Page:Facts and Fancies about Our "Son of the Woods", Henry Clarence Kendall and his Poetry (IA factsfanciesabou00hami).pdf/48

42 printing while he was still in his 'thirties; and a few years after, ere he had time to prepare further literary work (for he had his duties to perform as Inspector of Forests, which was no sinecure, the duties of which position took up much of his time away from home, absorbing his energy, for he was naturally, a very delicate man), he caught a severe cold when travelling in the forest on his rounds as inspector, from which he never recovered, and he died shortly after.

Whatever he may not have written, he wrote enough and far more than enough, to have well earned the gratitude of Australia, and the gratitude, also, of England, the Mother Country, if she (England) is generously interested in our progress as a Nation among Nations. While the names of adverse critics and censurers are forgotten, his (Kendall's) name has still held its unrivalled position among those who have essayed to become poets under the Southern Cross, as "Australia's Sweetest Singer," and "The Father of Australian Poetry." There was no attempt to place him in a position where he could have followed his natural bent for poesy, so unmistakably evident, and so distinctly stamped with the unique mark of original genius as opposed to mere imitative talent, that there is little excuse for God's gift to a nation (in his case), having been regarded indifferently and left to perish if it would.

No professor of literature, no system of education, no school, no college, no university can make a poet. But That is a gift to a nation that man has no hand in. But man can destroy the human instrument endowed by the Creator with the spiritual fire of the poet's soul. He can still the lyre for this world, whatever may be the conditions for the poet when he shall have "crossed the waters" to "the bourne from whence no traveller returns." But man does this at his own peril, spiritually, and at a nation's loss, not only spiritually, but intellectually and morally. We, as a nation, are at present under a blight in that respect, for where is the man among our public men, who is evidence in himself that "God is never left without a witness among His people?"