Here's what Walt Whitman had to say about the big man's passing.
DEATH OF GENERAL GRANT
As one by one withdraw the lofty actors,
From that great play on history's stage eterne,
That lurid, partial act of war and peace—of old and new con-
tending,
tending,
Fought out through wrath, fears, dark dismays, and many a long
suspense;
suspense;
All past—and since, in countless graves receding, mellowing,
Victor's and vanquish'd—Lincoln's and Lee's—now thou with
them,
them,
Man of the mighty days—and equal to the days!
Thou from the prairies!—tangled and many-vein'd and hard has
been thy part,
been thy part,
To admiration has it been enacted!
Meh. Not Walt's best work.
Bierce always had something interesting to say about Grant. I don't always agree with it but it sure is fun to read.
ReplyDeleteI also love Bierce's definition of President from 'The Devil's Dictionary' that still applies to this day:
PRESIDENT, n.
The leading figure in a small group of men of whom -- and of whom only -- it is positively known that immense numbers of their countrymen did not want any of them for President.
If that's an honor surely 'tis a greater
To have been a simple and undamned spectator.
Behold in me a man of mark and note
Whom no elector e'er denied a vote! --
An undiscredited, unhooted gent
Who might, for all we know, be President
By acclimation. Cheer, ye varlets, cheer --
I'm passing with a wide and open ear!
Jonathan Fomry
Chris