AFTER THE MILTON CELEBRATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 425, 6 February 1909, Page 9

AFTER THE MILTON CELEBRATION.

ffiv'^SsP^By,^ .-•..:-■.; i, f.ji'.yijAii' ~'lriirj'iT-iiiy.,i<ifl,',P'C| : •■'"•.-' : ..: ; , ■. *W S ' ; a ijraraulw VArid- cen-; ; ■>: >ahas to;;makW]?!#ie? ob^ryations fbefore• and '; ;:.■'■: feels /'the 'emotions: afterwards/ .:. v lv -iave lafe'for'CTfflything;. :.:r>;.:/Bndjl/oft««:haye;tHe>broptt;>!eiiitinjents'6f , 'tin ! . ;; -"I-burst: '''■'.- ' : :< i: • T "W; Ghnstirias; benevolence somewhere 'aKbiit-: J ; -i'■# •WbruaryV ; l imp'ul- r ..•:v. -n ■: .&. end/I,>begin" to!-: really; -love.; my; ■i V: ■'"•■■ after; l her ■' birth-' V .• •: } oay y ; ;\i-,il, ; : therefore:! feel 'upon 'the ,;::.■ ii ■ :;:■'. the. subject ;of the. Milton Celebrations, ■which . ; - ; (.'yo^J'/siippiMM^with'^chr'^lliinKg^gleei-tb , ■a^Srtt.eridon6; ;^^;S i Jly-r-pniy;Vexcuse'' ! ; '.;• J-B^™at:the:-subject:is';one.ofvthe;.few.npon- '-■:-'■■• ,^.?^oh':>realVefflotion^gVpii?S"-:4iEter;'i 'ciJiisistent , ' ; t: ; :': : -course ,'of.: thpujght. - :;;Of rail /poets :^MiltonT is '! ,-;\-:.;tlje;onejwKomjit;-is^he;most^difficult'Upraise' ;>:;:■ .;wrtn;;reaL'delicacy;, anii.-sinderity'Cpf definition;' ..;■ ;;: Of s alii poets the; <>ne '-'■: ':: ; . ologyiand cohy^ntional^aweV;;And: : as'- it'is : : : ■, : ; : '-<i>ne.-.iof.;' ; the- subjects the'> : : "'■•'■' : ■■'i i wprld,;: ! what ;6puld..be;'mo're. : appropriate'for ■;■■■,,;- my -present; purpose,; wheii 1; am;.dictating.de- ? .;;; ; sperately, to; a;typewriter; in order 'to catch a ; ■..;-■ -c;'train?'; -':i : : :' :: . ;■?;,/.'?'■?. '■!'■'.?■£?■ '■i:"'\i">:-: : !y : .'" ; -'■':■.•:''. ' \■'■'■■■■:' :.There;"is, one "thing?about' iMtpn; which 1 •. ■■ .must' have .been;'generally; observed-MihaVhe •■■;•. r.-js.really.amatured.taste.-.atastethat growsi ~,,;,.: '•',.BnakespeareJs- really^foivall ages^ : for, all 'the '■>i of^nian^-Jl'was ;i fohd" of "Shakes-, v I .cfept;unwillihgly ...;:;-;: I am :fond : '6f! him •■iipw■ when;;lvcanSbe' more' :; : v;vq vividly described 7 , as .V.a'olean- and "slippered pantaloon , And. ;a : ;■;'..: ; :xhild:l;wae fond'of.hisi-'ro'mahtic tales merely; ;-;,;;■: Is was: fend ; it; :*", : . ;was"entirely The: open .and' . ::•: vTClling.:rhythm;seemcd-tp.^be'.speaking plainly ~.'..*•..;even;' wheii'li.could .not,"cbmpreherid ■ it. :'The ; : ;c. huge; heraldic, -imagery - of .-.red' f and gbld V was ■;!\V-; ; .-•■•-•■■.:, < bers:of:;iny;faraily;;whp:'collect^coincidences' ■ ■: o av e,'as^^;me-thftt;L;.waß^.wnalJi;'enOTgHvtb. : ■.■/■ : : runvalpng'.the' street: and.fall : "6nfmy ! nbse-'in; ;.: v i : ;^e ;very act oftsaying;the ; ]ines •£- : ',i' : i- :: v;. : :.; ■" >y:V' ", Do iot'for ;with r thy. ;;.; - : . ?; Seek ; ; for.■: thj■ ;noble: ; father", ili;the : :dusti- •■'•.".■■ .'-:•' ;Lines ; :like '^^:A\\-^^,'h^'-' : ': : -':.^}^-7.'■'■''' : ' ; , : .: Bevisif st thus'; the glimpses of the- moon v ' - ' = ;;;■■;; ,■ ■■■ I BtiiPclimDing"trees ii^the*Hesperidc3 : 'r^'^' : ' ■•' ' ■V^f. n^' 6 DIy^obd;:POTtry,Hhey;:T?ere"gob^1y^obd; : POTtry,Hhey;:T?ere"gob^ pictures like; the cow :who jumped; ■■• overthemoon, or,thenumber of ;red -herrings' ■:■.-./ wood;:,*: ~::::.■ •'*';■ '.-■-■ .:. tp ; that children' s :S al »° o fcl n J o y,: Mllton ; children;cariVenjoy the : ;■ Post, Office; directory.': , That, k' the 'kingdom- ; .; ~.-• of:■.heaven;,...to., enjoy/things.; without 'under- ; ,; standing them.f But that/children can- : uot'enjoy-the Miltoriisin of ililtbri; : the thine- ;:, , that: no one:.but Milton r can' do;', >A: boy'' doee i".' ;.••^•; , npt•;a■p'prβciate , •■%t■■;wphderWl■■ i l atta■■ controlled --'.Vi'.-jßtyle,;. which,^.,; avwell-managed warhorse ■:v.-.;even T 'capersland''caracoles rather.by; restraint ; ::?, : than, impetus'..; A. boy .does::not.fed] the lift - : -. f. 'of .'those, great lines/ as of - a great 'eagle : leav- ■ .;■■'. ing .the:nestj:::;_;|\ ■■;:; ■; '-j. ..:.' That", with ',io" -rtiddle' flight,'presumes', to. soar ;-; :-. Aboye;the?Aonlan mount.' '-y--\':"■)] , ;'; : / ;■■ -•:] .-V 'l-, ; :"I great.part;of l :the!:trpnlbleV:which : • ; ; :the;prdinary apprecia'ting.-Milfeii ■ ..v-';v(ory-:rather,.;MUton-;in : '-pleasing:-tho-or , drnary. ;, mind,: for. please':i:emember, that the.popular ■-';■• mind'is iriuch '.more Milton) : ■: ■' •'. lies;in- .the-mistake'of. 'always:describing- him ' -.-■; . as;,ra:;pure' "and - classical (writer. .^.EreaUy:. he :. .■ .'wai-a highly complex and'in some.'.ways' too; . ;:iriodern;;writer.;:'The.' :can' ... . be, uhderstbod.Kb'y: anybody .'v ,l No charwoman .-■.':■■• '• wpuldvsay;,that. theVtale' .of ■ TQlysses';:coming. Dack:;in ;rags : to;the .woman who .had -been . faithful tobim was hota touching tale. -No , ;" dog fancier in';tHe : .street ; would-be indifferent ;tp-,thedeathvof Argus'; Nb-man'in the street .. /.coulu;.eyer;.sa.y upon:his;conscience that■ the' N , ...yenuscf Milp ;was;not v a : :fino woman. .''■■ ' •".It-is the secondary and distorted art which really and:suddenly ;losos, tlio sympathies of ■■ - the' people.'-•■; The charwoman would fail in .-..- seeing the -peculiar pathos- of: Mr.: Robert ■•.;■-. '■■ Elsnierd,' who wanted to be a ■ curatq' and also :;ari.agnostic;/vThe.dbg fancier would be justly ;; : .-/indifferent; _tq ; the rhetoric.of r the numerous v .i.mbderii :animal'lovers whp could not■■ Jikik ; •. V;aftera dbg'-.for;.a day. ■■ And the man in the ; .;; . etreetr-will" not" :admit that- the -women of , ''•'..- Aubrey..Beardsley are fine, women, because : ; ; ; >they-are;not.!;Thb',tastes.of Wie'man in the ■:' ':-.Btreet;:»pe.c)assicai;; ;■::■■;;.•.';':.■;;:■; ■'•■;': ■ '-.

; ■■. And if'Milton-were-ireally as straightfor- • •■ .as /Homer"of-'tho Elgiii 'Marbles ■' he would' be,'in practice, - uproariously popular. ■ The .'real reason that /he cannot make Jis ■ glory .quite-./as -broad as. it is .undoubtedly _' depp'and high is that there/was in him sonic- - thing.of;the,modern.individualist; something s of the social schismatic.. Hβ had that ;woird '-. and-wicked ambition Vof ..the modern, artist; L " ; 'hV'.wanted ."to."think,:.for- /himself." -But; Dante and Dickens-.wanted to think for other :j ■people;- , als'b.".v;'-'- , ;';"-''-r. : '.-y, : ". : - --..'. : ' : ■!: .''■■ '": ;,Milton/ stands! between.: the '/very ;. social . society/-in/which Dant-e,.lived and;,the^very ■:' social--, society which. .Dickens, always 'desired v. arid occasionally experienced,' with that fas-' . tidibus isolation,which',belongs to art/iri.our.: ■■- time./ari&.-beionged to:/religion in "his.time. \. He is i.he .seventeenth-century. individualist. ■" He is: : the', perfect* Calvinist; the man' -'alone. ; withjhis,God. He.is also!the perfect' artist; ■ ', the. man: alone-.with .his, art.' • No >:inan { - per- . haps.'has ever, had: such- power! over'his?'art ; ; since/the' arts of humanity v were.madb. ;And '"■ yet;there! is something that makes one turn' > *.tp! the .firesidesof the /"Pickwick Papers," and.even.tio'the fires;ofi,the ; Purgatprio.— ':':. .'Daily News.!',/ ;:'; \ ; .v ; ;' : :>,;' - :: . ;■■■.■ : !\'K PASSIONIN^ •' At one:. sentence : in-; the "remarkable' ; new , book by MK Henry Mills Aldeh many' read-ers'.-;will.<hesitate .-the; ';''New..:.-.-York■ :': Times").---Mr:i'Alden.is writing;bf what.he. /' calls .the 'New Literature,', and is., describing, f the-iriewi psychical era ; 'which: , he; affirms -has '■• dawned,-, and : . he goes ,to' : the/length.of ? say-"ingV;."The-primary:passions,,:.;and; especially. ■ those mentioned for deprecation .in :the/Lit-. any—-envy, .hatred,. and ricgli- ,' gible"."-factors -except -iii; degenerate .life and , • literature, and we wonder- how.';they.' could, ever have had such: prominence:'in old' plays.. - and noyels.",:. : The.editor.'of '!'Hafperis;!Maga- ■ zine;'diseerns ; amidst ithe\ changes.which.hafe-. ; : the : world: within -the. last-half-' :'■ century a complete'revolution in:human "na-' : ture.' , ;He is -not ■ satisfied, to describethis/as; ■•' an/amelioration;;he-insists that /it', is-' the! ; passing" ;into;..a, new/-, psychical dispensation';■■ the_ 'soul :bf. man/'is no /longer what<;itV.was.;- ; : .li/isi"iiniair./to'';iu'dgej : th , iß' i ; apart/.fronu. the..erudite:and.ingenious.argu- .- merit "advancedi to support it. ;But/it:is not | v unfair to '.judge \ the statement quoted,-'" be--1 cause.;it,has-,to;Md?.;wjth : !.a question--of,fact! ,' .upbn">\wUch.-i.we-'var6-: ! aUi--perfMtly;--.\irell'iin-'! ' formed;,: So jjudgirigj' it,' .lt^is'/impoEsible :.;,t6. ■ admit.its ■■'accuracy;,: -The/primary ■.-[passions,-.- - s;o'far. as common-observation /shows,-, are no . less%actiyei;to-day ■ than; in former days,-, and ;■ ;as : :fof .v'cuvyiV-hatredi- "malice, - 'and yunchari- . tablenesßi .we:may..no longer''leerthe need.of ;■ ■ asking'jthe • good-Lord- to.:deliver -.us , f ro'm'.the Wfk.and'tlie'conieti but , there,-wpuldappear 1 :fe:;.be.no,.less: , 'feason,'..than..of ; 'old for-'implpr-.' ing- deliverance; frpin;the;old.,faults. :.■- '.. '■■■;:. ;; : ;.: : .i-If-.one.meaiis.thaiivTOni'eii;np longer poison; '■ the-objects.of their.-envyj arid : me4 -ripildriger. '•; brutally;bnteh^r/irietims^of. : th'eir.'hatred,--and', : irioristerSs!^9-longer./'satisfy:-tb.eir-:!malice!:_by : uriprofitable exhibitions.:, of .it; !,ono -is -iquite, . rignt.;': The',;passions are more -sophisticated. ■■' in:theiriaotiyityj -but I 'who .familiar.with life, 1 i- can', assert that thpy have, lost'"a; particle 'of . strength; ; br ; eagernessP;:' Who,- remembering, ■ nieiribep— -the.;■,best,-of .contemporary fiction can-.-assert;that the'-literary.'irepresenjiation of ; life has;lost in.any 'degree, itsiisense;pf. the■ ■ -mpst..primi- .-' :-tive!\'of-;-iiui; ; pa6Bions , -tnaß'''ihde^ol'''..n6vet : ' ; h'ad , such .-conspicuous: recognition in, litq'rature, and j the .■/seven;,', deadly .sins;: if Vthey, have be- : . come ; i)plite, :; have .thereby. only fitted : themr' -. selves..to inhabit,.; the dwellings , !of -polite ;lit-. ; ;erature. ■-■ -;A..flpvel; by'/MrsV Huinphrey■ Ward : •'h!asViust,-.''HnisEed:'its-'. i -cpurse;^ih , -:. f rH'a'iper , s : 'Magazine! ? ;'?The!- Testing-, ofi'Diana/ Mallpry ". ' 'is! a stdry" : Atven]^y/:h'atred,'"inali(»^ : oharitahleness,'.with,;;b'e:- ; it said,-:an:;.over-' righteous^^aMa/fdr; a!: ; ierpine.i i;' ; Ward /'and/;Thbqa r BJ ( '-Hardy";,are!: the :writer's ■',whomr:Mrv;Alden,most;-often ''appeals.:to,as: : 'representative'.in liferatiire'of the,new' psyV / chical.. era , . ''■■ Whether /primal'-, passion. ■'.is a . negligible'.'.factoro in;. Mr. gigantic. work—anyone/who :it.-is oom- ; ;petent:'to",decide.; : ''.^i>-:\ :'-/:" :.'.: : '+r- ~! ,: ;': ! ?! i. '■■::■. Especially^-troViand! .valuabie ! is-'a : i'p6inti' : made by.:Mr, ; Alden/concerning the exhibi;iori..of Mm&n .^nature;, b^:•'. modern ffictiori; 1 . this ■ c }[ainelyiJ;t.ba.t;!it .has^necessarilyi / lost: cr.u£e. r ,fa^d-vfe , /contrasti^because../it■ /p'erceives,'' !that : ,.asV;;a' .'. strorigly/icontrastedK i ;Conceakd/hatred-appearancej:-in: short, of/;the/ makes impossible_ the o}_d f.derionetaent;.! /Av.certaiii ; pb]ective : ')mp're«siverieEs')is,- ; - ; '■ i ,tb : scenio;' prdjectibn,! the / issuesjbf: , life:ar6//Jeßs';impr^ssiv.ely;^deter-- ■ mined.X:'ln . reajity,-:ithbse': issues'/are , im'ore . vital'.to-day,than they/ever',were!beforeV'and the/ re'al/'dramatic //interest'. of'the:,'battles; which ;the human, spirit is fightingi'exceedß'by.farrthat of those .ofi.thb. day of Mariners' arid' .- : splintei'irig'.lances'.' i We';uriderat;and. I Mr. Alden-' to^ affirm this.'and-we/are grateful to hiin,for. : ' vwnat,.we,":;todersta^'dv|sva;'iwarning'''.to..:a':cerrtain, type'of,'the' , modem 'writer /against the ■ ; .™P™Won},to;/J'a;'complete/',retirement vi-here' ne ,hjs;/recourse '\ to' 'analysis ,; :with ~a",:: vie\v '■■ ; .mainfy-tO;tlie' ; readers-orjtd^au'/'exa.uisitelae'sthetic.Eatisfac- • tipn/ through'the >upple;play -of 1 ;-.: ; , -■■:. In (Berliniandi.'ptner .great , towns , the tbpio pf cbnversation.is'an unique swindle : which'/l/am !sur'e ; '.will,; l iiext.'theatre r -seasori ; ■ serve, as/a-plot forra cpmedy (writes/the Berlin corresponUent.;bf..the>"Daily News" ona t recent.date).o- Yesterday;,l. received 'the-fol-lowitig originaliletter/:—•:,»;: ; ; ::!"'/.!/;:■::,:;,■ '•■■ ■ 'Sir,--What !.dp- you say "about /■ the. shameful new,novel that .has appeared .pouble^Mor'ttls'P^How/:^.it':.possibfe that : the P.ubho^Prosecutor.can^have-tolerated/its publication? /Do you/think"that'R.',and H ~ will; brings a. libel: action?; /If'so, will 'you '■; I ,myself iarii' ■ j n i" ■:. suited;' .Quite '.■upset:—Youra. truly •-: (name- -. , / ; ; : ,;;-/:/:.!^x:.:-v,-'.:'. ",.;■.'. /, Itsappears ~ such letters,:'each; /singlev one ,writteri as an ■ original and:stamped,'were;. sent to parties in ;:' nearly.all:.the. : great:"GerrQan''towns; this'he- :•■ ing 'the- , latest,, trick/': tprrbuse .interest! iia ? , book /not", worth; a penny, whilst'jts published / price ■is .eight shillings'! The eiiect was that / yesterday.;;.morning , .V-,bo.oks'ellers','-' .stationers ' and libraries > were.simply; stormed by. better- • class.peopleT-meriand'Womeii, old and young r-who, .partly from: curiosity, : . partly from anxiety,,-asked-for; the", book. .Some ladies '' came to the/shops Jin-, such',: an! exasperated : state that they finally .went into .fainting fits. Many people,' with, weak /nerve's; and, per- ; haps,;/ .were 'so i naive-as, not ! at : once-to see ; through this ■ mischievous' '.manbeuyre,!/ and t consequently / were greatly'alariried.' .' ; .. ;! -' : :'./:'V--.. - -,7The,:police. , and!!the'• Publip.'Prosecutbr '/at / once/tookup, the case and-.-ordered' the .con- : '.fis'cation of,, the'. , b00k. , :'.. - : Several '^thousand copies-were -seized /'on: the .premises , of 'the! forwarding agencies!'.'.The/.Briipn; of ?!German ■'■ Booksellers/aud; Libraries; has. determined riot "to sell,the volume, nor,accept .orders:for it. As'the, book, is as harmless as! it is ..wbrthlcss, confiscation;: can', only !bo :a fteniporai-y- meas'urel; The Public Prosecutor'.will!prefer, an i indictment against!.one ;)Peter■.-!Gariter, of Munich, vrhol is understood to be the author. .of the book: arid the whole swindle'of its , publication:!:. The .cliarge'./;will:be that of ,at-, ■; tempting to,obtain money.-by"false 1 pretences ■ and "committing a , public nuisance.,";-. - '"■■ . .' -, Herr :.Gant'er /has ! been .rarrestbd.'' Ho •• frankly declares that his;design 'was''to sell [: within'a; couple'of 'days 200,000,: copies of t "Double Morals;!' V He,therefore worked hardfor..eighteen writing; and: addressing [• 400,000'betters! : to;.persons -whose: names : lie ', had gathered!from annuals arid other works • of. reference. :,;."■■:. ■'.- : . 'v. l ':.■/:.: ....'•■