later,astheebb-tideflowsfrommarshtosea,weareparentheticallytreatedtothesetwolines:
\"Runhome,littlestreams,Withyourlapfulsofstarsanddreams。\"*8*
Finally,theheavenitselfisthuspictured:
\"NowineachpettiestpersonalsphereofdewThesumm’dmornshinescompleteasintheblueBigdew-dropofallheaven;\"*9*
besidewhichmustbehungthisexquisitepicture:
\"Thedew-dropmornmayfallfromoffthepetalofthesky。\"*10*
——
*1*In`Clover’。
*2*`Corn’,ll。185-187。
*3*SeeonthispointtheremarksofProfessorTrentinhisadmirablelifeof`Simms’(Boston,1892),p。149。
*4*`JuneDreams’,l。21ff。
*5*`PsalmoftheWest’,l。183ff。
*6*`Sunrise’,ll。80-81。
*7*Ibid。,ll。82-85。
*8*Ibid。,ll。114-115。
*9*Ibid。,ll。134-136。
*10*`TheShipofEarth’,l。5。
——
Astoversification,Lanierusesalmostallthetypesofverse——iambic,trochaic,blank,thesonnet,etc。——andwithaboutequalskill。
Threefeatures,however,speciallycharacterizehisverse:
thecarefuldistributionofvowel-colorsandthefrequentuseofalliterationandofphoneticsyzygy,*1*bywhichlastismeantacombinationorsuccessionofidenticalorsimilarconsonants,whetherinitially,medially,orfinally,asforinstancethesuccessionofM’sinTennyson’s\"ThemoanofdovesinimmemorialelmsAndmurmuringofinnumerablebees。\"
AllofthesephenomenaareillustratedinLanier’s`SongoftheChattahoochee’,whichhasoftenbeencomparedtoTennyson’s`TheBrook’,andwhichaloneprovestheauthoramasterinversification。Tobesure,Lanieroccasionallygivesusanimproperrhyme,as`thwart:heart’,*2*etc。,butsodoeseverypoet。
Nodoubt,too,hisloveofmusicsometimesledhim,not\"tostrainforformeffects\",buttoindulgetoomuchtherein,or,inthewordsofMr。Stedman,\"toessayinlanguagefeatsthatonlythegamutcanrenderpossible。\"*3*But,asProfessorKentadmirablyputsit,\"Lanierwasapoetaswellasanartist,andifattimeshisartistictemperamentseemedtoeclipsehispoeticthought,grantthattothepoetmindtheverymannerofexpressionmayindicatethethoughtthatliesbeneath,whiletothedullerearthethoughtmustcomeincompletedform。\"*4*Moreover,asweshallseelater,thisextraordinarymusicalendowmentgaveLanierauniquepositionamongEnglishpoets。
——
*1*See`TheScienceofEnglishVerse’,p。306ff。
*2*`IntheFoam’,ll。6,8。See,too,Kent’s`StudyofLanier’sPoems’,whichgivesanexhaustivetreatmentofLanier’sversification。
*3*Stedman’s`PoetsofAmerica’,p。449。
*4*`Kent’,p。60。
——
Afterwhathasbeensaidthequalitiesofstylemaybebrieflyhandled。
Aswehavealreadyseen,Laniersometimesfailsinclearness,or,moreprecisely,insimplicity。Thiscomespartlyfrominfelicitoussentence-construction,partly,perhaps,fromLanier’sextraordinarymusicalendowment,butchiefly,Ithink,fromover-luxurianceofimagination。Butthisoccasionaldefecthasbeenundulyexaggerated。ThusMr。Gosse*1*declaresthatLanieris\"neversimple,nevereasy,neverinonesinglelyricnaturalandspontaneousformorethanonestanza,\"——astatementsoclearlyhyperbolicashardlytocallfornotice。Asamatteroffact,Lanierhaswrittennumerouspoemsthatofferlittleornodifficultytothereaderofaverageintelligence,as`LifeandSong’,`MySprings’,`TheSymphony’,`TheMocking-Bird’,`TheSongoftheChattahoochee’,`TheWavingoftheCorn’,`TheRevengeofHamish’,`Remonstrance’,`ABalladofTreesandtheMaster’,etc。Morethanthis,Lanierattimesmanifeststhesimplicitythatisgrantedonlytogeniusofthehighestorder:thusanEnglishcritic,*2*
whobythewaydeclaresthatLanier’svolumehasmoreofgeniusthanallthepoemsofPoe,orLongfellow,orLowell(thehumorouspoemsexcepted),andwhoconsidersLanierthemostoriginalofallAmericanpoets,andmoreoriginalthananyEnglandhasproducedforthelastthirtyyears,saysthat\"nothingcanbemoreperfectthan——
`ThewholesweetroundOflittlesthatlargelifecompound,’\"*3*
linesin`MySprings’,andthat\"thetouchofwonderinthelasttwolines,`ImarvelthatGodmadeyoumine,Forwhenhefrowns,’tisthenyeshine,’*4*
isassimpleandexquisiteasanytouchoftendernessinourliterature。\"
IfranklyadmitthatseveralofLanier’sbestpoems,as`Corn’,`TheMarshesofGlynn’,and`Sunrise’,arenotsimple;
butthesamethingistrueofMilton’s`ParadiseLost’andofBrowning’s`TheRingandtheBook’,andyetthisfactdoesnotexcludethesetwoworksfromthelistofgreatpoems。Mr。Gosse,however,declaresthat`Corn’,`Sunrise’,and`TheMarshesofGlynn’\"simulatepoeticexpressionwithextraordinaryskill。Butoftherealthing,ofthegenuinetraditionalarticle,notatrace\"!Whatdothesepoemsshow,then?
Mr。Gosseanswers:\"Ifindapainfuleffort,astrainandrage,themostprominentqualitiesineverythinghewrote;\"whichstrikesmeasthereverseofthefacts。Inoneofhisletters*5*toJudgeBleckley,Lanierwrotethissentence:\"Myheadandmyheartarebothsofullofpoemswhichthedreadfulstruggleforbreaddoesnotgivemetimetoputonpaper,thatIamoftendriventoheadacheandheartache,purelyforwantofanhourortwotoholdapen。\"If,then,hecommittedanerror(andIamfarfromconsideringhimfaultless),itwasnotthathebeatandspurredonPegasus,butthathefailedtoreinhimin。Still,IrepeatthatIprefertheembarrassmentofrichestotheembarrassmentofpoverty。Finally,justasMiltontellsusthatthemusicofthespheresisnottobeheardbythegross,unpurgedear,soIbelievethatmanyintelligentearsandeyesareatfirsttoogrosstohearandseewhatLanierputsbeforethem,whereasabitofpatientlisteningandlookingrevealsdelightshithertoundreamedof。
——
*1*See`Bibliography’。
*2*`TheSpectator’(London);see`Bibliography’。
*3*`MySprings’,ll。49-50。
*4*`MySprings’,ll。55-56。
*5*Itistobehopedthattheselettersmayyetbepublished。
IquotefromonedatedNovember15,1874。
——
Ifnotalwayssimple,Lanierisoftenforcibleintheextreme,asin`TheSymphony’,`TheRevengeofHamish’,`Remonstrance’,and`Sunrise’。
Ofcourse,itisopentoanyonetoseeinthesepoemsthe\"rage\"
attributedtoLanierbyMr。Gosse,butIprefertoconsideritdivinewrathinallbutthelast,andinitwonderunutterable,whichyetissoutteredthatearsbecomeeyes。Ialludetothestanzas*describingthebreakofdawnandtherisingofthesun。
——
*`Sunrise’,ll。86-152。
——
Ofthepoet’smarvelouseuphony,`TheSongoftheChattahoochee’
speaksclearlyenough。Aswehaveseeninourtreatmentofversification,itishereaquestionnotoftoolittlebutoftoomuch。
But,despiteanoccasionaltoogreatyieldingtohispassionformusic,hisextraordinaryendowmentinthisdirectiongaveLanierauniquepositionamongEnglishpoets。IquoteagainfromProfessorKent:*
\"Butifhissenseofbeautymadehimapeerofourgreatpoets,itwastheheavenlygiftofmusicthatdistinguishedhimfromthem。
Milton,itistrue,whomhemostresemblesinthisrespect,hadaknowledgeofmusic,butnotthesamepassionforit。Milton’smusicwasmorearecreation,anaccompanimentofreverie;Lanier’swasafieryzeal;
ayearninglove,achosenandadequateformofexpressionofhissoul’sdeepestfeeling。Combinedwiththispassionformusicwashistechnicalknowledgeoftheart,andthesecombinedformedatoncethefoundationandtheframeworkofhispoetry。Heseemsliterallytohavesunghispoems;theyareessentiallymusical,tuneful,andmelodious。
Surchargedwithmusic,heoverflowsinmellifluousnumbers。Here,then,Lanierstandsoutdifferentiatedinthechoirofpoets,andherewefindthatdistinctivequalitywhichistheveryflavorofhiswriting。\"
——
*P。62。
——
WhilemostofLanier’spoemsareinaseriousstrain,severaldisclosenomeansenseofhumor。Irefertohisdialectpoems,suchas`Jones’sPrivateArgyment’,`UncleJim’sBaptistRevivalHymn’,and`ThePowerofPrayer’,especiallythelast,writteninconjunctionwithhisbrother,Mr。CliffordLanier。
Therearepassagesinthepoemsnolesspatheticthanthepoet’slife。
Indiscussinghisloveofnaturewehaveseenthathewasapantheistinthebestsenseoftheterm。Sodelicatewashissensibilitythatwedonotwonderwhenwehearhimdeclaring,\"AndIamonewithallthekinsmenthingsThate’ermyFatherfathered,\"*
asayingasfelicitousastheRoman’s\"Iamaman,and,therefore,nothinghumanisstrangertome。\"Thetendernessofthe`BalladofTreesandtheMaster’musttouchallreaders。
Fewpassagesaremorepathetic,Ithink,thanthat,in`JuneDreamsinJanuary’,tellingofthepoet’sstruggleforbreadandfame,while\"hisworshipfulsweetwifesatstill,afar,withinthevillagewhenceshesenthimforth,waitingallconfidentandproudandcalm。\"
And,ifthereoccursthereinaplaintivetone,letusrememberthatitistheonlytimethathecomplainedofhislot,andthatherereallyhehasmoreinmindhisdearerself,hiswife,andthatcalmsucceededtounrestjustasitdoesinthispassage:
\"`Whycanwepoetsdreamusbeauty,so,Butcannotdreamusbread?Why,now,canI
Make,aye,createthisfervidthrobbingJuneOutofthechill,chillmatterofmysoul,Yetcannotmakeapoorestpenny-loafOutofthissamechillmatter,no,notoneForMary,thoughshestarveduponmybreast?’
Andthenhefelluponhiscouch,andsobbed,And,late,justwhenhisheartleanedo’erTheveryedgeofbreaking,faintofall,Godsenthimsleep。\"**
——
*`AFloridaSunday’,ll。102-103。
**`JuneDreamsinJanuary’,ll。68-78。
——
V。Lanier’sTheoryofPoetryItisnowtimetosayawordaboutLanier’stheoryofart,especiallytheartofpoetry。Hisviewsupontheformalsideofpoetryhavealreadybeennoticedintheconsiderationofhis`ScienceofEnglishVerse’,andhencereceivenofurthercommenthere。
ThatLanierkeenlyappreciatedtheresponsibilityrestingupontheartist,appearsfrom`Individuality’,wherehetellsus,\"Awfulisartbecause’tisfree,\"*1*
and,\"Eachartist——giftofterror!——ownshiswill。\"*2*
Butheacceptstheresponsibilityreverentlyandconfidently:
\"Iworkinfreedomwild,Butwork,asplaysalittlechild,SureoftheFather,Self,andLove,alone。\"*3*
——
*1*`Individuality’,l。62。
*2*`Individuality’,l。76。
*3*`Individuality’,ll。89-91。
——
Again,theprovinceofpoetryispointedout,asin`Clover’:
\"Theartist’smarketistheheartofman;
Theartist’sprice,somelittlegoodofman;\"*1*
andin`TheBee’:
\"Wiltask,`Whatprofite’erapoetbrings?’
HebearethstarrystuffabouthiswingsTopollentheeandstingtheefertile。\"*2*
In`Corn’,*3*too,the\"tallcorn-captain\"\"typesthepoet-soulsublime。\"
——
*1*`Clover’,ll。126-127。
*2*`TheBee’,ll。40-42。
*3*`Corn’,l。52ff。
——
ButitisinhisproseworksthatLanierhastreatedthemattermostatlength,andtotheseIturn。Inthefirstplace,heinsiststhattobeanartistonemustknowagreatdeal,astatementthatwouldappearsuperfluousbutforitsfrequentoverlookingbywould-beartists。Henceheisrightinwarningyoungwriters:
\"Youneednotdreamofwinningtheattentionofsoberpeoplewithyourpoetryunlessthatpoetryandyoursoulbehinditareinformedandsaturatedwithatleastthelargestfinalconceptionsofcurrentscience。\"*
ThatLanierstrovetofollowthisprecept,wehaveabundantevidenceinhislifeandinhisworks;andIthinkthat,ifwerememberhisenvironments,wemustwonderatthevastness,theaccuracy,andthevarietyofhisknowledge。Asadditionallyillustrativeofthelast,ImayaddthatLanierinventedsomeimprovementsfortheflute,andmadeadiscoveryinthephysicsofmusicthattheProfessorofPhysicsintheUniversityofVirginiathoughtconsiderable。**
——
*`Gates’,p。29。
**See`West’,p。23。
——
Inthesecondplace,Lanierthinksthatapoet’sknowledgeofhisartshouldbescientific。Itwasthisthatledhimtowrite`TheScienceofEnglishVerse’,themottoofwhichis,\"Butthebestconceptionscannotbe,savewherescienceandgeniusare。\"
In`TheEnglishNovel’hedeclaresthat\"notasingleversewaseverwrittenbyinstinctalonesincetheworldbegan,\"*
andfortifieshisstatementbyBenJonson’stributetoShakespeare,——
\"Foragoodpoet’smadeaswellasborn,Andsuchwertthou。\"
ButLanierclearlysawthatnoformallawsandnoamountofscientificknowledgecouldalonemakeapoet,asappearsfromthemottoabovequoted,fromtheclosingchapterof`TheScienceofEnglishVerse’,whichtellsusthattheeducatedloveofbeautyistheartist’sonlylaw,andfromthisothermotto,fromSirPhilipSidney:\"APoet,noindustriecanmake,ifhisowneGeniusbeenotcarrieduntoit。\"
——
*`TheEnglishNovel’,p。33。
——
Inthethirdplace,Lanierholdsthatamoralintentiononthepartofanartistdoesnotinterferewiththenaturalnessorintrinsicbeautyofhiswork;thatinartthecontrollingconsiderationisrathermoralthanartisticbeauty;butthatmoralbeautyandartisticbeauty,sofarfrombeingdistinctoropposed,areconvergentandmutuallyhelpful。
Thisthesisheupholdsinthefollowingeloquentandcogentpassage:
\"Permitmetorecalltoyouinthefirstplacethattherequirementhasbeenfromtimeimmemorialthatwhereverthereiscontestasbetweenartisticandmoralbeauty,unlessthemoralsideprevail,allislost。Letanysculptorhewusoutthemostravishingcombinationoftendercurvesandsphericsoftnessthateverstoodforwoman;
yetiftheliphaveacertainfulnessthathintsoftheflesh,ifthebrowbeinsincere,ifintheminutestparticularthephysicalbeautysuggestamoralugliness,thatsculptor——unlesshebeportrayingamoraluglinessforamoralpurpose——mayaswellgiveoverhismarbleforpaving-stones。Time,whosejudgmentsareinexorablymoral,willnotaccepthiswork。Forindeedwemaysaythathewhohasnotyetperceivedhowartisticbeautyandmoralbeautyareconvergentlineswhichrunbackintoacommonidealorigin,andwhothereforeisnotafirewithmoralbeautyjustaswithartisticbeauty——thathe,inshort,whohasnotcometothatstageofquietandeternalfrenzyinwhichthebeautyofholinessandtheholinessofbeautymeanonething,burnasonefire,shineasonelight,withinhim;heisnotyetthegreatartist。\"*BycopiousquotationsLanierthenshowsthat\"manyfineandbeautifulsoulsappearafterawhiletoloseallsenseofdistinctionbetweentheseterms,Beauty,Truth,Love,Wisdom,Goodness,andthelike,\"andconcludesthus:\"Andifthisbetrue,cannotonesaywithauthoritytotheyoungartist,——whetherworkinginstone,incolor,intones,orincharacter-formsofthenovel:
sofarfromdreadingthatyourmoralpurposewillinterferewithyourbeautifulcreation,goforwardintheclearconvictionthatunlessyouaresuffused——soulandbody,onemightsay——
withthatmoralpurposewhichfindsitslargestexpressioninlove——thatis,theloveofallthingsintheirproperrelation——
unlessyouaresuffusedwiththislove,donotdaretomeddlewithbeauty;
unlessyouaresuffusedwithbeauty,donotmeddlewithlove;
unlessyouaresuffusedwithtruth,donotdaretomeddlewithgoodness;——
inaword,unlessyouaresuffusedwithbeauty,truth,wisdom,goodness,ANDlove,abandonthehopethattheageswillacceptyouasanartist。\"**
——
*`TheEnglishNovel’,p。272f。
**`TheEnglishNovel’,p。280。Ofthenumerousdiscussionsofthisthesis,thestudentshouldconsultatleastthosebyMatthewArnold(`Preface’tohiseditionof`Wordsworth’sPoems’),JohnRuskin(`StonesofVenice’,vol。iii。,chap。iv。),andVictorHugo(`WilliamShakespeare’,BookVI。)。
——
VI。ConclusionMiltonhassomewheresaidthatinordertobeagreatpoetonemusthimselfbeatruepoem,adictumnonethelesstrustworthybecauseofitsinapplicabilitytoitsauthoralongwithseveralothergreatpoets。NowofallEnglishpoets,IknowofnonethatcamenearerbeingatruepoemthandidLanier。
Hewasasspotlessas\"theLadyofChrist’s\",andinfinitelymorelovable。
Indeed,heseemstometohaverealizedtheidealofhisownknightlyHorn,whohopesthatsomedaymenwillbe\"maidsinpurity\"。*
Iwillnotrecallhisgentleyetheroiclifeamiddrawbacksalmostunparalleled;foritisevensadderthanitisbeautiful。
Itismydeliberatejudgmentthat,while,asthepoetsaysinhis`LifeandSong’,nosingerhaseverwhollylivedhisminstrelsy,Laniercamesonearitthatwemayfairlysay,intheclosinglinesofthepoem,\"Hissongwasonlylivingaloud,Hiswork,asingingwithhishand。\"
And,formypart,Iamasgratefulforhisnobleprivatelifeasforhisdistinguishedpublicwork。
——
*`TheSymphony’,l。302。
——
AndyetIwillnotclosewiththispictureoftheman;formypurposeisrathertopresentthepoet。Hamperedthoughhewasbyfewnessofyears,byfeeblenessofbody,byshortnessofbread,and,mostofallperhaps,byover-luxurianceofimagination,Lanierwasyet,tomymind,indisputablyagreatpoet。ForintechniquehewasakintoTennyson;*
intheloveofbeautyandinlyricsweetness,toKeatsandShelley;
intheloveofnature,toWordsworth;andinspirituality,toRuskin,thegistofwhoseteachingisthatwearesoulstemporarilyhavingbodies;
toMilton,\"God-giftedorgan-voiceofEngland\";andtoBrowning,\"subtlestassertorofthesoulinsong\"。Tobesure,Lanier’sgeniusisnotequaltothatofanyoneofthepoetsmentioned,butIventuretobelievethatitisofthesameorder,and,therefore,deservingoflastingremembrance。
——
*Mr。Thayerputsitstronger:\"AsamasterofmelodiousmetreonlyTennyson,andhenotoften,hasequalledLanier。\"Mr。F。F。Browne,Editorof`TheDial’(Chicago),comparesthetwopoetsinanotheraspect:
\"`TheSymphony’ofLaniermayrecallsomepartsof`Maud’;
buttheyoungerpoet’streatmentisasmuchhisownastheelder’sishisown。ThecomparisonofLanierwithTennysonwill,indeed,onlydeepentheimpressionofhisoriginality,whichishismoststrikingquality。ItmaybedoubtedifanyEnglishpoetofourtime,exceptTennyson,hascasthisworkinanamplermould,orwroughtwithmoreoffreedom,orstampedhisproductwiththeimpressofastrongerpersonality。Histhought,hisstand-point,hisexpression,hisform,histreatment,arehisalone;andthroughthemallhejustifieshisrighttothetitleofpoet。\"
——
PoemsLifeandSongIflifewerecaughtbyaclarionet,[1]
Andawildheart,throbbinginthereed,Shouldthrillitsjoyandtrillitsfret,Andutteritsheartineverydeed,ThenwouldthisbreathingclarionetTypewhatthepoetfainwouldbe;
Fornoneo’thesingerseveryetHaswhollylivedhisminstrelsy,Orclearlysunghistrue,truethought,Orutterlybodiedforthhislife,Oroutoflifeandsonghaswrought[11]
Theperfectoneofmanandwife;
Orlivedandsung,thatLifeandSongMighteachexpresstheother’sall,CarelessiflifeorartwerelongSincebothwereone,tostandorfall:
Sothatthewonderstruckthecrowd,Whoshouteditabouttheland:
`Hissongwasonlylivingaloud,Hiswork,asingingwithhishand!’
____
1868。
Notes:LifeandSong`LifeandSong’isthefifthofaseriesofsevenpoemspublishedunderthegeneralheadingof`Street-cries’,withthetwostanzasfollowingasanintroduction:
\"OftseemstheTimeamarket-townWheremanymerchant-spiritsmeetWhoupanddownandupanddownCryoutalongthestreet\"Theirneeds,aswares;oneTHUS,oneSO:
Tillallthewaysarefullofsound:
——Butstillcomerain,andsun,andsnow,Andstilltheworldgoesround。\"
Theremainingnumbersoftheseriesare:1。`Remonstrance’,giveninthisvolume;2。`TheShipofEarth’;3。`HowLoveLookedforHell’;
4。`Tyranny’;6。`ToRichardWagner’;7。`ASongofLove’。
IcanthinkofnomorehelpfulcommentonthesubjectofourpoemthanthissentencefromMilton’s`ApologyforSmectymnuus’,alreadyalludedtointhe`Introduction’(p。liv[PartVI]):
\"Andlongitwasnotafter,whenIwasconfirmedinthisopinion,thathewhowouldnotbefrustrateofhishopetowritewellhereafterinlaudablethings,oughthimselftobeatruepoem;thatis,acompositionandpatternofthebestandhonorablestthings;
notpresumingtosinghighpraisesofheroicmenorfamouscities,unlesshehaveinhimselftheexperienceandthepracticeofallthatwhichispraiseworthy。\"
Lines19-20。IhavebeenpleasedtodiscoverthattheapplicationIhavemadeofthispoem,especiallyoftheselines(see`Introduction’,p。liv[PartVI]),islikewisemadebymoststudentsofLanier’slife,andthatMrs。Lanierhaschosenthesetwolinesforinscriptiononthemonumenttobeerectedtohismemory。
Onthereversesideofthestone,Imayadd,aretobeputthesewords:
\"HethatdwellethinlovedwellethinGod\"(IJohniv。16)。
Jones’sPrivateArgymentThatairsameJones,whichlivedinJones,[1]
Hehadthispintabouthim:
He’dswearwithahundredsighsandgroans,ThatfarmersMUSTstopgittin’loans,Andgitalongwithout’em:
Thatbankers,warehousemen,andsichWasfatt’nin’ontheplanter,AndTennessywasrotten-richA-raisin’meatandcorn,allwhichDraw’dmoneytoAtlanta:
Andtheonlything(saysJones)todo[11]
Is,eatnomeatthat’sboughten:
BUTTEARUPEVERYI,O,U,ANDPLANTALLCORNANDSWEARFORTRUE
TOQUITA-RAISIN’COTTON!
ThusspoutedJones(wharfolkscouldhear,——AtCourtandothergatherin’s),Andthuskep’spoutin’manyayear,Proclaimin’loudlyfarandnearSichfiddlesticksandblatherin’s。
But,oneall-firedsweatin’day,[21]
IthappenedIwashoein’
Mylowercorn-field,whichitlay’LongsidetheroadthatrunsmywayWharIcanseewhat’sgoin’。
Anda’tertwelveo’clockhadcomeIfeltakinderfaggin’,Andlaidmyselfun’neathaplumToletmydinnersettlesum,When’longcomeJones’swaggin,AndJoneswassettin’init,SO:[31]
A-readin’ofapaper。
Hismuleswasgoin’powerfulslow,FurhehadtiedthelinesontoThestapleofthescraper。
ThemulestheystoppedaboutarodFromme,andwenttofeedin’
’Longsidetheroad,uponthesod,ButJones(whichhehadtuckatod)
Notknowin’,kepta-readin’。
Andpresentlysayshe:\"Hit’strue;[41]
ThatClisby’sheadislevel。
Thar’sonethingfarmersallmustdo,Tokeepthemselvesfromgoin’tewBankruptcyandthedevil!
\"Morecorn!morecorn!MUSTplantlessground,AndMUSTN’Teatwhat’sboughten!
Nextyearthey’lldoit:reasonin’ssound:
(And,cottonwillfetch’boutadollarapound),THARFORE,I’LLplantALLcotton!\"
____
Macon,Ga。,1870。
Notes:Jones’sPrivateArgymentThethemesofthispoem,therelativeclaimsofcornandcottonupontheattentionofthefarmerandthedisastrousresultsofspeculation,aretreatedindirectlyin`Thar’sMoreintheManThanTharIsintheLand’,anddirectlyandwithconsummateartin`Corn’。
1。\"ThatairsameJones\"appearsin`Thar’sMore’,etc。,writtenin1869,inwhichwearetold:
\"Andhelivedprettymuchbygittin’ofloans,Andhismuleswasnuthin’butskinandbones,Andhishogswasflatashiscorn-breadpones,Andhehad’boutathousandacreso’land。\"
HesellshisfarmtoBrownatadollarandfiftycentsanacreandgoestoTexas。Brownimprovesthefarm,and,afterfiveyears,issittingdowntoabigdinnerwhenJonesisdiscoveredstandingoutbythefence,withoutwagonormules,\"furhehadleftTexasafootandcumtoGeorgytoseeifhecouldn’tgitsomeemployment。\"
BrowninvitesJonesintodinner,butcannotrefrainfromtheinference-drawingthatnamesthepoem。——\"WhichlivedinJones,\"
\"whichJonesisacountyofredhillsandstones\"(`Thar’sMore’,etc。)
incentralGeorgia。
13。Readersof`DavidCopperfield’willrecallMicawber’sfrequentuseof`I-O-U-’s’。
47。\"Clisby’shead\"referstoMr。JosephClisby,theneditoroftheMacon(Ga。)`TelegraphandMessenger’,whohadwritteneditorialsfavoringtheplantingofmorecorn。
CornTo-daythewoodsaretremblingthroughandthrough[1]
Withshimmeringforms,thatflashbeforemyview,Thenmeltingreenasdawn-starsmeltinblue。
TheleavesthatwaveagainstmycheekcaressLikewomen’shands;theembracingboughsexpressAsubtletyofmightytenderness;
Thecopse-depthsintolittlenoisesstart,Thatsoundanonlikebeatingsofaheart,Anonliketalk’twixtlipsnotfarapart。
Thebeechdreamsbalm,asadreamerhumsasong;
Throughthatvaguewafture,expirationsstrong[11]
ThrobfromyounghickoriesbreathingdeepandlongWithstressandurgenceboldofprisonedspringAndecstasyofburgeoning。
Now,sincethedew-plashedroadofmornisdry,ForthventureodorsofmorequalityAndheavenliergiving。LikeJove’slocksawry,LongmuscadinesRich-wreathethespaciousforeheadsofgreatpines,Andbreatheambrosialpassionfromtheirvines。
Ipraywithmosses,ferns,andflowersshy[21]
ThathidelikegentlenunsfromhumaneyeToliftadoringperfumestothesky。
Ihearfaintbridal-sighsofbrownandgreenDyingtosilenthintsofkisseskeenAsfarlightsfringeintoapleasantsheen。
Istartatfragmentarywhispers,blownFromundertalksofleafysoulsunknown,Vaguepurportssweet,ofinarticulatetone。
Dreamingofgods,men,nuns,andbrides,betweenOldcompaniesofoaksthatinwardlean[31]
TojointheirradiantamplitudesofgreenIslowlymove,withranginglooksthatpassUpfromthemattedmiraclesofgrassIntoyonveinedcomplexofspaceWhereskyandleafageinterlaceSoclose,theheavenofblueisseenInwovenwithaheavenofgreen。
Iwandertothezigzag-corneredfenceWheresassafras,intrenchedinbramblesdense,Contestswithstolidvehemence[41]
Themarchofculture,settinglimbandthornAspikesagainstthearmyofthecorn。
There,whileIpause,myfieldward-faringeyesTakeharvests,wherethestatelycorn-ranksrise,OfinwarddignitiesAndlargebenignitiesandinsightswise,Gracesandmodestmajesties。
Thus,withouttheft,Ireapanother’sfield;
Thus,withouttilth,Ihouseawondrousyield,Andheapmyheartwithquintuplecropsconcealed。[51]
Look,outoflineonetallcorn-captainstandsAdvancedbeyondtheforemostofhisbands,AndwaveshisbladesupontheveryedgeAndhottestthicketofthebattlinghedge。
Thoulustrousstalk,thatne’ermaystwalknortalk,Stillshaltthoutypethepoet-soulsublimeThatleadsthevanwardofhistimidtimeAndsingsupcowardswithcommandingrhyme——
Soulcalm,likethee,yetfain,likethee,togrowBydoubleincrement,above,below;[61]
Soulhomely,asthouart,yetrichingracelikethee,TeachingtheyeomenselflesschivalryThatmovesingentlecurvesofcourtesy;
Soulfilledlikethylongveinswithsweetnesstense,ByeverygodlikesenseTransmutedfromthefourwildelements。
Drawntohighplans,Thoulift’stmorestaturethanamortalman’s,YeteverpiercestdownwardinthemouldAndkeepesthold[71]
UponthereverendandsteadfastearthThatgavetheebirth;
Yea,standestsmilinginthyfuturegrave,Sereneandbrave,WithunremittingbreathInhalinglifefromdeath,Thineepitaphwritfairinfruitageeloquent,Thyselfthymonument。
Aspoetsshould,Thouhastbuiltupthyhardihood[81]
Withuniversalfood,DrawninselectproportionfairFromhonestmouldandvagabondair;
Fromdarknessofthedreadfulnight,Andjoyfullight;
Fromantiqueashes,whosedepartedflameIntheehasfinerlifeandlongerfame;
Fromwoundsandbalms,Fromstormsandcalms,Frompotsherdsanddrybones[91]
Andruin-stones。
IntothyvigoroussubstancethouhastwroughtWhate’erthehandofCircumstancehathbrought;
Yea,intocoolsolacinggreenhastspunWhiteradiancehotfromoutthesun。
SothoudostmutuallyleavenStrengthofearthwithgraceofheaven;
SothoudostmarrynewandoldIntoaoneofhighermould;
Sothoudostreconcilethehotandcold,[101]
Thedarkandbright,Andmanyaheart-perplexingopposite,Andso,Akinbybloodtohighandlow,Fitlythouplayestoutthypoet’spart,Richlyexpendingthymuch-bruisedheartInequalcaretonourishlordinhallOrbeastinstall:
Thoutook’stfromallthatthoumightstgivetoall。
Osteadfastdwellerontheselfsamespot[111]
Wherethouwastborn,thatstillrepinestnot——
Typeofthehome-fondheart,thehappylot!——
DeeplythymildcontentrebukesthelandWhoseflimsyhomes,builtontheshiftingsandOftrade,foreverriseandfallWithalternationwhimsical,Enduringscarceaday,ThensweptawayByswiftengulfmentsofincalculabletidesWhereoncapriciousCommercerides。[121]
Look,thousubstantialspiritofcontent!
Acrossthislittlevale,thycontinent,Towhere,beyondthemoulderingmill,YonolddesertedGeorgianhillBarestothesunhispiteousagedcrestAndseamybreast,Byrestless-heartedchildrenlefttolieUntendedtherebeneaththeheedlesssky,Asbarbarousfolkexposetheiroldtodie。
Uponthatgenerous-roundingside,[131]
WithgulliesscarifiedWherekeenNeglecthislashhathplied,DweltoneIknewofold,whoplayedattoil,AndgavetocoquetteCottonsoulandsoil。
Scorningtheslowrewardofpatientgrain,Hesowedhisheartwithhopesofswiftergain,Thensathimdownandwaitedfortherain。
Hesailedinborrowedshipsofusury——
AfoolishJasononatreacheroussea,SeekingtheFleeceandfindingmisery。[141]
Lulledbysmooth-ripplingloans,inidletranceHelay,contentthatunthriftCircumstanceShouldploughforhimthestonyfieldofChance。
Yea,gatheringcropswhoseworthnomanmighttell,HestakedhislifeongamesofBuy-and-Sell,Andturnedeachfieldintoagambler’shell。
Aye,aseachyearbegan,Myfarmertotheneighboringcityran;
PassedwithamournfulanxiousfaceIntothebanker’sinnerplace;[151]
Parleyed,excused,pleadedforlongergrace;
Railedatthedrought,theworm,therust,thegrass;
Protestedne’eragain’twouldcometopass;
Withmanyan`oh’and`if’and`butalas’
Parriedorswallowedsearchingquestionsrude,AndkissedthedusttosoftenDives’smood。
Atlast,smallloansbypledgesgreatrenewed,Heissuessmilingfromthefataldoor,AndbuyswithlavishhandhisyearlystoreTillhissmallborrowingswillyieldnomore。[161]
Aye,aseachyeardeclined,Withbitterheartandever-broodingmindHemournedhisfateunkind。
Indust,inrain,withmightandmain,Henursedhiscotton,cursedhisgrain,Frettedfornewsthatmadehimfretagain,SnatchedateachtelegramofFutureSale,AndthrilledwithBulls’orBears’alternatewail——
Inhopeorfearalikeforeverpale。
Andthusfromyeartoyear,throughhopeandfear,[171]
Withmanyacurseandmanyasecrettear,Strivinginvainhiscloudofdebttoclear,AtlastHewoketofindhisfoolishdreamingpast,Andallhisbest-of-lifetheeasypreyOfsquanderingscampsandquacksthatlinedhiswayWithvilearray,Fromrascalstatesmandowntopettyknave;
Himself,atbest,forallhisbraggingbrave,Agamester’scatspawandabanker’sslave。[181]
Then,wornandgray,andsickwithdeepunrest,HefledawayintotheobliviousWest,Unmourned,unblest。
Oldhill!oldhill!thougashedandhairyLearWhomthedivineCordeliaoftheyear,E’enpityingSpring,willvainlystrivetocheer——
King,thatnosubjectmannorbeastmayown,Discrowned,undaughteredandalone——
YetshallthegreatGodturnthyfate,Andbringtheebackintothymonarchstate[191]
Andmajestyimmaculate。
Lo,throughhotwaveringsoftheAugustmorn,ThougivestfromthyvastysidesforlornVisionsofgoldentreasuriesofcorn——
RipelargesselingeringforsomebolderheartThatmanfullyshalltakethypart,Andtendthee,Anddefendthee,Withantiquesinewandwithmodernart。
____
Sunnyside,Ga。,August,1874。
Notes:CornAsstatedelsewhere(`Introduction’,p。xvii[PartI]),`Corn’wasthefirstofLanier’spoemstoattractgeneralattention;
forthisreasonaswellasforitsabsolutemeritthepoemdeservescarefulstudy。
InthefirstofhisletterstotheHon。LoganE。Bleckley,Chief-justiceofGeorgia,datedOctober9,1874,Laniertellsushowhecametowrite`Corn’:\"IencloseMS。ofapoeminwhichIhaveendeavoredtocarrysomeveryprosaicmattersuptoaloftierplane。IhavebeenstruckwithalarminseeingthenumbersofdesertedoldhomesteadsandgulliedhillsintheoldercountiesofGeorgia:and,thoughtheyaredreadfullycommonplace,Ihavethoughttheyaresurelymournfulenoughtobepoetic。\"
Intheintroductorynoteto`Jones’sPrivateArgyment’
Ihaveincidentallystatedthethemeof`Corn’。Insteadofaddingamoredetailedstatementofmyownhere,IgiveJudgeBleckley’sanalysisofthepoem,whichoccursinhisreplytotheabove-mentionedletter。
Aftergivingvariousminutecriticism(forLanierhadrequestedhisunreservedjudgment),JudgeBleckleycontinues:
\"Now,forthegeneralimpressionwhichyourOdehasmadeuponme。
Itpresentsfourpictures;threeofthemlandscapesandoneaportrait。
Youpaintthewoods,acorn-field,andaworn-outhill。
Theseareyourlandscapes。Andyourportraitisthelikenessofananxious,unthriftycotton-planterwhoalwaysspendshiscropbeforehehasmadeit,borrowsonheavyinteresttocarryhimselfoverfromyeartoyear,wearsouthisland,meetsatlastwithutterruin,andmigratestotheWest。
Yoursecondlandscapeisturnedintoavegetableperson,andyougiveitsportraitwithmanytouchesofmarvelandmysteryinvegetablelife。YourthirdlandscapetakesforaninstanttheformandtragicstateofKingLear;youthusmakeitseizeonoursympathiesasifitwerearealperson,andyouthenrestoreittotheinanimate,andcontemplateitspossiblebeneficenceinthedistantfuture。\"
Acomparisonofthefirstdraftof`Corn’,assentJudgeBleckley,withthefinalformshowsthatLaniermademanyminutechangesinthepoem,especiallyintheearlierpart。Stillthisearlierdraftagreessubstantiallywiththelater,andwassofineinconceptionandexecutionastocallforththiscommendationofJudgeBleckley,which,despitetheshortcomingsof`Corn’,maywithgreaterjusticebeappliedtothepoeminitspresentform:\"AsanartistyouseemtobeItalianinthefirsttwopictures,andDutchorFlemishinthelattertwo。
InyourItalianveinyoupaintwiththeutmostdelicacyandfinish。
Thedrawingisscrupulouslycorrectandthecolorsoftandharmonious。
WhenyoupaintinDutchorFlemishyouareclearandstrong,butsometimeshard。Thereislessidealizationandmoreoftherealisticelement——yourSOLIDSpredominateoveryourfluids。\"
Asalreadystated,Lanierhastwootherpoemsthatindirectlytreatthethemeof`Corn’,namely,`Thar’sMoreintheMan’and`Jones’sPrivateArgyment’。
Moreover,hehas`TheWavingoftheCorn’,which,thoughcharming,isneithersoelaboratenorartisticas`Corn’。
Amongpoemsoncornbyotherwritersmaybementionedthefollowing:
1。Whittier’s`TheCorn-song’(before1872),apoemofpraiseandthanksgivingattheendof`TheHuskers’,whichtellsofthegatheringofthecornandofthe\"corn-husking\",knownintheSouthasthe\"corn-shucking\"。
2。Woolson’s(ConstanceF。)`CornFields’,adescriptionofOhiofields,in`Harper’sMonthly’,45,444,Aug。,1872。
3。Thompson’s(Maurice)`DroppingCorn’(1877),adaintylovelyric,in`Poems’(Boston,1892),p。78。
4。Cromwell’s(S。C。)`Corn-shuckingSong’,adialectpoem,in`Harper’,69,807,Oct。,1884。
5。Coleman’s(C。W。)`Corn’,in`TheAtlanticMonthly’,70,228,Aug。,1892,which,sinceitconsistsofbutfourlinesandismorelikeLanier’spoemthanaretheothers,maybequoted:
\"DrawnupinserriedranksacrossthefieldsThat,aswegaze,seemevertoincrease,Withtasseledflagsandsun-emblazonedshields,Thegloriousarmyofearth’sperfectpeace。\"
6。Hayne’s(W。H。)`AmidtheCorn’,acharmingaccountofthedenizensofthecorn-fields,inhis`SylvanLyrics’(NewYork,1893),p。12。
7。Dumas’s(W。T。)`Corn-shucking’and`TheLastEarofCorn’,bothlife-likepicturesofplantationlife,inhis`TheGoldenDayandMiscellaneousPoems’(Phila。,1893)。
Otherinterestingarticlesare:`Mondamin,ortheOriginofIndianCorn’,in`TheSouthernLiteraryMessenger’(Richmond,Va。),29,12-13,July,1859;
`AGeorgiaCorn-shucking’,byD。C。Barrow,Jr。,in`TheCenturyMagazine’
(NewYork),2,873-878,Oct。,1882;and`OldAmericanCustoms:ACorn-party’,anaccountofacorn-huskinginNewYork,in`TheSaturdayReview’(London),66,237-238,Aug。25,1888。
4-9。See`Introduction’,p。xxxii[PartIII],andcompare`TheSymphony’,ll。183-190。
18。PaulHamiltonHayne,whoseloveofnaturerivalsLanier’s,hasaninterestingpoementitled`Muscadines’(`Poems’,Boston,1882,pp。222-224)。
21。Compare`TheSymphony’,l。117ff。
57。See`Introduction’,p。l[PartV]。
125。Inherintroductorynoteto`Corn’Mrs。Lanierthuslocalizesthepoem:
\"His`fieldward-faringeyestookharvest’`amongthestatelycorn-ranks,’
inaportionofmiddleGeorgiasixtymilestothenorthofMacon。
ItisahightractofcountryfromwhichonelooksacrossthelowerreachestothedistantBlueRidgeMountains,whosewholesomebreath,allunobstructed,hereblendswiththewoods-odorsofthebeech,thehickory,andthemuscadine:apartofarangerecalledelsewherebyMr。Lanieras`thatamplestretchofgeneroussoil,wheretheAppalachianruggednessescalmthemselvesintopleasanthillsbeforedyingquiteawayintothesea-boardlevels’——where`amancanfindsuchtemperancesofheavenandearth——enoughofstrugglewithnaturetodrawoutmanhood,withenoughofbountytosanctionthestruggle——
thatamoreexquisiteco-adaptationofallblessedcircumstancesforman’slifeneednotbesought。’\"
140。See`Jason’inanyDictionaryofMythology。*
——
*Gayley’s`TheClassicMythsinEnglishLiterature’(Boston,Ginn&Co。)
isanexcellentbook。
——
157。`Dives’:SeeAppendixtoWebster’s`InternationalDictionary’。
168。`FutureSale’——saleforfuturedelivery。
185-6。SeeShakespeare’s`KingLear’。
MySpringsIntheheartoftheHillsofLife,Iknow[1]
TwospringsthatwithunbrokenflowForeverpourtheirlucentstreamsIntomysoul’sfarLakeofDreams。
Notlargerthantwoeyes,theylieBeneaththemany-changingskyAndmirroralloflifeandtime,——Sereneanddaintypantomime。
Shotthroughwithlightsofstarsanddawns,Andshadowedsweetbyfernsandfawns,——Thusheavenandearthtogethervie[11]
Theirshiningdepthstosanctify。
AlwayswhenthelargeFormofLoveIshidbystormsthatrageabove,IgazeinmytwospringsandseeLoveinhisveryverity。
AlwayswhenFaithwithstiflingstressOfgriefhathdiedinbitterness,IgazeinmytwospringsandseeAFaiththatsmilesimmortally。
AlwayswhenCharityandHope,[21]
Indarknessbounden,feeblygrope,IgazeinmytwospringsandseeALightthatsetsmycaptivesfree。
Always,whenArtonperversewingFlieswhereIcannothearhimsing,IgazeinmytwospringsandseeAcharmthatbringshimbacktome。
WhenLaborfaints,andGloryfails,AndcoyRewardinsighsexhales,Igazeinmytwospringsandsee[31]
Attainmentfullandheavenly。
OLove,OWife,thineeyesarethey,——MyspringsfromoutwhoseshininggrayIssuethesweetcelestialstreamsThatfeedmylife’sbrightLakeofDreams。
Ovalandlargeandpassion-pureAndgrayandwiseandhonor-sure;
Softasadyingviolet-breathYetcalmlyunafraidofdeath;
Thronged,liketwodove-cotesofgraydoves,[41]
Withwife’sandmother’sandpoor-folk’sloves,Andhome-lovesandhighglory-lovesAndscience-lovesandstory-loves,AndlovesforallthatGodandmanInartandnaturemakeorplan,Andlady-lovesforspiderylaceAndbroideriesandsupplegraceAnddiamondsandthewholesweetroundOflittlesthatlargelifecompound,AndlovesforGodandGod’sbaretruth,[51]
AndlovesforMagdalenandRuth,Deareyes,deareyesandrarecomplete——
Beingheavenly-sweetandearthly-sweet,——ImarvelthatGodmadeyoumine,ForwhenHefrowns,’tisthenyeshine!
____
Baltimore,1874。
Notes:MySpringsFormyappreciationofthistributetothepoet’swifesee`Introduction’,p。xxxv[PartIII]。Mr。Lanier’sestimateisgiveninaletterofMarch,1874,quotedinMrs。Lanier’sintroductorynote:
\"Ofcourse,sinceIhavewrittenittoprintIcannotmakeitsuchas_I_desireinartisticdesign:fortheformsofto-dayrequireacertaintrimsmugnessandclean-shavenproprietyinthefaceanddressofapoem,andImustwinahearingbyconforminginsomedegreetothesetyrannies,withaviewtooverturningtheminthefuture。Writtenso,itisnotnearlysobeautifulasIwouldhaveit;andIthereforehaveanotherstillinmyheart,whichIwillsomedaywriteformyself。\"
Othertributestohiswifeare:`InAbsence’,`Acknowledgment’,`LausMariae’,`SpecialPleading’,`EveningSong’,`ThouandI’,`OneinTwo’,and`TwoinOne’;whilesheisreferredtoin`TheHardTimesinElfland’and`JuneDreamsinJanuary’。
Itwillbeinterestingtocompare`MySprings’withotherpoemsontheeyes。
Amongthemostnoteworthy*maybecitedShakespeare’s\"Andthoseeyes,thebreakofday,Lightsthatdomisleadthemorn;\"
Lodge’s\"Hereyesaresapphiressetinsnow,Resemblingheavenbyeverywink;
TheGodsdofearwhenastheyglow,AndIdotremblewhenIthink,Heighho,wouldsheweremine!\"
Jonson’s\"DrinktomeonlywiththineeyesAndIwillpledgewithmine,\"etc。;
Herrick’s\"Sweet,benotproudofthosetwoeyesWhichstarlikesparkleintheirskies;\"
ThomasStanley’s\"Ohturnawaythosecrueleyes,Thestarsofmyundoing;
OrdeathinsuchabrightdisguiseMaytemptasecondwooing;\"
Byron’s\"Shewalksinbeauty,likethenight,Ofcloudlessclimesandstarryskies;
Andallthat’sbestofdarkandbrightMeetinheraspectandhereyes;
ThusmellowedtothattenderlightWhichheaventogaudydaydenies;\"
H。Coleridge’s\"Sheisnotfairtooutwardview,Asmanymaidensbe;
HerlovelinessIneverknewUntilshesmiledonme。
OthenIsawhereyewasbright,Awelloflove,aspringoflight。
\"Butnowherlooksarecoyandcold,Tominetheyne’erreply,AndyetIceasenottobeholdThelove-lightinhereye:
HerveryfrownsarefairerfarThansmilesofothermaidensare;\"
andWordsworth’s\"Hereyesarestarsoftwilightfair。\"
——
*ThesemaybefoundeitherinGosse’s`EnglishLyrics’(D。Appleton&Co。,NewYork)orinPalgrave’s`GoldenTreasuryofSongsandLyrics’
(Macmillan&Co。,NewYork)。
——
49-50。See`Introduction’,p。xlv[PartIV]。
52。ThereisinearlyEnglishliteratureamostinterestingplayentitled`MaryMagdalene’:seePollard’s`EnglishMiraclePlays’(NewYork),whereextractsaregiven。
55-56。See`Introduction’,p。xlvi[PartIV]。
TheSymphony\"OTrade!OTrade!wouldthouwertdead![1]
TheTimeneedsheart——’tistiredofhead:
We’reallforlove,\"theviolinssaid。
\"OfwhatavailtherigoroustaleOfbillforcoinandboxforbale?
Grantthee,OTrade!thineuttermosthope:
Levelredgoldwithbluesky-slope,Andbaseitdeepasdevilsgrope:
Whenall’sdone,whathastthouwonOftheonlysweetthat’sunderthesun?
Ay,canstthoubuyasinglesigh[11]
Oftruelove’sleast,leastecstasy?\"
Then,withabridegroom’sheart-beatstrembling,AllthemightierstringsassemblingRangedthemontheviolins’sideAswhenthebridegroomleadsthebride,And,heartinvoice,togethercried:
\"Yea,whatavailtheendlesstaleOfgainbycunningandplusbysale?
Lookuptheland,lookdowntheland,Thepoor,thepoor,thepoor,theystand[21]
WedgedbythepressingofTrade’shandAgainstaninward-openingdoorThatpressuretightensevermore:
Theysighamonstrousfoul-airsighFortheoutsideleaguesofliberty,WhereArt,sweetlark,translatestheskyIntoaheavenlymelody。
`Eachday,allday’(thesepoorfolkssay),`Inthesameoldyear-long,drear-longway,Weweaveinthemillsandheaveinthekilns,[31]
Wesievemine-meshesunderthehills,AndthievemuchgoldfromtheDevil’sbanktills,Torelieve,OGod,whatmannerofills?——
Thebeasts,theyhunger,andeat,anddie;
Andsodowe,andtheworld’sasty;
Hush,fellow-swine:whynuzzleandcry?
\"Swinehoodhathnoremedy\"
Saymanymen,andhastenby,Clampingthenoseandblinkingtheeye。
Butwhosaidonce,inthelordlytone,[41]
\"ManshallnotlivebybreadaloneButallthatcomethfromtheThrone?\"
HathGodsaidso?
ButTradesaith\"No\":
Andthekilnsandthecurt-tonguedmillssay\"Go:
There’splentythatcan,ifyoucan’t:weknow。
Moveout,ifyouthinkyou’reunderpaid。
Thepoorareprolific;we’renotafraid;
Tradeistrade。\"’\"
Thereatthispassionateprotesting[51]
Meeklychanged,andsoftenedtillItsanktosadrequestingAndsuggestingsadderstill:
\"Andoh,ifmenmightsometimeseeHowpiteous-falsethepoordecreeThattradenomorethantrademustbe!
Doesbusinessmean,\"Die,you——live,I\"?
Then`Tradeistrade’butsingsalie:
’Tisonlywargrownmiserly。
Ifbusinessisbattle,nameitso:[61]
War-crimeslesswillshameitso,Andwidowslesswillblameitso。
Alas,forthepoortohavesomepartInyonsweetlivinglandsofArt,Makesproblemnotforhead,butheart。
VainlymightPlato’sbrainrevolveit:
Plainlytheheartofachildcouldsolveit。\"
Andthen,aswhenfromwordsthatseembutrudeWepasstosilentpainthatsitsabroodBackinourheart’sgreatdarkandsolitude,[71]
SosankthestringstogentlethrobbingOflongchordschange-markedwithsobbing——
Motherlysobbing,notdistinctlierheardThanhalfwing-openingsofthesleepingbird,Somedreamofdangertoheryounghathstirred。
Thenstirringanddemurringceased,andlo!
Everyleastrippleofthestrings’song-flowDiedtoalevelwitheachlevelbowAndmadeagreatchordtranquil-surfacedso,Asabrookbeneathhiscurvingbankdothgo[81]
TolingerinthesacreddarkandgreenWheremanyboughsthestillpooloverleanAndmanyleavesmakeshadowwiththeirsheen。
ButpresentlyAvelvetflute-notefelldownpleasantlyUponthebosomofthatharmony,Andsailedandsailedincessantly,Asifapetalfromawild-roseblownHadfluttereddownuponthatpooloftoneAndboatwisedroppedo’theconvexside[91]