Irving College - Irvingiana Yearbook (Mechanicsburg, PA)

Page 85 text:

All the concentrated thought, shutting one's self away from the things of the outside world, and in all true 'devotion to the elevation of Literature these words contain, are found in The Blue Flower ' and The Ruling Passion. The three principles I have mentioned z First, an original impulse 5 second, a first-hand study of subject and material 5 third, a patient, joyful, unspar- ing labor for the perfection of form 5 these may do much to perfect Literature, but after all what we most need in Literature, as in everything else in life, is something to bring us nearer the standard set for the moulding of our lives and character 3 something that will make visible or brighter in us that spark of nobility every life oontains 3 something that will enable us to leave as our contribution to the world that which is pure and beautiful. Ruskin says, Every noble life leaves the fiber of it interwoven in the works of the world. V, For these reasons, so we believe, Van,Dyke chose and carried out in his own writings as the last, best and most important essential which enters into good work in Literature. A human aim to cheer, console, purify and ennoble the lives of the people, and he adds, Without this aim Literature has never sent an arrow close to the mark. We do not have to seek for comfort and cheer only from the lives of our fellow men. In the little poem is found just as much, and often more, comfort and sympathy than can come from many human hearts. It indeed seems to understand, as nothing else can, our weaknesses and sor- rows, touching, perhaps, a spot that may never have been found by men. Take, for example, one, who having been lifting the burden of life on weak shoulders for many years, trudges with it until he becomes so bent, weary and discouraged that he is tempted to give up and leave it lying along the roadside for one stronger than he to carry. The little poem holds out encourage- ment : Let me but do my work from day to day, In Held or forest, at the desk or loom, In roaring market place or tranquil roomy Let me but find it in my heart to say When vagrant wishes beckon me astray : This is my work, my blessing, not my doom, Of all who live. I am the one by whom This work can best be done in the right way. Then shall I see it not too great, nor small, To suit- my spirit and to prove my powersg Then shall I cheerful greet the laboring hours And cheerful turn when the long shadows fall At eventide to play, and love, and rest, Because I know for me my work is best.

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3 Bitiflg New 4 glaze Qg glixsnphine Qi. gltcinirnllzrr, 'U5 N a study of former periods of American Literature we End but one true Idealistic writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Since his death in 1882 Materialism has been characteristic of our Literature until the present time, where we find among our rep- resentative writers one whom we can almost call a second Emerson-one who we hope and believe is marking the age of the Twentieth Century as Emerson did the First National Period-one who is showing the world the truth of the words z Immortality will come to such as are fit for it, and he who would be a great soul in the future must be great on earth. Such as HENRY VAN DYKE. 4 In one of his writings have been set forth four principles which he considered essential for good work in Literature, and the writer feels that the excellence of Van Dyke's own work is due to the fact that he himself carries out these principles. The Hrst is that a writing must have an original impulse-not necessarily a new idea, but a new sense of the value of an idea. One of the very attractive characteristics of Van Dyke's writings is his originality. By that is not meant that the beautiful theme and thoughts most of his writings contain were entirely original, not having been touched upon by any one of all the great writers that preceded him g but as somebody has said, Van Dyke's writings bring with them a sense of something new and real, a breath of nature, a glimpse into the deeps of experience, a note clear, sweet, memorable. With regard to the second essential element, namely, A Hrst-hand study of subject and material, it seems hardly possible that one doubt could arise in the mind of the reader, for all his writings, from his master-piece to the smallest bit off poetry, show not only an unusual study of material but the work of a master-mind in making use of the material. The third principle is this: A patient, joyful, unsparing labor for the perfection of form. A patient, joyful, unsparing labor!

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And again : Not to the swift the race,' Not to the strong the iight, , Not to the righteous perfect grace, Not to the wise the light. Y , But often faltering feet Come surest to the goal, And they who walk in darkness meet The sunrise of the soul. The truth the wise men sought Was spoken by a child, The alabaster box was brought In trembling hands, defiled. A thousand times by night The Syrian hosts have died, A thousand times the vanquished right Hath risen, glorified. One of the most beautiful of Van Dyke's poems is his Legend of Service, and this we may use as an example of that in Van Dyke's writings which aims to purify. The Lord of Angels one day called to appear before his throne those of his servants whom he had sent to work among his earthly children to give an account of all they had accomplished on earth. The youngest angel, Ashmiel, first appeared and when asked for his report the answer came that he had found three true followers of Christ, but had failed in the attempt to find which loved him best. Then spake the Lord of Angels to whose look The hearts of men are like an open book, In every soul the secret thought I read, But every life has pages vacant still, Whereon a man may write the things he will.