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rooting into life, national or individual. Its 

 themes have a wearying sameness in tone and 

 spirit. The future of American poetry is not 

 bright and beckoning, and criticism is not con- 

 cerned with prophecy. The law of reaction will 

 express itself, it must, just when or in what way 

 it is not possible to affirm. The seriously ener- 

 getic thinking and working of the present are 

 manifestly along scientific and commercial lines. 

 Everywhere the spirit of investigation, analysis, 

 and criticism is rife in material interests. The 

 material is dominant. Commerce is king. This 

 nation is pre-eminently a commercial nation. 

 The prevalence and dominance of this spirit is 

 subversive and retardative of the higher facul- 

 ties which do not easily fertilize in such soil. 

 The demand for the poet grows deeper and 

 stronger. If he comes he will have a cordial 

 greeting and the material was never so amply 

 at hand. 



