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THB SOUTHERN WORLD, JANUARY ,5,18*6 89 Biographical. Written specially for the Southern World.J SOUTHERN LIVING WRITERS. Paul Hamilton Hayne. BV PROF. HENRY E. HARMAN. Of the few earnest literary workers in all the South to-day, Paul H. Hayne stands cleverly among the first. For more than thirty years he has wielded a facile pen, and, notwithstanding his verses lack the enthusiastic fire which stirs the heart in Father Ryan’s poetry, have not the identity that is noticeable in Requier, nor yet the genial natural ness of Timrod, still we place him for ward to-day as the best exponent of our Southern literature. Mr. Hayne’s po ems are not only read and admired in his own section, but throughout the North he is a favorite; and even beyond the sea his sterling qualities as a poet nold high recognition. Bryant, Long fellow and Willis—brothers in the same high calling, who have crossed the mys tic river—all spoke of his verse in the most complimentary manner; Victor Hugo has evinced much interest in his history, both personal and literary; and Mr. Edwin P. Whippie and Bayard Tay lor both attribute to Mr. Hayne more of the poetic enthusiasm than is pos sessed by William Morris, his English contemporary. Paul Hamilton Hayne was born in the city ot Charleston, January 1st, 1830. His father was Lieutenant Paul H. Hayne, of the United States Navy, who was a younger brother of the famous Gen. Robert Y. Hayne, so well known in Congressional history. From early boyhood he had a passionate fondneBB for books and eagerly perused such works as “Robinson Crusoe,” “The Arabian Nights,” “ Swiss Family Rob inson” and “The Anatomy of Melan choly.” Mr. Hayne was educated at the Col lege of Charleston, from which institu tion he graduated in 1850, having won a number of honors and medals during his course. He next studied law, and was admitted to the bar at an early age. But the law had few charms for him who aspired to fame in the walks of litera ture. William Gilmore Simms was at that time the most prominent man of letters in the South, and he used all his influence and power to aid the youth in his early efforts. Mr. Hayne at this time was in affluent circumstances and did not choose to follow any regular avo cation, but his desire for a literary ca reer was so great that he naturally turn ed his attention in that direction. The first regular literary position held by Mr. Hayne was that of editor of the Southern Literary Gazette. This brought him before the public. The Gazette be ing merged into the Weekly News, Mr. Hayne continued as editor of the new combination, but in 1854 the News failed, and then its editor began writing stories and sketches for the Southern Literary Messenger. liusseVs Magazine was started in Charleston in 1857, and our author was at once chosen its editor. This journal soon became the leading periodical in the South, and during the two years in which Mr. Hayne was connected with it he won considerable distinction, espe cially as a reviewer and essayist. Mr. Hayne’s first volume was pub lished by Ticknor & Fields in 1855, and consisted principally of fugitive pieces which had appeared in various journals. One noted exception was the “Tempta tion of Venus,” which waB very gener ally admired. This first volnme was pronounced by leading critics to be one of great promise. Two years later Mr. Hayne’s second volume of poems was issued by a pub lishing house in Charloston, and at once reached an extensive Bale. Probably the finest poem of this collection was “The Ode to Sleep,” “which at once distinguished the author, and marked the highest point he had yet attained in poetry.” “ Avolio and Other Poems ” came out iu 1859 from the press of Messrs. Tick nor & Fields, and of this third volume the Atlantic Monthly, in a very compli mentary criticism, said: “ Mr. Hayne’s volume shows culture, thoroughness, sensibility to natural beauty, and great refinement of feeling. In many of his sonnets the post shows a genuine vigor of expression and maturity of purpose.” In 1860, when the war broke out, Mr. Hayne was quietly and contentedly en gaged in literary work in his native city. The Hayne family had always been noted for its gallantry, so when the State called for volunteers our poet bravely responded. E very day his fame was growing brighter and his future en larging, but all this he willingly left be hind and turned to the war. For a time he served on the staff of GovernorPickens and afterwards as a volunteer soldier in Fort Sumter. But the hardships of army life told heavily upon his delicate con stitution and he was compelled to retire from active service. At the close of the war Mr. Hayne found himself left in destitute circum stances. His house in Charleston had been burned by the bursting of a shell, fired when the Northern troops were en tering the city. His youth and early manhood had been bright with happy dreams. He had married a beautiful and noble woman at the age of twenty- two, bad lived almost a dozen years af terward without a want, but alaa! the bloody, cruel war left him, like hundreds of others, without a home. Gazing upon the smouldering ruins to which his almost palatial residence had been reduced, he thought of the beautiful past, and then with anguish of heart he looked to the gloomy future. But the poet was as much a man in this awful emergency as he was in his happier days. He turned his back upon the past, with all of its tranquillity and ease, and with a resolute will went forth to rebuild his fortunes. In 1865 he removed to Augusta, Ga., and became one of the editors of the Constitutionalist. Shortly afterwards abandoning this position, he settled six teen miles Northwest of Augusta, on the Georgia Railroad, where he now re sides. “ Copse Hill,” the name of his home, is said to be a very lonely and desolate spot, surrounded by a cheerless, barren country. It is beautiful and in viting only when the flowers of spring and early summer are in bloom. But the little family, consisting of Mr. Hayne, wife, son and mother, are not lonely, for all the leading magazines, periodicals and a great many new books visit them regularly. In 1867 Mr. Hayne became editor of Southern Opinion, ot Richmond, Va., which position he held for two years, writing the book notices and criticisms, also his famous “ War Reminiscences.” Later he was a contributor to Southern Society and to the Banner of the South. Since 1870 Paul H. Hayne hab con tributed principally to Northern period icals, simply because they pay him best. He writes poems for the Atlantic. Har per's Magazine, The Century and Lippin- cott’s, and stories and sketches for Ap pleton’s Journal. lie has written a “Memoir” of his old friend and patron, William Gilmore Simms, which is yet in manuscript, and which is to be published by the Harpers. In 1873 Mr. llAyne published a collec tion of Henry Timrod’s poems. To this edition he appended a sketch of the poet’s life—one of the most touching and eloquent tributes that genius could pay to genius. This work went through three editions. In 1875 his “ Mountain of the Lovers and Other Poems” ap peared, and added new laurels to the author’s reputation, and in 1882 a com plete edition ot his works. The wife of this great Southern poet deserves more credit than the cold, for getting world is ever likely to give her. She is descended from a distinguished French family, her father having served as a surgeon in Napoleon’s army. “Mrs. Hayne has been the friend, com panion, comfort and solace of her poet husband in all the trials of his life. She has brightened his secluded home by her ever cheerful company, acted as his amanuensis when he was stretched on the bed of suffering, and nursed him through severe attacks of illness.” For several years past Mr. Hayne has been in very delicate health, and quite a num ber of his later pieces—among them the International Cotton Exposition “ Ode,” and the “Lyric of Yorktown”—have been written while the poet was sick. I cannot close this sketch with better lan guage than by quoting a few remarks from the pen of my friend, Mr. J. 8. Daley, editor of tlio Edgefield Chronicle. He says: “Mr. Hayne stands pre-eminent; he began his literary career in the days of hiB prosperity, when pleasure or the al lurements of fame were the only motives could have actuated him; pecuniary gains was a secondary consideration; he may, therefore, justly be termed a ge nius, gifted by nature in the art of poe sy, and endowed by education with su perior qualifications. He could not re sist the impulses of his nature, or the ambi.ion of his intellect, notwithstand ing he was surrounded with ail the lux uries, and all the pleasures that wealth could give. He, therefore, wrote partly (or pleasure, and partly for the enter tainment of his fellowmen, until a change in his circumstances made it in cumbent on him to seek remuneration for his literary labors, and in this he had much discouragement. But the times are changing, and more encour agement is given to Southern literature now than ever before. The Southern people have passed from luxury into poverty, and from poverty are entering upon an era of industrial prosperity; they are encouraged partly by pride and partly by necessity to build up a home literature. The Southern youth, no longer lapped in luxury, must work in some way, not for pleasure, but for sus tenance, and the works of Paul H. Hayne will serve as a model of purity and excellence for the emulation of the youth of future ages.” Col. T. M. K. Talcott has been ap pointed General Manager of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, succeeding Col. Jor dan, deceased. During the “late un pleasantness” he served upon the staff of Gen. Robert E. Lee, ranking as Colo nel. When the contest ended he pur sued his profession as railroad engineer and superintended the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. For fifteen years be filled the office of General Manager of the Richmond and Danville Raiiroad with eminent ability. His numerous friends in this section re joice at his promotion, feeling assured that he will honor the position he is called upon to fill. Be sure to read the poem entitled “Lost Violets,” in our Home Circle. If we were to say it is Angel-ic, it might be considered a pan, hence we will not say it, and content ourselves with the remark—it is charmingly sweet. HOME OF PAUL H. HAYNE.