THE MIGHT OF THE DEAD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 249, 9 February 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE MIGHT OF THE DEAD.

MAETERLINCK'S TRIBUTE.

LIVING AND MOVING AMONG U.S."

M. Maeterlinck commemorates the "Day of tho Dead'' in tho "Figaro" with an essay, "The Might of the l\a:f." In it the following passages are of interest (says the Paris corespondent of tho "Telegraph"

It is a Leautifui homily on two txeU first, Maeterlinck's cherished thought which he expressed in the '"Blue Bird" that the dead really live in our thoughts, die again when we iorget their., and come to life again when wo remember them. His second vext is, "What lie saved he lost." I quote these passages fiom th s fine essay .-

"Tho dead live and move among us much more really than the most adventurous imagination can picture. It - s very doubtful that they do remain in their graves. It even scents more and moro certain that they never let theniec» ves ho imprisond there. " But without probing further into the gieat but obscure truth, which for '.ho time being we cannot define more precisely, let us dwell upon that wlrch i-i not disputable. "Whatever our religious faith may be, there is at least one place where our dead cannot die. That living dwelling of theirs is in ourselves, and for those who may have lost it Incomes paradise or hell, as we are near or far from their thoughts, and their thoughts are always higher than curs. By luting ourselvoe, then, we shall go to them. We must take the first step*, for they cannot come down, while wo can always rsvend, for the dead, .whatever they .vero in their life-time, become better than the liest of us. The least good by shedding their bodies have shed their body's vices, foibles, and meannesses, and the spirit alone remains, which in every in in is pure

"There are no bad dead, ltecauso thero are 110 bad souls. And what was always true of r.'.'i the dead is truer i-t'll to-day, when only the best ore is chosen lor the grave, in the world which we call the kingdom of shadows, and which really is the ethereal kingdom of light, there are now as deep perturbations as those we feel on our earth. The young .lead flock thither, and since the beginning of tho world never we're they as many, as strong, and as ardent. If such men were really annihilated, had vanished for were for ever to become* us; It -s and without voice, all that we have believed hitherto, all that we have tried to do, all our victories over evil days and evil instincts, would he delusion and lies. It is scarcely possible tl.at this should he so, even regarding the external suiviva! of the dead, but it i i absolutely certain that it is not so regarding their survival within ourselves. Here nothing is lost and no one dies.

"Our memories arc peopled by a mitltitiido of heroes. stricken in the flower 11' youth, and far different from that procession of yore, p:ile and worn out. which counted almost solely tlie aged' and sickly, who were already scarcely ; live when they lolt Mrs earth. To-day in all our houses. in town, in country, in palate, an din cttage, a young man •K-ad lives and rules in a!<! the beauty of h.;s strength. He liils the poorest, da' k-e-t. dwellings with glory, such <is it had never dreamed of. "It is terrible that we should have tMi i experience, the mose pitiless mankind h.is known, hut, now that the ordeal is nearlv over, we can think ol the j crimps unexpected fruits which we >-lial! reap. One will soon vet' the h each v.-iiLuing and destinies diverging between these n itions which have acquired all the-e dead and all this glory, end those who have been deprived of them and it. And one will be astonished I-.) find that those which have lost most aie t-'io-.e which will have kipt their wo"/tr, and their men. "There are losses which are priceless

ga u. .Hill there are gain* in which one's lutiire is h.st. Tin; re are dead whom ;l o li\ in«i cannot replace, ;ind whose itionght dot's tliinys 110 liv'ng bod•is c.iii do, ami wo are almost all now. mandatories of somccne gnater, noltler, braver, wiser, and more alive th in our-si-Aes. Ho will lie, witr ;;11 his eom- • ados, our judge. "Il' it I'e true that the dead weigh the sculs of the living and that our fate depends upon their verdict-, lie will ho iur guide nd our champion. i ,- or this ii t!;e li'-.t time since history revealed

t;> ii-. her cata trophies that man has l;.lt a'ove hi-, head and in his heart :• itch ;t multitude of sin h dead."