SWINBURNE FOR "SLACKERS."

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15453, 4 December 1915, Page 9

SWINBURNE FOR "SLACKERS."

TO TIIE EDITOR OP * : THE PBSSS." Sir, —Browsing through Swinburne the other night I. caino upon, in "Tiresias," somo verses that struck me as extraordinarily apt just now, when wo are in difficulties about recruits. Tiresias was the blind old seer of Thebes, and appears in ''-Antigone" and other plars In this poom of Swinburne's lio is made to refer to tho heroism of Antigone, who brought death on herself by defying the edict of the King that i;o one should bury her brother's body. Then follow thesai verses, which seem to me to be the last word on tho subject of duty:— Thou art not dead as these aro dead who live Pull of blind years, a sorrow-shaken kind, iNor UiS thceo aro am I the prophet blind; Tliey have not life that have nor heart to give "Life, nor liavo eyesight who lack heart to eee When to bo not is better thaji to be. O ye whom time but bears with for a span, How long will ye bo blind and dead, how long Make your own souls part of your own 60ul's wrong? Son of the word of the most high gods, man, Why wilt thou make thino hour of light and breath . Emptier of all but shame than very death? Yea, they are dead, men of much more worth than thou; Tho eavour of herioc lives that were, Is it not mixed into thy common air? Th<j sense of them is shed about theo now; Feol not thy brows a wind blowing from far? Aches not thy forehead for a future star? Tho light that tkou may'st make out of thy name 7s in the wind of this same hour that drives, ■Blown within reach but onco of all men's lives; And he that puts forth hand upon the flame Shall have it for a garland on his head To 6ign him for a king among tho de^d. i But these men that the lessening years behold, Who sit tho meet part without flame or crown. And brawl and 6leep and wear their life-days down With joys and griefs ignobier than of old And care not if tho better day shall be— Are thtso or art thou dead, Antigonr? To him who tan go and goes not, his own soul at some future time will ask the Question with a sharpness that no anodyne will relieve —'Am theso or art thou dead, Artigone?"—Yours, etc.. CYRANO.