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EDITOR’S DEPARTMENT.
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4
ATHENS,SATURDAY, MARCH 24. 1849.
Fugitive Poetry.
The mere Jingle of rhymes is not poetry. Neither
the commonplace dullness of hopeless stupidity, the
bombast and affectation of puerile vanity, nor the
thrice diluted nonsense of a sickly sentimentality,
which are thrust before us in the newspapers and
magazines of the da}’, in the garb of verse, have any
claims upon our respect, and very little upon our
forbearance. The utmost stretch of literary be
nevolence only requires us to lot them pass in si
lence. In saying this, we are not passing a sentence
of condemnation upon all newspaper and magazine
poetry. Far be it from us to do this. On the c-< n
trary, we believe that our fugitive poetical litera
ture has received too little credit. We are convin
ced that its merits and influence have Seen under
rated.
The songs of Burns, Be ranger and Barry Corn
wall, are as truly poetry as the master pieces of
Shakspeare, Milton and Goethe. This is not pla
cing Bonny Boon on a level with Paradise Lost.
The majestic oak of the forest towers far above the
slight, graceful willow of the garden, but the latter
is nevertheless a tree, perfect in all its parts. A
simple ballad, or a lyric of only three stanzas, may
be as purely a work of genius and art a3 Childe
Harold, and in its particular department as worthy
of our admiration. It may, moreover, exert as
’.vide an influence and be charged with as sublime a
mission.
Probably the current literature of no country on
the globe is richer in fugitive poetry than our own.
We find much, it, is true, in all our periodicals,
whatever may be their literary pretensions, that
wears the form and semblance of po. try, but pos
sesses, wick the exception, perhaps, of tolerably cor
rect metre and passable lhymcs, none of its attri
butes : but, at the same time, if we examine care
fully, we shall discover, in humble guise, and with
no high-sounding name attached to them, many a
legitimate offspring of the muses. These should
not bo despised or neglected, because we happen to
meet them elsewhere than in the library or the par
lor. The most beautiful flowers sometimes spring
up in the midst of unsightly weeds. While we be
-1 ieve that it is the duty of the conductors of the pub
lic press to discountenance all attempts on the part
of those whose rhyming follies only serve to make
them appear supremely ridiculous, in the sight of
every person ot teste and judgment, to force their
jingling nonsense upon the public, we wish to see
real talent encouraged and rewarded. Whoever
“creates new beauty,” either in poc ry, music,
painting, or sculpture, is a benefactor ot the race.
Luc credit to such is too often withheld, when it is
most needed. The early efforts of some moocst and
unprcsuining youth are often severely and unju:tly
criticised and condemned, while productions of far
less merit, thrown off in haste by one whose lite racy
reputat ion is established, receive lavish and unde
served praise. Shame on such criticism.
We have no wish to overrate our current poetical
literature, but we wish to see strict justice meted
out to all. Hundreds of little poems, written by
persons whose names arc entirely unknown to fame,
and who have never, perhaps, dreamed of liter.;iy
celebrity, are now making the tour of the States, in
the corners of village newspapers, and in the eclec
tic departments of second and third-rate magazines,
which would do no discredit to the masters of the
shell. We often meet these estruys wandering, or
phan-like, through the world, unowned and uncared
for by those, the offspring of whose brain they are,
but, nevertheless, everywhere welcome, and every
where exerting their benign inflaence. We wish to
see tho writers of these fugitive pie es duly aj pre
dated, and placed on the roll cf poets, though they
may never have written an epic, or been puffed in a
Review.
The influence of such poetry we have alluded
to, though silent and almost unno*iced, is yet very
great. It enters all circles, appealing to the highest
and purest feelings < f our common nature, and ex
erting its elevating and refining influences upon ml
hearts. Its lessons will he remembered, v.hcn the
eermons of the preacher, the speeches of tne states
man, and the essays of the philosopher, will be for
gotten. Greater than the priest, the sage, or the
legislator, is the Child of Song.
§® ® a&ie m M'u’MA&Er s&SßTrsrs.
We intend to recur to this subject again at some
future time, and speak more at length of the char
acter and influence of our newspaper and magazine
poetry. *.
Notices to Correspondents.
In the temporary absence of the Editor, such
communications as are of immediate importance will
re eivc due attention; all others will lie over until
his return. Various letters have already accuinu
lat and. the writers of which will understand the rea
son why they are not answered.
©ur (flossljj Column.
A writer in the last number of the Westminster
Review takes up the pen in defcnco of the great
Sea-serpent, and, with the help of a “cloud of wit
nesses” of “unimpeachable veracity,” makes out a
pretty strong case in favor of his snakesh’p- He af
firms that a maj >rity. of the sawns, professors and
curators, who have so flippantly ] ronounceel his
Snakish Majesty the “mere ghost of a marine hum
bug,” would not know a whale from a povpohe, or
a porpoise Fom a shark, or a shark flora an ichtby
o aurus, if they beheld these creatures in their na
tive element ; and that it is only when an animal is
stuffed with Straw, or reduced to a skeleton, that
knowledge with them begins and end-’. In conclu
sion, the reviewer addresses tho great uncaught in
the words of the’ following new reading of Shaks
peare:
“Tell
Why thy long-buried bones, hoarSed in earth,
1 Uve burst their cov’rings ! Why the sepulchre,
Wherein we thought thee quietly inurn’d,
Hath oi)ed his ponderous and marble jaws,
To cast thee up again 1 What may this mean,
That thou, (lead corse, again in complete flesh,
Revisit’st thus the waters of tins world,
Making day hideous ; and we fools of Science,
So horribly to shake our cherish’d systems,
With things beyond the wishes of our souls'?”
.... Preparations are in progress for the coinage
of the gold dollars authorized by Congress, and in a
few weeks they will be in circulation. We have no
doubt they will meet with a cordial welcome wher
ever they go. In this golden age, who would be
cauglit with a pocket full of silvfer 1 Not we! . .
. . Someone having threatened to assassinate one
of the Editors of the “Ohio State Journal,” he
thus coolly disposes of the matter“ The junior
editor of the State Journal prerents his compliments
to his friends and fellow-citizens, and invites them
all to his funeral the day after he is killed.” . . . .
M. Vattemare's system of International Exchanges
is succeeding admirably, and, as we learn from the
North American, has already been approved and
adopted, with ample annual appropriations, in the
legislative action of twenty-one of the United
States .... An “ error of the press,” which,
by the way, has been extensively committed, makes
Sir E. L. Bulwer the successor of Sir E ichard Pack
enham at Washington. The new Minister is Sir
llenry L. Bulwer, an Cider brother of the great and
successful novelist. He was recently British Minis
ter at the Court of Spain, is himself an author of
considerable celcbritv’, and lias tho reputation of be
ing an amiable and honorable man The
late Doctor Maxccy, some time President of the S.
Carolina College, and a man of great learning, was
remarkable for tho ingenious ways in which he con
trived to rebuke tho misconduct of the students.
One night, as he was about reiiringto rest, after
late studies, lie heard a noise in his yard, and found,
upon examination, that someone was stealing his
turkies, which were accustomed to roost in a large
shade-tree. Proceeding very cautiously towards
the tree, he discovered that there were two of the
College students, who, entirely unsuspicious of dan
ger, called each other by name, and thus revealed
themselves to the President. The hitter then made
a somewhat abrupt appearance to the one who was
under the tree, and he disappeared so suddenly, that
his companion in the tree was quite ignorant of the
fact, and, hearing the Doctor moving about below,
he hailed him as follows: “Now, Sam, look out
for the old Doctor,” and, wringing the’ neck of a
fine gobler, he tumbled him down, as he supposed,
into his comrade’s hands. The Doctor, in a feigned
voice, acknowledged the sa r e receipt, and our hero
again addressed him : “Hurrah, Sam! now for the
old lady!” and forthwith a fine hen was struggling
on the ground. Seizing her with one hand, and the
gobler with tho other, the President now raised an
alarm, and immediately ran for his house. r iho
student was out cf the tree in an instant, and off in
an opposite direction, without staying to ascertain
the cause of the alarm. The next morning, he en
quired of his comrade after the .-polls of the night,
but of course ho knew nothing of them. While
they were pondering the cause of their discomfiture,
they were agreeably surprised to receive a fi. tteiing
invitation to dine that day, at the house of the
President, with a select com; any. The honor was
such, that they felt themselves greatly elated, and
at the usual hour they appeared at the Presidential
mansion, where they were received very cordially
by Doctor Maxccy. As-eiubled at the dinner tabic,
were the Doctor’s family, and some guesjs frem the
town—among them two or three hoik s. While our
heroes of the. turkey expedition were congratulating
themselves on the favor shewn them, Doctor Max
ccy addressed ono of them as follows: “ Mr. ,
shall I help you to a piece of the turkey 1” [There
were two fine ones standing, ono at the head, and
the other at the foot of the table.] “If you please,
sir,” replied Sam. “ Will you have a piece of ‘ the
old Doctor,’ or apiece of ‘ tho old lady T questioned
tho host with great suavity, if a bomb-shell had
struck poor Sam, ho could rot have been more terri
bly crestfallen. lie turned red and pale by turns,
and stammered out something unintelligible to the
company. Tho Doctor took pity on him, and, help
ing him to a generous plateful, turned to his com
rade, and said, “And which will you have, Mr.
lady 1 They are both fine birds—killed only last
night!” Ihe confusion of both tho guests may be
imagined, not described. They passed a purgato
rial hour at the dinner table, and afterwards vowed
that they would rather have been expelled from Col
lege a dozen times. Tho Doctor never made further
allusion to tho subject Wc are exceeding
ly pained to learn that Charles Fonno Hoffman,
Esq., an accomplished gentleman and popular au
thor, is laboring under an attack of insanity, lie
is under the best medical caro at a ivato asylum,
and, wc fervently hops, will be speedily restored to
himself and his sympathizing friends.
©ur UocU OTafclf.
Publishers and Authors who desire to have their
Books noticed in this Gazette are requested to send cop
ies to Editor through Stringer it Townsend, New-York
or Carey k Hart, Philadelphia.
The Clf.rqy of America. Anecdotes Illustrative
of the Character of Ministers of Religion in the
United States. By Joseph Belcher. D. D. One
vol., 12mo. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott &
Cos.
We are quite disposed to agree with the author
of this book, when he says, in his Preface: “ At all
events, here is a volume perfectly unique— unlike
everything else in tho language.” Nor is this the
only merit of the work, for wo think both tho de
sign and execution of it truly excellent. Indeed,
Dr. Belcher lias done tho religious public a good,
and, we doubt not, acceptable scrvico, in preparing
this voiiune. It comprehends a large amount of
material, drawn from the published and unpublish
ed memorials of hundreds of American Clergymen
of all denominations. The volumo is divided into
several parts, of which the following are some of the
titles : Incidents of Pulpit Labours, Intercourse of
Clergymen with each other, and with Society;
Success of tho Clergy, &c. Under each of these
heads arc recorded numerous authentic anecdotes,
touching incidents, and remarkable experiences,
connected with names venerated throughout tho
land, such as Payson, Whitefield, Beecher, Bedell,
Davies, Dwight, Hooker, Stoughton, Edwards, Jud
son, Lamed, and a host of others. In looking over
its pages, we noticed the names of Mercer, Waddel,
Asbury, Furman, Rice, and other distinguished di
vines—names which arc as familiar as household
words to many of our readers. Bomo of the inci
dents related are well known, while others —by far
the greater part —are new to us. As an illustration
of the character of tho book, wc quote the following
incident —assured, also, that it will gratify some of
our readers:
) /
Rev. Dr. Mercer.
The Rev. President Manly gives the following il
lustration of the intense feeling of this venerable
minister:
“I saw him at Eatonton, in 1824, in an aspect
which I must re late, as it illustrates tho simple piety
and tenderness of his heart. It was on a Sunday of
Ihe meeting of the Georgia Convention. Brother
Sand I were present. Brother Mercer sat in
the pulpit with us. S got up, and, in his
quiet way, surveyed tho very large assembly, with
several glances, and opened his address thus: —
‘ Where .-hall wo obtain bread to feed so great a
multitude! For my part, 1 am unprovided and
penniless ; but there is a lad here,’ turning round
and putting his hand on my head, as I leaned for
ward in the pulpit, ‘ who has five barley-loaves and
two little fishes, which* with the presence and bless
ing of Jesus, shall constitute a feast.’ This well
nigh upset me. But it drove me to prayer. The
Lori loosed my mind, and unlocked tho fountain of
tears, so that it was computed that, through a great
part cf the disef urse, there was an average of at
least five hundred persons continually bathed in
Cars. There was nothing in all this Botliivi that
to in 1 was so affecting, as when I turned round and
saw the sympathetic streams coursing swiftly down
the furrowed cheeks of Father Mercer.”
Here is another anecdote worthy of remembrance:
Rev. Dr. Lathrop.
The late Rev. Dr. Lathrop wa3 a man of genuine
piety, but was greatly oppo-ed to the noisy zeal
which seeks commendation by constantly talking
about it. A young divine, who was much given to
religious cant, one day said to him, “ Do you sup
pose, sir. you have any real religion?'” The good
doctor admirably replied, “ None to speak of.”
The following aj t illustration does credit to the
source of it:
A colored preacher in Philadelphia, a few years
since, showed his correct theology and his ingenui
ty, in telling his auditory, in language ami style
they could well comprehend, an important truth :
“My dear brrddren, do liberal man, what gibs
away bis property, ain’t gwine to heaben for dat.no
moie dan some of you wicked sinners. Charity
ain’t no good widout righteousness. It is like beef
steak widout gravy; dat is to tay, no good, no
how.”
Wo predict for this volumo a generous reception
by the Christian public, and can conscientiously
commend it to their favor.
Oregon and California in 1848. By .1. Quinn
Thornton. In two vols. 12m0., pp. 393, 397.
New York : Harper & Brothers.
An authentic account of regions so interesting at
this time as Oregon, and particularly California,
cannot fail to attract attention ; and the reader of
these volumes will be amply’ repaid for their perusal.
Wo have pursued the narrative with deep interest,
and can heartily commend both the style and spirit
of the work. The author emigrated to Oregon in
1846, and soon after his arrival there, was created
Judge of the Supreme Court. Ilia high official pe
tition gsive him unusual facilities for becoming ac
quainted with the Oregon country, and nowhere is
there to be found a moro comprehensive account of
tho Icatures and resources of that wido territory,
than in Judge Thornton's pleasant volumes. There
arc numerous chapters devoted to its geography, its
settlements, its geology, mineralogy, natural histo
ry ~soil, climate, and productions.
The most interesting portion of tho first volume,
however, is the narrativo of the author’s journey to
Umpqua Mountains. Ho was accompanied by his
wife, whoso health was feeble, and they passed
through scenes and scarons of hardship which ap
pear almost incredible. Starting with a numerous
company—well provided with wagons, horses, and
oxen, and with all the comforts available for such
an expedition, they left Independence in May, 1846,
and seven months afterwards they entered the boau
tiful valley of Wilmahettc—their numbers dimin
ished by death —their wagons nearly all wrecked
upon the mountain passes behind them —their oxen
dead, and most of their personal effects wasted or
lost! The journey from Ogden's River to Black
Rock was one of immense toil and continual hard
ship. It was performed over a road called “ Apple
gate's Cut Off.” The man whoso name is linked
with this route, is shewn up as “ Parthis Mcnda
cior.” It seems that, in order to allure emigrants
over this route, lie represented it as “ a good way,”
and “at least 200 milc3 ncurer than any other
route.” To our author and his companions, it pro
ved an evil way,and, according to tho best estimate,
nearly 300 miles further than the ordinarj’ route! —
The distance, however, was the least evil they en
countered ; and wc could give, in our brief limits,
no adequate idea of the character of this “cut off.”
It must suffice for us to say, that the route lay fre
quently through narrow mountain defilos, mostly
covered with snow-cold water, through which tho
emigrants had to wade, sometimes for miles! Those
passes are calied canons, and tho account of the
passage of one of them, three miles long, shut in by
precipitous cliffs 2000 feet high, and covered with
water from two to four feet deep, is one of the most
exciting in the author’s personal adventures. Think
only, of a delicate woman wading, for three miles,
through iec-cold water, frequently up to her waist,
and over rough rocks and boulders! We should
quote a portion of this terrible passage, but that we
desire to present it to our readers entire in the next
number.
The second volumo contains narratives of the suf
ferings of a party of California Emigrants upon the
Sierra Nevada. Tho old ndigc, that “Truth is
stranger than fiction,” is abundantly proved in those
dreadful details. Tho “ Camp of Death” strikes us
ns presenting a picture scarcely paralleled in the re
cords of human suffering.
Wc have not space to say much moro of these
books. The}’ are written in an agreeable style, un
encumbered with useless ornament, but touching
the heart of tho reader with its simplicity and natu
ralness. The author exhibits a continual spirit of
cheerful dependence upon Providence, and Mrs.
Thornton’s heroism wins our admiration. Occa
sionally, a vein of humor discovers itself in the nar
rative, to which it adds a pleasing variety.
The author’s persor nl observations in San Fran
cisco and vicinity weie made prior to the discovery
of the Gold Regions; hut all the authentic infor
mation yet obtained concerning the “El Dorado,”
is embodied in a copious appendix.
The volumes are beautifully printed, and illustra
ted with numerous fine engravings on wood, and a
very excellent map. They certainly constitute a
very agreeable, and we think no less valuable, addi
tion to our somewhat scanty stock of knowledge
concerning those countries, which uro now attract
ing the eyes of the wo Id, and which will shortly be
reclaimed from their majestic wildness to a rapidly
progressive civilization.
(jC?'Thc above Books arc sold by VV. N.White.
s>Tiie Sons cv Temperance, of Father Math
ew 1 i vision. No. 31, n.t> ( ucsted to beat their
| Hal] o : .*’a; :rd. y nc. t. . s n :<>rtant business is t
! betranau ‘. A. YNOLD3, It. S.
361