Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-19
From the Richmond Compiler.

gHoDoDAPHNE; OR THE THEssALiAN SELL
This beautiful poem, written by Virgil
N an, has lately issued from the press Had
il been of transatlantic origin, and had born
the '.in,sge and superscription" of some IL
lustrious bard; had it had been circulated
as genuine coin from the intellectual mint
OF Byron, Southey or Moore, it would
have run with rapidity through the circles
of fashion and literature, and have been
admired as the production of no ordinary
genius. But alas! it happens to be of ma
tive ore, and however pure and massive, it
in reality may be-prejudice will still be-.
leve il spurious and base. How long shall
we yield to this dishonoring infatuation
Have not our orators, statesmen and phi
losophers contended with the old world,
and contended with success, for the palm
of renown why in the department of
poetry alone, should nature be supposed to
have doomed US to perpetual sterility? If
no other proof could be afforded of the un-
founded prejudice which exists against
homebred exertions in this branch of lite
rature-the poem under consideration would
alone redeem the character of our country.
1t is an elegant and classical tale, borrowed
from the splendid 6ctiohs of Grecian my
thclogy land distinguished by strength and
briiiaucy which would do honor TO any OF
those famed compositions, that in other
chimes have won the wreath OF immortality.
The story is as follows.
In the temple Of love, situated in the city
of Thpspia and ancient Beotia, a splendid
festival was celebrated every fifth year in
honor of the presiding deity. Three sta
tues, of stone. brass and marble, received
the homage ofthe votive multiiudes that as
sembled from every part Of Greece, on the
day of the festival. The most magical eff
fec,s were ascrihed TO the vows and invo.
cations made at the mysterious shrine, and
offerings, which by other divinities were
unaccepted were sure to be successful with
the all pervading influence Of love. Anthe-
MON, beautiful youth Of Arcadia, brings
MS simple wild flower offering" to implore
the recovery Of the beloved Calliroe, pi-
ming under some strange and lingering dis
order. He mingles with the throng at the
altar, and ''murmurs his suppliant VOW
bat his fowery wreath suddenly wilhers
and is blighted--at the same instant the
brazen statue frowns upon him. He is fill
ed with horror land dependency at the
spectacle, and imagines that his Calliroe is
lost forever. A beautiful damsel is near and
offers him consolation. She is Rododsphne,
the Enchantress of Thessaly, who had
herself fallen in love with the Arcadian
youth, and was now. encircling him by her
inextricsble spells. Unknown to Anthe-
mion, she appears in the character of
beautiful moralist, persuading him that tho
his fair one should die, other nymphs might
be found Of equal perfection. She gives
him another wreath for an offering and upon
II places one OF her own, when they imme-
diately unite and blend into one. She pla-
COS in his bosom the enchanted rose, which
she bids him keep until il fades, and they
separate. Anthemion retires disconsolate
TO the myrtle shade and is accosted by an
aged man who espies the fatal gift Of the
fair sorceress and warns him of IFS "myste-
rious virtue" He counsels him however
as 10 the only means of dissolving the dread
full enohaptment by which he is bound. He
is to visit the sacred Plane Grove, conse-
Grated to his natal genius, and in the stream
which passes through it, throw the magic
flower with his face averted. An,hemion
does as he is directed, but after fingirg the
rose over bis back into the stream, sud-
den Try resembling the voice Of drown
ing nymph bursts from the wave; and fan
eyins it the shrek of his dear Calliroe. he
unhappiy turns as if to rush to her relief
but he finds every thing still as before. The
unhappy youth shapes bis steps to the
Grove of the MUSES., near the sacred He'll
con, when he again meets the smagic maid
of Thessaly." She questions him in tone
OF tenderness about the laurel rose, chides
him for throwing it away, and asserts it to
be harmless and innocent flower.
" In accents thrilling sweet" she de-
elares her passion for him, and twining her
golden tresses and lovely arms around his
neck, imprints upon bis lips burn
ing kiss, which she declares shall be.st poi