THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
instead of a common homo, when we create and fos
er among ourselves a stronger feeling of mutual inter
est, warm sympathy and natural fellowship; when we
encourage the idea that we in a fraternal spirit
belong together here; when we resolve unanimously
that our student brotherhood shall last through life and
amount to something more than mere acquaintance;
then indeed shall we make our influence recognized
and respected. Once thoroughly imbued with this
spirit we will not fail in our efforts to vindicate and
strengthen the University.
gltc Indent's crap-lwok.
VS'2
H. W. li.MtlXGTOX.
Hull to the class of 82!
TriU'-hotiitotl girl, and boys in blue;
Not n lmnil but dares to do
Ml Hint's light. audjust, and true.
What am tho bonds that now wo seal
As classmate here? Docs each one feci
A stronger tie, that may not break
In party strifes? Ay I let ns make
A lasting compact, that shall he
Kreo from thchltght of enmity.
Let each tit other lend a hand,
And. as tho granite, tlrmly stand
For right and Justice. Who shall say
The lnturc hath not many a day
Of pleasant toil for each to do,
And aught of grand achievement, too?
What though fnw our numbers bo,
If tho hearts am strong and free?
Scattered stalks boar Shiest fruit.
Deepest thouhhts arc ever mute.
What though thousands press the race?
To him who runs with swiftest pace,
Tho more that sweat and toil bohiud.
The richer the rowan! he'll And.
Wore not tho Spartan numbers fow?
Hut wlto ha heard ol hands moro true,
Or deeds more famed? A dcathloss name
How dearly bought, when llfo for fame
Is given 1 Yet no poorer price,
Jfo less of willing sacrifice.
Will meet the full dem'aud, I trow,
For honored fame doth wroath the brow
With life Immortal 1 Thu the bard
Lives in hia song, while hoavenward
Itifctf souls iiiiuuinbtirud, who in time
1'aid homage to tho poofs rhyme.
So, day by day, full many a life.
Through unremitting toll and strife.
Is given a sacrlflcc to Fame,
For writing 'inong ilio stars a name.
And is the goddess then so stern,
That for immortal ltlc iu turn
She claims the meagre span of yoars
(At best but mingled hopos and ionrs)
01 mortal llfo? Whore llos tho noed
That life lie givon in tragic deo.1?
That courage high which mocks at death
And braves it with tho ;atost breath,
Dares not so much, though bravo he dies,
As ho who gives in sacrifice
A llfo ol'toil at Duty's shrine
Human on earth, in heaven divine.
There waits for every willing hand
A work that shall bo true nnd grand,
K'en as tho soul from whonce it springs
Rises apovo ignoble things.
As 'tis the will oi heaven to trace
Tho soul's true likeness in the face,
So should tho life, in accents clear,
Speak out Its purpose, without fear
Of cold affront! llo as you act;
Whato'oryou arc, bo that in fact.
ART AS AltT.
In Iho lust century a. school has appeared which lias re
jected Raphael as the standard of high art, and has made
nature the basis. Bti' pre.Ruphitclism has germinated,
budded, blossomed and given its highest fruits iu such
works as Bid's "Vnl tVAosta," and Hunt's '"Finding of
tho Savior in the Temple." Its work, which was to stim
ulate new thought and emotion, to substitute analysis for
synthesis, is now done. The inevitable reaction must
taku place, and Ruskin complains pathetically that "pre
Raphaelitism has lost sight of Us God," which we know
was intellectuality and conscientious workmanship, rather
than men's a-listic beauty. The theory of the school
was thai "Art has but one Arm basis, the (ruth or nature
and sound criticism lias but one method, to ascertain iu
the first place what truth is and then to praise artists, or
condemn them exactly in proportion to their conformity
or nonconformity to the truth." Since a sculptor is
to rcptcscnt a real body, a poem or novel, to re
veal human nature or passion; the more real, the more
exact the imitation, the higher is the art.'
Rut if this be so in the extreme sense, tltcn photograph,
casting and stenography would be perfect art, for they
arc exact imitations. "While Raphaels "Madonnas,"
Michael Angelo's "Last Jt dgement," Dante's "Diviuc
Comedy," and Shakespeare's "Hamlet," which are each
and every one idealization, cannot be classed as art.
Wherein lie- Shakespeare's greatness and power but
iu his creations V Hamlet, Macbeth, Lear, Othello arc all
crcationsfrom his wonderful mind. Not one is to be
found in real life as in his drama. Their principle qual
ities; Hamlet's thought, Macbeth's ambition, Lear's mis
ory and Othello's jealousy are displayed at the expense of
minor characteristics; and it is only thus that we can be
made to feel their power.
As the great works of art which have lived through the
countries show that those who created them purposely
deviated from nature, we cannot but conclude that accti
rale imitation is not the true basts.
But if this theory was conceded to be the true one, how
were it possible to reach the standard? "Let the artists
mix his paints as he will, he cannot dispose o( brightness
or darkness as nature docs." The brightest white he can
obtain is not more than ontvtwentieth of tho brightness of
the sun ; while white objects in the moonlight must be
represented as ten or twenty times brighter than in reality.
But if there were not this drawback, iho countless number
of objects presented by nature, could not be transfered to
canvass. When four years were required by Donner to
finish a single face, how many years would be required to
complete a landscape with the varying clouds and num.
berlcss leaves, or the ever changing sea wave with its
countless tints and aspc cts?
It was in this striving after the unattainable that tho pre-
Raphaclitcs failed. Their aim was too high, too preten.
ious; for one of the first things an artist must learn is that
his art has limits, that it must make many concessions to
and innumerable compromises with nature.
Every day figures, scenes, thoughts nnd actions do not
make sculpture; painting and poetry. As Madame do
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