Joaquin Miller

“ No one can deny that at the time of the Jameson Raid the aim of the Outlanders and the raiders was to usurp the Transvaal Government, and he must be willfully blind who does not see what the Outlanders failed to do by bullets they hope presently to do by votes, and only those who, while jealous of their own independence, regard but little the independence of people who stand in their way, can fail to sympathize with the Boers in their resistance to political extinction. ”

“ England’s best friends to-day are those who deplore this assault on the farmer Boers, so like ourselves a century back. Could any man be found strong enough to stay her hand with sword or pen in this mad hour? That man would deserve her lasting gratitude. This feeling of abhorrence holds in England as well as here. Take for example the following from her ablest thinker to a friend in Philadelphia:
“I rejoice that you and others are bent on showing that there are some among us who think the national honor is not being enhanced by putting down the weak. ”

“ Archimedes still holds his measured home;
Grim Marius his ruins as of yore,
And heart still turns to heart, as then.
Live by the sword and by the sword
Ye surely die: thus saith the Lord—
And die despised of men. ”

“ Edwin Arnold recently said: “Joaquin Miller is one of the two greatest American poets.”
James Whitcomb Riley said of Joaquin Miller’s singing: “It is the truest American voice that has yet thrilled the echoes of our wild, free land, and awakened the admiration and acclaim of the Old World. No marvel that our Country is proud of this proud child of hers, who in all lands has sung her dawning glory and his own changeless loyalty to her.”
Songs of the Soul
This volume contains this well known poet’s latest, and as pronounced by all critics, best poetic productions. ”

“ Then why not Usland? And why should we always say American? The Canadian, the Mexican, the Brazilian and so on are as entirely entitled to the name American as we. Why not say Usman, as Frenchman, German, and so on? ”

“ For the good that we can do.
[5]
Find here not one ill word for brave old England; my first, best friends were English. But for her policy, her politicians, her speculators, what man with a heart in him can but hate and abhor them? ”

“ Each of the longer poems is followed by extensive foot notes written by the poet himself, also a most interesting, reminiscent preface and appendix narrating incidents and scenes in his eventful life, never published before. It has several illustrations showing the poet at different ages, also a beautiful scene from his present home on “The Hights.” ”