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The Reason.
July 11, 1908
Page 5, Image 5
The Reason., July 11, 1908, Page 5, Image 5
Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by Farris Cadle.
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UNCLE REMUS
SUMMONED HOME.
The writer finds the same* difficulty in marshall
ing words to fittingly and becomingly express his
sentiments regarding the character and genius of
Uncle* Remus who passed away last Eriday evening
at S o’clock, that he experiences on every occasion
when called upon to pay tribute to the great and
good. Thi‘ subject is too large too broad: and the
attempt of the mind to grasp it is as fruitless as
the attempt of the eye to grasp and take in the*
whole of 1 he sea.
Uncle Remus was a Beaut v who went about in
this world with the keys to the hearts of the high
born and lowly, hung around his neck, making love
to hot h but never flirt ing once.
He was a fountain, with many hydrants spouting
pure, living water, at which all mankind might come
and drink to their soul's full satisfaction, without
stooping or standing on tiptoe to reach and sip the
good. It is this phase of genius this power to at
tract and hold the attention of the little ones as well
as the large ones, even celebrites of acknowledged
reknown in literature and the highest art, that
makes him one of the most remarkable men ever
produced by the South. Indeed, it is a question if
within the limits of the United States a greater
literary genius has been produced in the last hun
dred years.
With a style that is clear and direct and thoughts
pure and true beyond any personal cavil, he pos
sessed the remarkable faculty of being able to dress
up his ideas in the choicest language, which gave
to them the finest tints and shades of the rainbow
and lily.
There is a law which makes us as liberal with
THE REASON
our words of praise and as unstinted in our rewards
for the rich fruits of the brain as we are in our
blame and punishment for the man of genius who
makes no proper use of it. This law has made of
Umde Remus a world-wide, whose articulate voice
in folk-lore tales depicting characteristically life
among the lowly, is heard round the world; with
the result that his labor has been rewarded ami
fortune kinder to him than he ever thought it should
be.
Not having the mental balance* with which to
weigh the forces of heredity to analyze* the* myster
ous force's of the* brain, how are* we* ever to account
for the* birth of the* mighty passion e>f Joel Uhamller
Harris for literature, as revealeel to us in his “Erec
Jot* ami the* Rest of Us," “Brer Rabbit ami elc
Tar Baby 3 /"
Like* tlu* lily he* never toileel nor spun in the
schemls and cedleges e>f learning. yet not erne* of those*
who have so done* was ever better arrayed. His
assertion that genius is more* the result of perspira
tion than inspiration seems to be contraelicted by
the* remarkable capacity he displayed for extraordi
nary work eef the highest art without previous prep
aration. In his vouth it is said bv those who knew
• *
him well that he* literally bubbleel over with a glow
ing wealth of ideas that found expression in the*
choicest of language*. The* same seems to be* true.* of
all men of genius of every time and place*. Shake
speare did not have the genius knockeel emt of him
by cedlege training neither diel Whittier, Boe*. Dick
ens. (’arlyle nor Ruskin.
The* life* of Uncle Remus, so fruitful of great ami
en luring results, results as immortal as immor
t dity itself, might have resulted in a dismal failure
had he been brought up in college* with a silver
spoem in his mouth. Silver spoons have* been almost
fatal to mankind as fish hooks to tin* fish.
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