El Paso International Daily Times (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 87, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 13, 1892 Page: 5 of 8
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WHAT LEADING LITERARY MEN OF
BRITAIN THOUGHT OF HIM.
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‘“Hi* Mertnj.ii Club” in Dublin Uuiver-
•ttjr—Soointy .rf “TUe W&HvyJiltuizuil-
•®*”—Profc»K <r Dowucn’H Views on the
Character on. I Influence of Whitman.
ISpcci .1 Correepondenoe. |
Kbw York, April 7.—8oine eighteen
years ago, when I was an undergraduate
of Trinity college, Dublin university,
one of the most agreeable literary soci-
eties to which it was then considered
fashionable to belong, wa« known as the
Mermaid club, tbo title of which was
borrowed from the famous gathering
which included such wits as Shakes-
peare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher
aid other world renowned worthies of
the Elizabethan era.
Foremost among the scholars and
thinkers, not only of the society, but of
the university stood Edward Dowden,
university jartCessor 6f English litera-
ture, a man with mind of the strongest
and finest fiber and a character of such
force und elevation as to challenge the
reverence of the wildest undergraduates
and the most sincere respect of his col-
leagues among the fellows and profess-
ors.
The Mermaid club met once in two
weeks at the college rooms or ..private
residence of some member in rotation,
and during term we hold one or two
meetings at tho houso of Mr. Dowdon.
Upon one of the latter occasions 1 hap
ported to see upon the library table e
paper covered volume of Walt Whit
man’s “Leaves of Grass,” a book which
for some time had been attracting con-
siderable attention among university
men and in literary circles of the Irish
capital.
Mr. Dowden, whose word was law
upon such matters, bad recently deliv
ered a lecture upon Walt Whitman, and
young men who remembered Longfcl
tow’s advice about “ever seeking some
thing new" professed enthusiasm on the
subject of this new evangel. Disciplet
of the western teacher were known as
“Waltwhitmaniacs,” and on the well
established principle that martyrs’ blood
is tho seed of the church, our organiza-
tion prospered through suffering. We
met contempt with scorn and greeted
criticism with tue r®tort that “Father
Walt" was above criticism.
'flie fact of the matter is that many
of us did not understand what Whit
man was “driving at," and tho small
movement with which we wore asso
ciatedmay have been merely a revoll
against the satiety of super-refinement
in a literature which was being domi-
nated by Tennyson and debauched by
Swinburne. As we bad vague idea
that Victor Hugo’s romanticism had
broken through the traditions of French
classical drama, so we believed that
Whitman’s realism furnished a new
link in the chain of worldwide poetic
development. At all events the unin-
telligible is always magnificent to youth-
ful and aspiring “souls,” and according-
ly we had faith in Whitman for the
same reason that other good Christians
believe in the thirty-nine articles.
Anxious then for Mr. Dowdcn’s opin-
ion, 1 ventured to say, upon the occasion
mentioned, “Mr. Dowden, do you regard
Walt Whitman ns an educated man?’
“Well," he said, “Walt has probably
not had what is called ‘the advantagcKrf
a university education.’ His father did
not spend as much money in having him
taught to write bad Latin and worse
Greek verses as onr fathers have spent
upon ns, but there are a great many im-
portant things in the world baa:do clas-
sical languages and the higher mathe-
matics, and Walt Whitman knows more
about such things than you or 1 do. In
the largest, widest sense ho is a thor-
oughly well educated tnan, and, as the
exponent of a world embracing democ-
racy, he opens onr hearts and minds to
greater possibilities for the whole hu-
man race than any writer is capable of
doing who works within the prescribed
literary formulas.
“The ideas upon which mnch of otu
poetry rests have been few in number,
practically, exclusive, mid now worn
almost tbpeadbare. Whitman adds enor-
mously to the number and magnitude of
poetical subjects. He has gone into the
coal mine, the canal boat, miserable
dens in tenement houses and on tho back
streets of great cities; into jails, alms-
houses, churches, hospitals and work-
shops, and moving freely among nil
classes of the world’s toilers lie has ob-
served the dignity and worth and noble
possibilities of human character, even
under sordid and frequently tragic con-
ditions.
“He has felt keenly this misery of the
human race, and to the best of bis ability
has offered remedies, but his most ef-
fective one is his constant and strong
expression of hopefulness in the destiny
of the race, as indicated by confidence
in the progress of America, in the power
of human reason and effort to remove
prevailing distress, and implicit belief in
the wisdom of the scheme upon which
this universe was conceived and devel-
oped.
“In other words, he is a democrat in
tho old sense. Ho believes that the sup-
pression of the people most give place
to freedom for their fullest develop-
ment; and he is an optimist who trusts
to natural forces for a millennium which
has been conceived in America, and
which can only be realized on the lines
laid down under the favorable cmidl-
try for
• tl
Su
'» his-
tory. Such opinions are of the gravest
Import to a community whoso best
poetry is penetrated with the sadness of
existence and the futility of human
aims, and whose general literature is
one long glorification of wealth, social
position or m ilitary power.”
Shortly after this meeting of the
“Mennaid chib" Mr. Dowdon was chal-
lenged by cxvtain people prominent in
literary and art circles to defend in a
public dbv mou Whitman’s literary
methods n 1 social views. The pro-
fessor, alU. igb a very modest and re-
tiring mar. . It it his duty to do battle
for an absent friend. A great meeting
was arranged and largely attended by
those who regarded Whitman an a lit-
erary scavenger, and who were anxious
to relievo tho university and polite soci-
ety from all complicity with Mr. Dow-
den in tho expression of respect for one
who was said to have had nothing but
contempt shown him in his own country.
Speakers representing various colleges
and nearly all the learned professions
rose in turn, and with disconnected pas-
sages for texts proceeded to overwhelm
Whitman’s hook with ridicule. There
were a few timid speakers for the de-
fense, but Dowden, who had opened the
discussion, enjoyed the privilege of re-
plying in full to all that was said during
the entire evening. Accordingly ho
girded himself for the conflict He took
notes of the various speeches and was
kept busily employed arranging hook
markers in certain volumes before him
on the table. His spirited reply con-
sisted of (1) a brief general review of
poetry, (2) sketch of modern democ-
racy, (8) series of ad heminem arguments
which fairly “knocked tho bottom" out
of attacks based upor. detached sen-
tences and made by men whose critical
faculty seemed to have been guided by
pruriency rather than principle in their
reading of Whitman.
Dowden took each important quota-
tion made by his adversaries, showed it's
relation to the context and explained the
bearing of the entire passage or poem
upon Whitman’s leading ideas of de-
mocracy and optimism. With great en-
thusiasm he brushed away the cobweb
fancies of mere prettinesa and jingle
which make up a great part of so called
poetry to the detriment of wide views
and sound sentiment.
He had much to say of magazine
poetry, of what Professor Huxley calls
the “sensual caterwauling school,” and
of the long dallying with nastiness in
fine phrases and classical allusions. He
then spoke of the “mortal race of men”
and of the mighty perturbations of
society, which seem necessary for the
establishment of humanity’s claims; of
the crusades, the reformation, the
French revolution and tho civil war in
the United States. Reviewing the re-
sults of the bust great commotion he
traced the growth of new desires, new
demands, new tendencies and new atti-
tudes toward life and death, and all im-
manent subjects of human thought or in-
terest. He regarded Walt Whitman as
the most profitable and original inter-
preter of the new age, and declared that
the great western republic will not rest
satisfied with the tags and rags of
Europe any more in poetary than in
polities; that tho jingliuga of Alexander
Pope’s moral platitudes are as much out
of date under existing conditions in tho
United States os the successful interfer-
ence of a Vatican pope with the estab-
lished principles of American institu-
tions.
When his remarks upon Whitman's
own methods were concluded, Dowden
called attention to tho critics who had
just spoken in something like the follow-
ing terms:
“In estimating the value of a criti-
cism, particularly upon such important
subjects ob those with which Walt Whit-
man deals, it is not unnatural to mate
some inquiries into-the character and
capacity of each different critic. Some
of the gentlemen who have spoken to-
night have been my acquaintances or
friends for many years. They are all
honorable men, and in their own special
callings speak with authority. They
understand the technicalities of com-
mon law, equity. Horses, billiards, choice
wines, foreign cigammd ‘good society.'
They are capable of discussing with in-
telligence the niceties of ancient and
modern literature, including French
novels and dramas adapted from the
same.
“They can sit at the windows of the
University or Kildare Street clubs, and
with mathematical accuracy point out
the merits and defects of a woman or a
horse. In private life 1 have no doubt
that they are the host of good fellows.
They are the fortunate# of the earth and
have fairly ‘touched the Happy Isles.’
But we have not heard th$fc they have
ever raised a voice on behalf of any
movement which tends to the ameliora-
tion of that large portion of the human
race which is So profoundly unfortunate
and so far away from any happy prospect
in this world. •
“They have done nothing to mitigate
the misery of the hungry, tho houseless,
the depraved and abandoned of the
world. These gentlemen live, and t heir
predecessors of the same temperament
havo lived and died, apparently uncon-
scious of, or indifferent to, the hard lot
of the poor and the oppressed. We do
not blame them for this callous indiffer-
ence. They are so constituted hnd prob-
ably would not wish to be otherwise.
But we do blame them when they
insult a groat writer and thinker who
.
than they
• to hold out
millions.
. of good wines
and fast horses, then, ape the gentlemen
who tonight accuse Whitman of igno-
rance. indecency, obscenity and the rest
of it. They denounce him for a plain,
healthy statement of facts which, when
thoroughly understood, will do much to
establish true decency and morality in
place of the sham articles which now so
frequently prevail. We have seen the
lpeu who are against Whitman, now let
us see those who are for him. ’’ Dowden
then read the names of poets, literary
men, journalists and critics whom he
considered competent to judge tho value
of Whitman's work. Coupled with each
name ho read a sentence or paragraph of
praise for the American poet, and in con-
clusion he said:
“Among those who are for us in be-
half of Walt Whitman are Emerson,
Longfellow, Tennyson, Browning and
the Rosettis nmong poets, along with a
whole host of those whose names are
synonyms for all that is great and hon-
ored, pure, dignified and of good repute
in contemporary literature.”
Dowden’s speech utterly discomfited
the local critics and won over many re-
cruit# to the little band of “Waltwhit-
mauiaca." _ H. L.
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Augustin Daly haa accepted a play by
Justin McCarthy.
London has goiio stark mad over the
refrain of a music hall song called “To-
ra-ra-boom-deay."
M. Jean do Reszke, tho noted opera
singer, every morning undergoes a mas-
sago treatment by a Swedish expert.
Miss Gale contemplates adding the
part of Lady Teazle in “The School for
Scandal" to her repertory next season.
Massanet has great confidence in his
now opera, “Werther,” composed in
1886. Ho is writing another opera in
five acts, called “Thois.”
Massenet’s “Escjarraonde" is a great
success in St. Petersburg. Sibyl Sander-
son was called out after the first per-
formance thirty-five times.
Charles Frohman has purchased and
produced “Chums,” a one act play by
Thomas Frost, which received honorable
mention in the New York Herald prize
play contest.
J. K. Emmet, the young comedian, ia
an anient sportsman, and is never hap-
pier than when tramping with gun over
shoulder or with rod in hand casting
tront flies on the waters of his favorite
streams.
Possart, the German tragedian, isn’t
coining to America next season, after
all. He was to have made a tour under
Stuart Robson’s direction, but now he
is a director in the Vienna Court theater
and can’t come.
Miss Mario Wain wriglit and her man-
ager, Julian Magnus, have already re-
ceived over sixty plays in response to
their announcement that they were
ready to consider the work of native
dramatists. At least, one American play
will be produced by Alisa Wuinwright
noxt season.
TURF TOPICS.
May Day, the New England bred
mare that has two in the 2:15 list, is to
ho bred to the pacer Direct.
One hundred and twenty-five horses
by the belle Meade sires won over 460
races on the American tnrf in 1891.
As Fausta haa a trotting record of 2:40
as well as a pacing record of she
is the fastest double gaited yearling ever
foaled.
Tho Prince of Wales has leased all
his race horses in training to Lord M,
Beresford, and the royal colors will not
be seen daring the forthcoming season.
A well known turf writer says that a
great horse is like a great man—he will
make opportunities, and in spite of ad-
verse circumstances make himself fa-
mous.
Anteeois the youngest horse in the
world to have a producing son and
daughter. They are respectively An teeo,
Jr„ sire of Hailstorm. 2:30, ami Ra-
mona, dam of \V. W. Wood. 2:281:,.
Little Reb, on the 25th of February,
1881, Won three races in one afternoon
at New Orleans—a mile and an eighth,
mile heats, and a mile and a half. This
feat stands alone in the history of won-
derful speed and endurance in the past
twenty-five years.
The $20,000 stallion trot announced
for the August meeting in Grand Rap- j
ids is off on account of l.bo lack of eu i
tries. A $10,000 race with a 8 per cent j
entrance will be substituted, and the
promoters hope to have Axtell. Del-
march, Nelson and Pat Downing in.
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1 Anti-Lottery law.
Extracts from the Law Relative to
Use of the Mails by Lottery
Companies.
No letter, postal card or circular concerning any lottery , so- <•;•}:*<( gift
cera or other similar enterprise offering prizes dependent upon tot or chance
(or concerning schemes devised for flhe purpose of obtaining money or property
under false pretenses), and no list of the drawings at any lottery or aimilar
scheme, and no tottery ticket or part thereof, and no check, draft, biU, money,
postal) note, or money order, for the purchase of any ticket, tickets or parts
hereof carredof an share or chance lu any such lottery or gift enterprise,
shall beond or in the mail or delivered at or through any postoffice or branch
thereof or by any letter carrier; nor shall any newspaper, circular, pamphlet
r publication of any kind containing any advertisement of any lottery or gin
terprise of any kind offering prizes dependent upon lot or chance, or coin
taining any list of prizes awarded at the drawings of any such lottery or gi
onterprlze, whether said list is of any part or of all of the drawing be carried
the mail or delivered by any postmaster or letter carrier.
The Postmaster General may, upon evidence satisfactory to him that ano
person or company is engaged in conducting any lottery, gift enterprise, or
scheme for tho distribution of money, or of any real or personal property, by
lot, chance, or drawing of any kind, or that any person or company is condue
Ing any other scheme or device for obtaining money or property of any kind
through the mails, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations
or promises, instruct postmasters at any postoffice at which registered letters
arrive directed to any such person or company, whether such agent or repre-
sentative is acting as an individual or as a firm, bank, corporation or associa-
tion of any kind, to return all such registered letters to the postmaster at the
office at which they were originally mailed, with the word “Fraudulent”,
plainly written or stamped upon the outside thereof; and all such letters so re-
turned to such postmasters shall be by them returned to the writers thereof
under such regulations as the Postmaster General may prescribe. But nothing
contained in this section shall be so construed as to authorize any postmarto
or other person to open any letter not addressed to himself
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Santa IV
Rom e.
THE
Great Trunk Line
' TO —
Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City, from the Southwest
Without Change.
ELEGANT PULLMAN PALACE SLEEPING CARS.
Kim Daily
See that your tickets mid >ia t he Atchison, Topeka A Santa Fo Railway.
For any information regarding rates, connections, etc., call on or address
GEO. T. NICHOLSON, C. l’.iT. A„
Topeka, Kansas,
Or C. H. MOKEIIOUSE, D. F. & P. A.
El Paso, Texas .
W.G.walz Co.
PORATED.)
Lnpidfcts and Manufacturers of
Cold and Silver
selecting a New Town Name.
The inhabitants of Rat Portage, On-
tario, are very anxious to have the name
of their town changed. Its growing im-
portance, they think, demands for it a
more dignified and delicate name, and
their pride and cultured ears are hurt
by the appellation of Rat Portagera, by
which they are known. Petitions for a
change havo been aeut to the authori-
ties, and the names suggested by the
petitioners include Van Horn, Sylvana,
Minuesobie and Sultana. The latter is
mnch favored, but the Rat Portagera
evidently do not ace the danger of their
staid citizens being known as Sultanas.
—New York Sun.
Filigree
J e welry
And Spoons.
; Wholesale and Retail Dealers in
MEXICAN AND ENDIAN CURIOSITIES AND SOUVENIR
GOODS OP ALL KINDS.
EL PASO, TEXAS, SAN DIEGO, CAL.,
103 El Paso Street. Fifth and F Streets.
CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEX., CITY OF MEXICO, MEX.
Formerly Paso del Norte. 45 Avenida 4 Orients.
A cordial invitation extended to all to visit us. You seed not feel under
obligation to buy.
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El Paso International Daily Times (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 87, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 13, 1892, newspaper, April 13, 1892; El Paso, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth540056/m1/5/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.