The Reason. (Savannah, GA.) 1908-19??, July 11, 1908, Page 5, Image 5

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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. 5