EMMELINE'S - -COSY CORNER CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 72

EMMELINE'S - - COSY CORNER CLUB.

SESSION 1908. The following, axe the papers which. - had to be held over from last week :—-JOHtfGBEJSNLEAF: — - JOHtfGBEJSNLEAF WHITTIEB. , . ' Dear Emmefine, — I do not know that. P cam • say that; I have -a favoiixite poet, a« I have " not read very many of them, but of the ones " that I have read I prefer "Whittier. I like his poems because he seems ,to set before u» " so clearly the rewl object cf life — to liv»' for others, forgetting self. And in some of Ma poems h« seem 9 -to show us so clearly tha/' a loving Father is watching us ftnd'iejoices ~ ■when we do our best. I will give a few lin-es from "Andrew Ryhmiaai'B Prayer." It is all so good, but I will just give the closing lines: — "Let the lowliest cask be mine, Grateful so the work be Thine; Let me find the humblest place . In the shadow of Thy grace: Blest to me were any spot Where tempta-tion whispers not. If there be some weaker one, Give me strength to help him on. If a blinder soul fcher« be. Let me guide him nearer Thee Make my mortal dreams come tru* With the work I fain would do; ' Clothe with life the weak intent, Let me be the thing I meant; Let me find in Thy employ Peace that "dearer ia fchan ioy; Out of self to love be led And to heaven acclimated, Until all things sweet and good Seem my natural habitude." CONDUCT. "He&d how thou Hveat. Do not «ct "by day Which from th© night shall drive thy' peace away. In month of sun so live tha-t months of ram Shall still be happy. Evermore restrain. • Evil and cherish good, so shall there be : Another and a. happier" life for thee." GYPSY. ' ,; It is a long lime since I have talked to "' anyon-a of Wiitfcier, Gypsy, though, ho wwa - at_ one time rather" a constant companion ■of : mine. Someone borrowed by little volume and forgot to (return it, wnd so John Greenleaf - Whittier and I, frojra fri^nda'and comrades,* became acquaintances. But I-still remember some of his "Songs of the Sierras." still love "The Barefoot Boy," and realise t!he intimate everyday charm of "S-weet Pearn." Whittier is not nearly so well known as he should be, an 3 therefore I am so ' glad 1 you have chosen him to day, Gypsy. TESTNYSOW. Dear Emmeline, — My favouirite poel ia Tennyson. . The qualities I most admire ia his verse are his naturalness, his sympathy, and his pathos. lam sorry I have not Jji9 ' works at hand. birf I inink I can show the ' qualities I admire in his- "May Queen." Tie first verse shows his naturalness and brightness : — "You must wake and call me earfy, call m» early, mother, dear. To-morrow'U be the happiest iime of all! th© glad New Year — Of all the gtea jtfew Year, ' mother, iha maddest, merriest day, For I'm to be Queen o' the "May, mother, I'm to be Queen of 6Fi« May. There's many- a black, black eye they say, hjrt none so bright as mine. j There's Margaret and Mary, there's Kate and j Caroline, But none co fair ac little Alice in all the land, they say. So I'm to be Queen o' the. May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' th© May." Then his sympathy is shown very strongly in the next part: — ' ~ ■ j "If you're waking. ;a.U me early, call mi early, mother, dear, For I would see the sun rise upon the glad N-ew Year. It is the last New Year that I sha.ll ever see. Then you may lay m& low i' the mould end think no more of me. ~ - I have been wild and waywardf but you'll forgive me now; %_% _ You'll kiss tne, my own mother, and forgive me ere I go. Nay, nay. you must not .weep, nor let your grief be wild. You should no<t fret, for me, mother, yoan have another child." And" then the pathos of the last part is very fine: — "I thought -o pass away, and yet alive I am ; And in the fields nil round I heaf the bleating of the lamb. How sadly, I remember, rose the morning of the year To die before the snowdror came, and now the violet's here. "O sweet is the new violet that comes beneathl the skies, And sweeter is the young lamb's voice Lorn«o m« f«hat cannot rise, And sweet is all the land ■about, and all the flowers tii at blow, And sweeter far is -death than life io me- cha. long to go. "It seemed so hard at first mother, tc leave the blessed sun, And n-ow it seems as hard to stay, and yedi His will be done! But still I think it can't be long before I find release ; And that good man. the clergyman, has M^d me words of peace. "He taught me all the mercy, for he showed me all the sin. Nov.-, though my lamp wa«j lighted late .heu's One will let me in. Nor would 1 now be well, mother, .gain if lhat could be, For my desire is but to pass to Him tha + . lied for me." I do not wish lc take up too much of yoixc valuable space ia writing mor« of tie poeafy

which la 'so familiar to most people, or B _ »h'ould write the verse where poor little Alice asks mother to comfort Effie and to "s*tya kind word to Robin." SWEETBEIAR. So you, too, hare chosen Tennyson, Sweetbriar!" Truly,- he bears th» laurel wreathl to-day in. ottr C.G.C.C., which, read* Cheery Cosy Corner Club. But I must confess that pretty as Hhe "May" Queen" is. I love "The GrKndmotlier" better, and. ffrfnTr* ii it© most wonderful instance of that — not dual — but multiple per»onality, that wonderful infinite insight inio human- nature, which waia Tennyaon's g&b in be rare a degree. Think of at m»n, and a man on an entirely^ different plan* of life* writing even this one vera'e out of co many other* equally perfect from: the point of-synipathy -and expression alike: — "So Willi« -and> I were -wedded: I iror« «i lilac gown; And the lingers rang with sl will, and hd gave the ringers « crown. But the first tha-fr ever I biro <tras dead before he wss born, - Si*dow and elhne is life, littl* Annie, flower and 'thorn." » ..•>"■ j ■ ' -smalm • •*- ! Dear Emm.eline,—^l am sending you, not an' appreciation of my favourite . poet, hut only one of my favourite "poems. ' I could <juite truthfully say I am-tdo busy --to do justice- to' a"poet.-»nd his poems, but let me be honest, •s.wfttl,iiß truthful, and even though I expose" my ( moil l»nientable ignorance, admit I nave -rap favourite? poet, , A favorite requires * knowledge of;* nuiniber. and that I have not. A" very slight knowledge of - a . ievr is ' all I can claim, not «- speaking Rcanaintaaice-, ao I will not attempt tile impossible, but hope yon -trail lik» my eol*fcr£l>titi<M*- 3?o>rgiv» stztcl overlook my shortcomings.. ( HOCHELAGA. A PRAYER. "Let me do my work each day, and if the' Darkened hours of despair overcome me 'May I' not forget the strength tba-t comfortedme In the desolation of other times. May I Still semember the bright hcura that found me Walking or«r the silent .hills of my, ohild- " hood, Or dreaming on tfie margin of the quiet river . ' , When a light glowed within me, And I promised my early God to fcave Courage amidst the tempests of the. changing years. Spare* me from the bitterness and the sharp ° passion _ ' Of , unguarded moment^. Hay I not forget Thai pover.ty and riches aretof tie spirit. Though the woTld knows me not. May my thoughts and actions- be such Ag shall keep me friendly -with mysell . Lift my eye*, from the eatth. and let me Not forget' the uses of the atars. IToxbid that I should judga others, le&t I ovndemri myself; "Lei me not feel'" the glamour of the .world, But walk calmly yinv in jny path. Give jme A few friends who will love me for what I am, And keep «v*r burning before my vagrant . TLe kindly iigfrt- of .Aope; «nd~ f hough Ag« --and infirmity -overtake me, and I Com-a 'not- within sight of the c«stle. of my dreams, ,Teach. me- still to be thanfeful foe life , — And for time's -golden moments that axe Good, and «weet; arfd may the evening•i/mligfei Find ma -gentiie still.' — Ehnnan. - 1 do indeed like your contribution, . Hocb-elaga- *nd far from "having . "slhoiptl comings" io overlook, I think, under the circumstances,, coming at all was both loyal and aweet of you. . . " " TENNYSON. i)e>r EmmeHne, — I wonder how many of us to-day will claim Tennyson as our favourite ' poet?.' There wre others whose works .we xeadi and enjoy, but have no desire to re-read. With all, or nearly all, of Tennyson's work* I have a great fiaacy for dipping into at odd seasons as I would read «nd) read again «. letter from, a friend. ■ I think it is tb<at hia word-piotures are so simple that the scene rises immediately before one. We " all have seen the counterpart of "The Brook," tnd as we read we see again "The netted sunbeam dance, "- Mtst he*r the gurgle of the water* in "I murmur under moon and atari In brambly wildernesses." In "Locksley Hall" there are many verses that fill tihe mind with though;,. ■ My iavouritsavfrom this are: — " "Love-took up the harp of Hi* ' And smote on all the chords with mightSmote the chord l of eelf tha-i Trembling psssed in- munio owt.of *%h<j'' Ana , . » "I the heir of all the tge3 in the foremost ■<* files of time." - Very orten we forget how very much has been won for u» by lie generations, that hive gone before. There is the temptation sometimea •to mate with the squmlid savage of » lower ideal, not remembering for the moment that we are . heirs to the purest and loftiest thought : of great men in all *g*«. • I -think J will leave "The Lotos Eaters" for some other time. Only ye who are wearied *nd worried read it through, and see if it does not make you a little envious. It is a «ong of sloth,- truly, ALYS. Bow many Tennysonitss do we number? Welt Alys. as- many in proportion to our number m I fully expected., Indeed, to tell you the truth, I had serioxis thoughte of barring one whom I was assured would claim so m*ny. adherents. However,, aJl'« well that ends* well, and taken altogether- 1 must be more than satisfied- that you all chose different poems for quotation, and I could honestly «*y I, too, admired them all-— facts which of oours*, speak volumes f or our poet. "LONGFELLOW. Dear Emmeiine, — My favourite poet, Henry ■WuUworih Longfellow, was born in the city of* Portland, State of Maine, on February 27. 180?. -Be was «ent at the age of 14 toßow-< doin College, and in 1825 he graduated there with- high, tumours. His love of l^atuxe was & ruling pawion with him, and Mb pictures of TUral Ufa tie most beautiful.' There is inuoh th«/fc ii cheering and uplifting in Longfellow's poetry, and these qualities I admire most. For instance, in tea first published collection! of poems, the "Voices of the* KigH" &* well-known 'Pialm of Life"_&"Life i« re«ai Life I* earnest f r Asd ihe grave is not -its goal; 3>uat thou art, to dust xeturnest, W*b not spoken of the soul. 'Lives of great men «11 remind vjs We 4»n make mr lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us . Vpotprints on tb» odds of time/?"

"Let us, then, be up «n3 doing, With a heart for any fate ; Still achieving, still pursuing, I*e*rn to labour and: to wait." Again, in "The Bainy Bay": — "Be- still, sad heart! and cease repining; Behind the clouds is the sun stall shining; Thy fate is the common fate of all, Into each life some rain must fall, Some day* must be dark and. dreary." His sympathy with tine bewuty of the outer world appears in the "Prelude":— " "The green trees whispered low. and mildi . It wag * sound of joy! They were my playmates when a- child-, And rocked me in their arms so wild I Still they looked at me and smiled, As if I were ft boy.' A 4nan of culture and refinement he saw beauty and Doetry in most things, and «s Longfellow himself said-: "If, invisible ourselves, we could follow a single human being through* single, day of his life, and know ■all his eectfet thoughts, -and hopes, and! anxieties, his prayers and tears., and good resolves, his passionate delights and struggles 'against temptations, we should have poetry enough to fill a volume.".. The death of his dearly x loved wife left a sadness tbat shadowed- part of hi* life. "I have in cry possession an -unpublished poem "relating to it. TLe. first and sixth, verses ore as Jfollows:J follows: — "Alone' I walked the peopled city, Where each seems happy with hie own. Oh, friends. T ask not for your pity } I walk alone. -"Yet "well I know the voice of duty, And, therefore, life and health must cra-ve. Though she who gave the world its beauty Is in Her grave." * A perusal of Longfellow confirms one' in

the opinion that his poetry is beautiful, and therefore destined to last. His love of the sea- i» another quality that I admire. As an inßtance of a finely effective strain, tak^ tneEe verseß of "The Secret of the Sea" : — "Ah! what pleas and visions h»unt mte As I gaze upon the sea! All the old romantic legends, AIL my dreams., borne back to m*. "S*il» of silk «axd rope* of eend-al, Such as gleam- in ancient lore; And the singing of the sailor*. And the s,nswerjrom the shore. 1 ' Loving, peaoeful, and cheering, thus does Longf^w appear to me. And very rightly co, I am persuaded, Anchoress. I love your poet and his work very dteeply. and thank you for the treasures you have allowed 1 us to share with you in; that extract from tae unpublished poem. It is indeed most touching. TEKNYSON. Dear Emmeline, — To say in black sn& white which ia my favourite poet is almcat an impossibility. E>ach poet strikes a distinct chord ia one's nature, each charms one in a different way, each leads one to a (new land of thoughts. Who can resist the charming purity and simplicity of Longfellow, the powerful boldness of Byron, the musical melodies of Shelley, the- <jften 'unappreciated beauties of Nature depicted by Wordsworth, or the little home truths taught us by Ella Wheeler Wilcox {if ehe may be included). But the poet who is the greatest power for good, who raises us highest, gives us ideals, who shows- us what men and women ;an be and ought to be, who gives us our ideas of chivalry, honour and duty, and sets before us examples of good, true, and noble characters — the poet who helps us to live and love is the lite Lord Tennyson. No man or woman worthy of the name can read his works and lead a life besotted in sweefc self. __ No admirer of his could fail to try and lead a nobler and truer life, to struggle after the ideals so powerfully and yet so beautifully portrayed. What woman could read; the following and not feel a longing to do more good in the -world., to have an endiobling influence upon all around- 'her : —"I loved the woman; yet was there one through, whom I loved her — one not learned, save in gracious household ways, not perfect, nay, but full of tender wants, no angel, < but a- dearer being, all dipt in angel instincts, breathing Paradise, Interpreter between the gods and men, who looked all native to her place, and yet on

tiptoe seemed to touch upon a sphere to© gross to tread. Happy he with such a mother. The woman's cause is man's : they rise or sink together. If she be small, sligM natuxed, miserable, how shall men. grow?" What a mine of wealth there is. in those pages for those who will seek it! What lessons for men, as well as for women! They learn the love of courage, the love of honour, of country, of high aims and noble deeds; they l&arn to love truth, purity and love itself. What a moial code be sets forth! "To reverence the king as if he -were their conscience, and their conscience is their king; to break the heathen and uphold the Christ; to^ ride abroad redressing human wrong; to speak no slander, no, nor listen to it; to lead sweet lives of purest chastity; to love one maiden only, cleave to her and worship her by noble deeds until they won heT." The days for Tiding forth, to redress human wrongs axe over, but the Iranian wrongs are brought to our very doors now, and how many seek to redress them? How much chastity is to be found now, and; how many slanderers are shunned? Oh that men ■would help one another up instead of down-, would help the women more, and that women would try to raise men's ideals and prove themselves more -worthy of their chivalry, their love- and reverence. <7 For woman is not undeveloped man, but diverse. Goulds we make her as the man. sweet- love were slain.But in the long- years they must liker grow ; the man be more of woman, she of man, till at the last she set herself to man like perfect music unto noble words." The moral of all his works seems to be: "It is better to fight for the good than Tail at the ill." Yet how few -of us realise the truth of that statement ot act aB- if we did. • "If there be a devil in man there is an angel, too." and if we only spent less time and trouble on th« <3eTril sunS. mor« on -tine angel tli« -OT>rl<3 might be the better for it. WELSHMAN.

I am. glad tha-t you have touched more closely on these highest aspects of Tennyson's self and work. lam especially fond of the lines beginning "To Teverence the King," etc., and am with. you all the time. ROBERT BROWNING. There is in the life of every girl a point at which old things pass away and all things become new, a wonderful hour in which she findß herself posseseed of the key of the ivory gate and golden path which leads into the garden of the immortals. Such an hour was- mine when at the age of 15 someon© put a copy of "Selections from Robert Browning" into my hands. That dear little brown book! How I loved it! How I treasured it! Even now., when it iB worm and dilapidated, a feeling of reverence steals over me as I touch it, and I remember that by it I was first brought into contact with the mind and' heart of its great author — Browning, the prophet, the philosopher, the optimist, and the king of poets. Browning the optimist! To a oasual reader and to a careful student of our poet the most impressive feature of his poems ia his optimism, not the lighthearted carelessness of tie irresponsible artist, but the deep-seated faith of the experienced thinker ajid philosopher. "I have gone the whole round of creation; I saw and I spoke ; I, a work of God's hand for that purpose, received in my brain, And" pronounced on the rest of HTs handwork, returned Him again His creation's approval or censure : I spoke as I saw. I report, as a man may of God's work, 'All's love yet all's law.' " This same note is struck in the opening 1

i stanza- of his well-knowf* "Rabbi Ben ■ 1 Ezra"-.— "Grow old along with met , The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first wia3 mad-e ; Our limes are in His hand Who saith, 'A whole I planned. Youth sees but half; trust God: see all nor "be afraid'!" Browning's optimism was based first on his oonception of God. God. was to him the supreme Lover in the universe, whose plan I for His whole world was made possible by j His plan for each individual soul in it. | "Man lumps his kind i' the mass; God ; singles thence j Unit by unit. Thou and God exist — ~ j So think! for certain, think the mass, mankind, disparts, disperses, leaves thyself , alone ! ! Ask thy lone soul what laws are plain to , thee*Thee and no Stand or fall by them! | That is the part for thee." 5 To Browning the personal rela/tion of the soul to God was very evident. Listen to ; him ; — j "JbCe fixed .thee mid this dance ' ; Of plastic circumstance, ' ■ % This present, thou, forsooth, wouldst fain arrest; Machinery just miea<n« , To give thy soul its bent ->i Try thee and turn thee forth, sufficiently'^ impressed." - j In the second place Browning's optimism was , based on his conception of life: — | "For life, with all it yields of joy and woe _j And hope and fear — believe the aged friend — ' > Is ->-ir ckm«e o' the p<riz« of learning 1«V«, |

How love might be. hp.th been, indeed, and HAPPY. Yes, Happy, there is a cosy corner and a warm welcome for "just an ordinary girl" who brings so pleasant a letter of introduction as is embodied in your contribution. The only condition of niember3hip from readers is comprised in the good faith shown by the sending of real name- and address. If you will send these I shall be delighted to present you to those who will (henceforth, become your fellow-members, and more delightful comrades you could not have! Thank you very much and very warmly for your kind letter. Trusting to find a well-filled portrait gallery at our next meeting, — Your attached. EMMELINE.