A PROPHECY AND 953 A PLEA pro 373 O) 5 U JOHN KENDRICK BANGS OF THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY COPIES OF THIS BOOK PRINTED THIS IS NUMBERED A PROPHECY AND A PLEA A PROPHECY AND A PLEA BEING FIRST A STYGIAN PROPHECY AND SECOND A PLEA FOR NATU RALISM . . . TWO POEMS READ ON DIVERS OCCASIONS BY JOHN KENDRICK BANGS PRIVATELY PRINTED AT NEW YORK, ANNO DOMINI ONE THOU SAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINETY-SEVEN COPYRIGHT, 1897, BY JOHN KBNDRICK BANGS poentf toere toritten for and are belli* cateb to tfoe member^ past, present anb /future of tfc p /Fraternitp M149177 A STYGIAN PROPHECY WRITTEN FOR THE LITERARY EXERCISES OF THE PSI UPSILON FRATERNITY CONVENTION : MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT, THURS DAY, MAY THE SIXTH MDCCCXCVII IT was midnight on the river, on the darkling river Styx, As the quaint old boat-man Charon paddled up to where I stood, And I had to bargain with him to es cape the horrid fix I d got into when I d ventured through the fearful Stygian wood. A STYGIAN PROPHECY There were sinful souls about me, men too wicked e en to go O er the inky stream to Hades where the furnaces are kept, And some shrieked aloud profanely as they wandered to and fro, While some others on the pier front gnashed their spirit teeth and wept. And although I am not timid as a rule, I must admit When 1 thought of how these spirits swarming up and down the shore Were too vile for them in Hades if one can imagine it All my nerves were in a flutter and my heart was sick and sore. A STYGIAN PROPHECY They would potter all about me, they would grimace in my face; They would terrify my optics and they d horrify my ears: I d have parted with a fortune for a chance to leave the place, And escape the horrid visions that had so aroused my fears. Now perhaps 1 should explain it, how I happened to be there: I was not a finished mortal like those other sorry souls, I was not a footsore climber of the so- called golden stair; But had gone by invitation where the inky river rolls. A STYGIAN PROPHECY I d received a note from Boswell, rather, word by telephone How the deuce he made connections I as yet don t understand, But the word came o er the wires in a deep profundo tone, " We ve a meeting at the House-boat would you like to be on hand ?" I had answered, " Would 1 ? Rather ! What s to be the style of night? Story-tellers, or the poets, or a chafing- dish instead ?" " Tis a meeting of the prophets," he re plied, " of prophets bright, Who will tell us what is coming in the centuries ahead. A STYGIAN PROPHECY "Old Isaiah has a notion that there s lots of fun to come, And Cassandra has a poem that we re going to let her read; Jeremiah s got a paper that will strike you mortals dumb With a vision of the future that we think you d better heed." Who would not be interested in an evening of that kind ? Who would not receive a warning of the future if he could ? Who would lose a chance like this one to improve his narrow mind, In despite of all the terrors of that hor- rorific wood ? A STYGIAN PROPHECY So I jumped aboard the cable and I rode for many a mile, And I stuck to it right sternly till 1 reached the hither bank Of the unpellucid river where the people seldom smile, Of the river that of rivers is the fumidest and dank. Then at last, with much of hailing, boat man Charon reached the pier On a sort of combination of canal-boat and a yacht, And I asked him what his fare was, and he scratched his ancient ear As he answered to my question, "I dunno, sir, whatcher got ?" A STYGIAN PROPHECY And I beg you ll understand me when I say that he said that Tis a rather free translation of the words that he did speak ; For we know of course that Charon in such English isn t pat, And his only known vernacular is plain Homeric Greek. Furthermore it must be stated in behalf of Charon s self, Lest I seem to give the notion that the chap was full of tricks, There s a tariff down in Hades that ex cludes all foreign pelf And there s never been a mortal got his money o er the Styx. 7 A STYGIAN PROPHECY They may take an arrant pauper on that other mystic shore, They may take a lot of folks in who like Turpin shone for stealth ; But they ve built a Chinese wall there that contains no single door To admit an aristocracy that s founded on mere wealth. When I d answered that I d nothing Captain Charon arched his brows "Then I fear I cannot take you," he replied and turned away ; "I m not in the ferry business for the fun of running scows, And unless you d like to swim it I m afraid you ll have to stay." 8 A STYGIAN PROPHECY Then a voice came o er the river broad and deep a triple base, Through a Megaphone arrangement bringing out each single note : "Stop your jewing! row him over, less you want to lose your place. He s to be our guest this evening at the meeting on our boat." "Very well, Sir Walter Raleigh," an swered Charon turning pale ; "I was not aware this person was a friend of yours, My Lord. 1 will break the record with him if it takes a ripping gale." And he turned and said urbanely, "Please step lively all aboard." A STYGIAN PROPHECY In just twenty-seven seconds I was on the other bank ; The Committee of Arrangements met me on the landing stage Knightly Raleigh, Mr. Barnum, princely Hamlet, tall and lank, Shem and Samson, Dr. Johnson and Diogenes the sage. And by these I was escorted to the House-boat on the Styx, Where the shades of every time and clime were gathered in great force, Where they sat about in camp-chairs, an anachronistic mix That split up one s cerebellum like a case of real remorse. 10 A STYGIAN PROPHECY Once arrived the function started, Dr. Johnson in the chair, And he spoke some words of wisdom, most of which I have forgot ; Then they brought out Jeremiah and he tore his flowing hair As he let us have a future that was boil ing pretty hot. There was nothing that was worthy, there was nothing that was good ; There was nothing in the future that held anything but woe ; Twas an outlook dark and murky as a vast primeval wood ; And the things we mortals meant for cake were certain to be dough. A STYGIAN PROPHECY There would be no art or letters ; hand made verse would not be style ; And the novels of the future would be writ by syndicates ; All the art that men would worship, in a very little while Would be fashioned by mechanics with a store of stencil plates. There would be no art of cooking, every man who wished to dine In the future would be fed by table d hotes made up in pills ; Every man who wanted comfort and for luxury did pine As we know it, would find nothing that could mitigate his ills. A STYGIAN PROPHECY I ll not bore you with the paper in its pessimistic length. It was quite like Jeremiah from begin ning to its close ; It was full of lamentation, and he wept with so much strength That he nearly swamped the house-boat with the tears that swept his nose. But of course when he had finished he received a stunning cheer, And the spirits all applauded as of course they had to do, As old Jerry left the dais with a smile from ear to ear, With the mild ejaculation "Well, I m mighty glad I m through. 13 A STYGIAN PROPHECY Then the Doctor spoke more wisdom for an hour and a half, While the company all chatted in a very genial way ; When uprose the sweet Isaiah with a happy sort of laugh, And he cast a horoscope that turned old Jeremiah gray. It was different from the other in a very deep-set sense ; For instead of "sanguinary" it was " sanguinistic " quite. All the future would be larksome, all our joys would be intense, And the world would banish darkness and would find its sorrows light. 14 A STYGIAN PROPHECY Roses sweet would bloom in winter, and the grass would e er be green In the face of deadly blizzards and de spite the chilling frost ; And a smile upon the faces of all people would be seen In a time when not a joy in life by any would be lost. There would be no sore temptations and nobody would be sad, Not a soul would suffer from his woes, no one infringe the laws. All the world would take its lexicons and obsolete the bad, And no man would be a debtor, for we d all be creditors. 15 A STYGIAN PROPHECY All his views were optimistic and he had a deal of wit, And he had a knack about him that I envied yes I did ; For his humor was appealing, and it al ways seemed to fit He d a sunshine in his nature of the kind that can t be hid ! And of course when he had finished he received a stunning cheer, All the spirits there applauded, as of course they had to do; And Isaiah left the dais with a smile from ear to ear, With the statement that "like Jerry he was glad twas over, too." 16 A STYGIAN PROPHECY After that with some misgivings, which he couldn t well conceal, Johnson introduced Cassandra "who was nothing," so he said, " But a famous old new woman who d a notion to reveal In a poem that which to her eyes was visible ahead." Then the Trojan prophetess arose with manner full of pride, And without a single tremor stood and looked us in the face. "I came here to read a poem," she ob served, "but I decide It were better far to drop a hint to ben- fit the race. A STYGIAN PROPHECY "Now I know as well as you do that I m thought to be a wight Who has not one sixteen-thousandth of a right to prophesy, But as 1 have sat and listened to the prophecies to-night, It has seemed to me your prophets haven t got the eagle eye. "Jeremiah dear old fellow! has ob served that you will find Everything that stands before you is identified with rue. He has had a vision darksome that unto my weakling mind, Isn t worth a half a ducat, or the breath of saying Pooh ! is A STYGIAN PROPHECY M And Isaiah charming prophet ! sweet Isaiah s quite as bad, Though we ve got to give him credit for the picture that he made ; It is truly much more pleasing than a vision sore and sad, But that s where its value ceases, I am very much afraid. " I admit I m but a woman, but I know a thing or two. I have prophesied for centuries and know my trade, I wis. But there s one thing I must tell you that I think you ought to do, And that is to drop what will be, and to think of that which is. 19 A STYGIAN PROPHECY " There s no use of speculations such as those that we have had. There s to be no change in nature in the coming hundred years. There ll be just as much of good then in proportion to the bad, There ll be just as much of smiling in proportion to the tears. "We have kept the world agoing for a good long bit of time, And we ve found that human nature s been the same in every day. We have listened to forebodings from the seers in every clime, We have looked for the millennium that s yet to come our way. 20 A STYGIAN PROPHECY "And despite the evil prophets who have cast our horoscope Full of darkness and of threat nings, full of trouble and of doom, And despite the sunny prophets who have filled our souls with hope We have found the world unchanging in its sunshine and its gloom. " In the years that stand before us there will be no change in this Unto some they ll bring all gladness, unto others only night ; Unto all will come not trouble unalloyed, nor purest bliss, As would happen if you prophets who have spoken tell us right. A STYGIAN PROPHECY " So instead of reading poems as I stand before you now I advise you steer your house-boat steer it with unceasing care Through the channel of the present, set her overhanging prow Twixt Charybdis optimistic and the Scylla of despair. " In conclusion let me tell you that I ve noticed as a fact And I m getting rather aged, as I think you plainly see That the man who guides his present with a modicum of tact Won t have any cause to worry over that which is to be ! 22 A STYGIAN PROPHECY " And the man who takes his bitters as they come into his life And who in the depths of sorrow thinks about the good he s had, I believe will find great comfort in a future wherein strife Is not much in disproportion to the things that make him glad." Now for you, my Psi U. brothers, let me write one other line, To explain if need be why I bring this message unto you : I have promised to be faithful to our well beloved shrine, And 1 wish to give it all that I have found that s good and true. 23 A STYGIAN PROPHECY And in my day I have found it well to heed the words of her Who that night in distant Hades told the rules which are the best To produce the life that s happy, which will make your pulses stir As you realize e en in your woes how greatly you are blest ! And as fair Cassandra said to us, so say I to you now ; When embarking on the sea of life, steer with unceasing care Through the channel of the present, keep your vessel with its prow Twixt Charybdis optimistic and the Scylla of despair! 24 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM WRITTEN FOR THE LITERARY EXERCISES OF THE PSI UPSILON FRATERNITY CONVENTION: NEW YORK APRIL THE SEVENTH MDCCCXCII THE day was well nigh spent; the noon of night Was soon to show the dying year its grave, And merry chimes, impatient to accord A welcome to the new, scarce held their tongues In decent silence until all was o er. The outer world, that in the times of old 25 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Was used to lie beneath a robe of white, Lay cold and still and gray a symbol fit, : \ A symbol of a dying child of time Whose course was run ; while here and there there peeped Up through the hardened crust of Mother Earth A bit of green, which seemed a promise sweet Of blest eternity ; since none shall die Whose dying moments are not soothed with hope That there are others on whose shoul ders strong The burdens grown too great to bear shall fall, And falling, find their Atlas there. Within 26 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM The embers glowed, and by their light I sat, A watcher, sad, alone ; the coming year Was but a hope, the present was but death. I could not join with them that feasted then, For watch-night revelries bring to my mind The sin of Gertrude and that Danish King, When meats prepared for festival of woe Were set scarce cold to deck a marriage feast. As was my wont I mused upon the past, Revolving o er and o er the joys and griefs Of this, the year whose knell should soon be tolled. 27 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM A casting of accounts it was to see If good or ill were measured out the more ; And as 1 mused, I saw where Nature took All undeterred her course, life seemed most sweet, While what of woe had been therein for man Had come from acts rebellious to her rule. Then suddenly, afar, across the hills The midnight bells began their solemn dirge A dirge that, as its slow and measured tones Rang sadly out upon the crisp night air, 28 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Should swell into an Ave, thus to greet The advent of the new-born year. The strokes As each one fell upon my ear I strove To count, when on a sudden all was still ; The air was scarcely vibrant with the sixth When Time itself a moment seemed to pause. My soul was awed ; in wonderment my eyes Roved over all, and with my ears attent I listened for the strokes completing twelve ; And as I listened then there came a sound As of the voice of one of wisdom ripe Addressing one he loved, in whom his hope 29 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Was centered words a dying father might Have whispered to a well-beloved son. And, as the words came, 1 could see two forms: Upon my right a sturdy youth there sat, Who gazed in rapt attention on the face Of him who spoke ; the speaker, bent with age, His patriarchal beard snow white, his eye, Which dissolution soon should glaze, most bright, Sat to the left of me the meeting twas Of him whose work was done and that one who A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Was now to take his place of one who saw Wherein his failures lay, and now had come To point another to the path of Truth ; And, tremulously voiced, his words were these : "This is an age of artifice, my son An age wherein the artificial stands More honored far than that which Nature makes A lesson I have learned in bitterness. When, one long year agone, I stood as you Now stand upon the threshold of your time, No one was there to indicate to me Where pitfalls lay, and to direct my thoughts A PLEA FOR NATURALISM To channels which should upward lead mankind. I had no mentor, boy, to give to me, As I now give to you, one hint of that Surpassing opportunity, now lost, To lead man back from those unstable heights From which he now looks down upon the plain Where Nature rests back to her loving arms Who is the mother blest of every good- Back from the clouds of unreality Into the world that breathes the living God. In letters what do men to-day ? They wield A marvelously pretty pen ; their works Voluminous and graceful multiply, 33 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Upbuilding monuments of thought? Ah, no ! But shafts of words in memory of Style Mosaics with surpassing beauty phrased But yet as hard, and cold, and void of truth As any stone-depicted scene must be. In poetry we find most tender hearts Engaged with pretty thoughts as like to those Of Shakespeare and of Milton as the lakes That snuggle in the mountain fastnesses Are like the broad and unrestrained sea ; Their days are spent confining flies of thought In deep and mellow amber cages till 33 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM You re conscious of the amber not the fly. j* Blind worshippers of form are they of form Man-made, and not that wondrous, beautiful, Though shapeless seeming form that bears the stamp Which shows it heaven sent sweet Nature s own ; Of form which drives from great to little things, Destroys man s potency to move the heart, And gives instead a fleeting thrill to sense ; Of form which holds in bondage genius e en, So that our poets, e en the most inspired, 34 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Seem rhymesters of the garden close and not The minstrels of the hills, the wilder ness, Who sing the Anthems of the Universe. Our novelists, when they essay the real, Are bound to be romancers all, because The ways of man so artificial are They have no slightest semblance to that mode Of living here which Nature would prescribe. In artifice are all things reared ; by it Are all things formed nor matters it one jot Where you may look, that most ac cursed taint Of so-called art hath sicklied o er all things 35 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM With that most dreadful pallor which precedes No less a thing than death. Man can not live In insincerity always ; no more Can aught else in the universe exist Which most persistent everywhere pursues That corruscating will-o -wisp, Untruth. Our painters, would they be content to tread Where Nature leads, her followers become, Might take us back to those immortal days When masters were ; when it were heresy For mortal hands e en to so much as hint 36 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM That Nature might do better could she see Through mortal eyes ; why, boy, but yesterday I saw a canvas by a man of fame Depicting scenes he never saw, effects Of so-called light and color which have come From nothing less than dreams induced by strong Potations in a mind diseased, malformed. And on their knees before this self-same work, The critics worshipped and its author hailed As one inspired as one to whom was sent A gift divine from God on high. The gift .;;cbui!-r/ 37 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Was God s, the instrument, alas ! was weak. A chosen soul intrusted with His work Was swerved from duty s path and made to lie Prostrate before this Juggernaut of Art ! The stage hath artifice unspeakable. And in the mart men purchase and then sell For uncoined, undiscoverable gold, Unplanted grains and non-existent shares. Tis found in churches day by day we seem To wander farther from the simplest truths ; We re so befogged by articles of faith, By dogmas of the church, things orthodox, 38 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM That worthy spirits choose the simplest texts And cover reams of paper to explain What should be patent to the weakest mind Not only should, but would be patent had Man made one slightest effort to retain Their sweet simplicity, and to prevent The priests of Sect, of Form, of Artifice From weaving round about them till obscure The web of Dogma, Satan s own device. In life political not conscience rules; Expediency, artifice, holds sway, And nations find themselves divided on The problems which the plainest com mon sense, A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Plus honesty, could in one moment solve : And they who seek our highest offices Must bend before machines those Frankensteins Of politics, which ever sacrifice The country s good to politicians greed, And conscience withers neath ambi tion s lust. The remedy ? Tis Nature that is all. Let Nature once again assert her power : Let Nature say to man, Tis mine to rule, Thine to obey, and it is done and once Tis done, man hath an ally to insure Complete attainment of his cherished ends; And messages of God through mortals sent 40 A PLEA FOR NATURALISM Will surer reach their destination here, Will surer reach the hearts of those whose place In meekness tis to listen, not to lead. And ere I leave thee, boy, I beg thee take The words of one who s learned the truth to heart. And let it be thy task to show to him Who follows after thee the work begun Of reinstating Nature on her throne ; Of placing man where he should be- below, And not above. Not this for Nature s sake, But that usurping man himself may take That lofty place in this grand universe Which will be his if he but choose aright A PLEA FOR NATURALISM The path thereto neath Nature s guid ing hand." The bells, resuming, tolled the seventh stroke, And on the eighth the youth rose up and strode To where the old man sat ; then, kneel ing there, He kissed his hand. The other sadly smiled ; The forehead of the youth he kissed, and as The last completing stroke of twelve rang out, Passed from my sight. Again was I alone ; Yet not alone, for with me rested HOPE. M149477 Bangs ,J.Kj 953 B216 ro A prcnhecj r and a plea ase M149477 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY YC148192