BRYANT.-PIERPONT. The shutting flower, and darkling waters pass, To feel thee; thou shalt kiss the child asleep, His temples, while his breathing grows more deep; That is the life of nature, shall restore, With sounds and scents from all thy mighty range, He hears the rustling leaf and running stream. 229 JOHN PIERPONT, a native of Connecticut, published, about the year 1812, The Portrait. In 1816 appeared his Airs of Palestine, a descriptive poem of some length, and a highly finished production. It has gained for the author a high reputation both at home and abroad. In point of correctness it is exceeded by no poem which the country has produced. Calm and chastened feelings are expressed in transparent and graceful language. His taste seems to be formed partly on the models of the eighteenth century, and partly on those of more modern times, combining much of the polish of the former, with the beautiful imagery and rich thought of the latter. In this poem, from the nature of the subject, we do not look for the strongest poetic glow and the highest flights of fancy: and there is an error of taste in the author's frequent double rhymes. We find rather the beauties of chaste and elegant expression. The main scope of the poem is to illustrate the influence of music upon the passions of mankind, and consequently its moral nature and tendency, by themes taken from sacred history.' Mr. P. has also evinced a talent for lyric poetry in several admired patriotic and devotional songs. We give the following from the Airs of Palestine, as a specimen of his poetry.* On Arno's bosom, as he calmly flows, And his cool arms round Vallombrosa throws, Rolling his crystal tide through classic vales, Of waveless water, rests her radiant head. Nor dare to whisper through the boughs, nor stir Hark! 'tis a convent's bell; its midnight chime, In the year 1815, MRS. LYDIA H. SIGOURNEY, (then Miss Huntley,) gave to the public a volume entitled Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse. In 1822 appeared Traits of the Aborigines of America, in 1827, Poems, by the Author of Moral Pieces, and, in 1835, Zinzendorff, and other Poems. These books, together with some miscellaneous poetry which she has written since, have endeared her name to the lovers of virtue and song, everywhere. As a writer of verses she has high moral aims, and though this circumstance, with ordinary talent, might entitle her to consideration, she can add the effectual claim of sterling literary excellence. If her earlier productions, in some instances, were wanting in a rich vein of thought, it was because she had not dug sufficiently deep into the mine. She has since done so, and SANDS.-EASTBURN. PERCIVAL.-HALLECK. 231 brought up solid masses and beautiful forms of sentiment. Her poetry is characterised by ease, tenderness, a chastened fancy, and a delicate susceptibility of whatever is beautiful in nature, or charming in truth. It may be described in one word as the poetry of refined religious emotion. ROBERT C. SANDS, who died a short time since, was one of the authors of Yamoyden, a poem of much merit. His associate was JAMES WALLIS EASTBURN, an Englishman by birth. They were both young men, but exhibited an uncommon maturity of talent. Eastburn died at the age of 22. Yamoyden is an Indian story, and the best of the kind which the aboriginal history of America has afforded. • The striking peculiarities of the Indian character and superstition are introduced with great felicity, and the descriptions are handled with a reach of thought and expression, which we do not often see surpassed.'* JAMES G. PERCIVAL, a native of Connecticut, gave to the world his first collection of poetry in 1820. This was followed by two numbers of his Clio, and another small volume in continuation of the first, in the course of two years. In 1824, a neat edition of his select pieces appeared, which was republished, with a brief memoir, the same year, in London, 2 vols. 12mo. He has since written a third number of the Clio, and other pieces of a miscellaneous description; being chiefly contributions to various literary journals. Dr. Percival has a rich poetic vein, and exhibits in his works all the prominent characteristics of good poetry. He has little idea of an exquisite polish or fastidious neatness, but trusts to strong and graphic sketches, in making an impression on the reader's mind. He possesses both fancy and feeling, and shows a richly furnished intellect, in the variety of his illustrations and classic allusions. FITZ-GREENE HALLECK, also a native of Connecticut, has often been before the public in pieces of singular wit and playfulness. In 1819, he wrote in part a series of Pindaric Odes for the New York Evening Post, under the signature of Croaker & Co.' The satire and humour of these pieces were keenly felt at the time. The first work which he put forth in a volume, was Fanny: this appeared in 1819, and was * AM. ED. 6 a production of haste, though it has been highly appreciated by readers. It has been twice reprinted in England. Alnwick Castle and other poems appeared in 1827. They bear the impression of a strong mind and practised in the art. His pieces are all marked by a flow and ease of composition, a playful fancy, and tenderness and warmth of feeling.* CHARLES SPRAGUE, born in Boston, and living there, is, in manner, somewhat removed from Halleck and many other American poets. Yet he has a share of popularity equal to the most favoured. He aims at condensation of thought, perspicuity, and harmony; and thus success has rewarded his labour. He is known as the author of several prize poems, designed as theatrical prologues, and other small pieces of a finished character. His Winged Worshippers has been pronounced to be one of the most beautiful little pieces in our language. JOHN G. C. BRAINARD, a native of Connecticut, died in early life, being but 32 years old, but he has secured for himself a sterling reputation as a poet. What more he might have done, had his life been protracted, and his circumstances as to leisure, health, and study been favourable, might perhaps be conjectured from the success which attended many of his efforts, during a brief and unpropitious career. His poetry is characterised by originality of thought, by pathos, and by a natural and striking manner of expression-a sort of careless boldness which paints the idea to the reader's mind. This is exemplified in the famous lines in the poem on the Fall of Niagara where the voice of God had bidden the -"flood to chronicle the ages back And notch His centuries in the eternal rocks." From the circumstances in which he was led to write his poems, viz. the necessity of filling some column or part of a column of a weekly paper which he edited, with verses, it was almost unavoidable that he should compose with haste, and often in a state of mind adverse to poetic inspiration. Hence he has unequal poems, and sometimes careless, incorrect, or coarse lines. His *AM. ED. Fall of Niagara before alluded to has been much admired. His Address to Connecticut River is a highly descriptive and graphic piece.* In CARLOS WILCOX (1794-1827), born in New Hampshire, we come to a poet who, unlike most of the American bards, projected a great and extended poem, which, however, he did not live to finish. He has left only fragments of it in his Age of Benevolence No. I., but they show a rich vein of poetry of the devotional didactic cast. He seems to have taken Cowper as his model, and deals in the description of real life and simple nature, and for the development of his own earnest feelings, in behalf of moral and religious truth.' Had opportunity been allowed him to complete his designs, he would have ranked below few poets in the English language. RICHARD H. DANA, a native of Massachusetts, may be classed with the foregoing poet, as having written the poetry of benevolence, piety, and domestic life; but he has deeper feeling and a more powerful imagination. He displays a philosophy of a broader and more solemn cast-is more original and marked in his poetic character. His style is simple and concise -his thoughts are highly condensed, and though he has but little ornament, he presents the most vivid pictures before the fancy. It is the praise of his poetry, that while it pleases the taste, it is calculated to elevate and purify the immortal mind. The following lines are a short specimen of Mr. Dana's poetry, in its mingled features of gentleness and grandeur.* O listen, man! A voice within us speaks that startling word, Thick clustering orbs, and this our fair domain, O listen ye, our spirits: drink it in From all the air! "Tis in the gentle moonlight; 20* |
