Poetry In America

Mr. E. C. Stedman has, in the Midsummer Scribner, the firstof two papera on the subject of poetry in America, in which he makes both a philosophical and historical study of this much-mooted subject. These papers form part of liis series on the Poets and Poetry of American. He says: In a certain sense, it is natural for the citizen of so vast and varióos a couiv try to iind his patriotism and his gift of expression reepond most easily to the appeals of his own locality. There is still a lagging behind f uil nationality, jast as Federal supremacy. in the hearts of a great multitude, gives precedence to 'State rights.' Yet Uier are signs of grewth toward an imagination in keeping with our political enlargement. The new Americanism, with reLition to literature and the arts of beauty and construction, is seen in the very search for it, in the closer inspection of our own ground.in our more realistic method - in the genuine quality of our modern poetry and creative prose, so much more indigenous than the work of the nec-B jmantic Knglish schoo', and presenting so f resh a contrast to the poetry and prose of ourearly periods; tinally, in the greater value set upon our home-workers, upon our ventures for ourselvüs. It is curious to note the minor symptoms of this change. As time lias lessened our yearning for the mother-country, native Americans less fondly cling to the old words and traditions. The landlords who cater to foreign or [)rovincial guests still giveExglish and French names to their hotels, and a fresh Englisti colony, af ter the manner of our ancestors, calis its village Rugby - but the reproach of this barrenness of nomenclature is fast passing away, and the time has come when the declaration of our independeuce may be made to include the fields of literature and art." The girafle's neck is so long that when liis heart comes uto his ir.outh it takes Moa hall u day to get it back where it belongs.