American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-06-25
From tie Richmond Enquirer.
EXTRAORDINARY POEM.

A literary brOdgy which attracted much notice on It's
first appearance has again been sought for with an interest
correspondent to its slnSuary Christopher Smart trans
ator of Horace and author OF several original poems OF
merit, confined in madhouse and denied the use Of
pen, ink and paperhs ruling passion not however
to be restrained and by OF key, he traced upon
the wainscot of his regular poem which he styled
A SONG This poem was lately noticed in the
Quarterly Repie which observes that neither Anderson
Chalmers in their editions of the poets had been able
TO it, and expresses great regret at the loss OF such
Ian astonishing production Chalmers does relate the
doe of the in which it composed accompanied
by few sanzas for which he indebted to magazine
Iof the day The notice in the Review, caused the poem
be recovered and repubshed and the extracts from
which have in the Literary Gazette among the most
singular efforts Of the human mind. The critic admits it
Ito be dgured by occasional of expression but
contends that the strength the feeling, the majesty OF
though and the grandeur of language which distinguish
its nobler parts, only sufficient to establish il as
sublime work. but to prove the perfect truth OF the line
Great wit to madness nearly is allied"
The poem is addressed to the David of the Scriptures
he sounds his prasesand reces the various themes
which David made the subject of his sublime psalms He
sung
The world-fhe clustering spheres he made,
The glorious light, the soothing shade,
Dale, champaign, grove and hill,
The multitudinous abyss,
Where secrecy remains in bliss,
And wisdom hides her skill.
The exercise on the decalogue commences with wonder
fuf subimty-
Tell them, AM, Jehovah said
To Moses; while earth heard in dread,
And snitten to the heart,
At once, above, beneath, around
All nature without u0ice sound,
Replied. o Lord, THOU ART.
He passes to an exquisite upon the and
their right usebeginning with "8EOee is the dew that
falls betimes from which stanzas the critic asks whether
" Lord Byron had not seen this His Don Juan otherwise
presents a singular coincidence" These lines very
ine---the strain is then continued
Beauteous the fleet before the gale;
Beauteous the multitudes in mail,
Rank'd arms, and crested heads
Beaueous the gardens umbrage mild,
Walk, water, meditaed wild,
| And all the bloomy beds.
| Beauteous the moon full on the lawn;
And beauteous, when the wells withdrawrb
The virgin TO her spouse;
Bcauteous the temple, deckd and hlPd,
When to the heav'n of heay'ns they build
| Their heart directed VOWS.
Beauteous, yea beauteous more than these,
i The Shepherd King upon his knees,
i For his momentous trust;
| With wish of infinite conceit,
/ For man, beast, mute, the small and great
i And PROSTATE dust to DUST
/ Precious the bounteous widows mite;
And precious, for extreme delight,
The largess* from the churl;
/ Precious the ruby's bluslling blaze,
And alba'st blest imperial rays,
| And pure cerulean pearl
Precious the penitential tear;
And precious is the sigh sincere
4 Acceptable to God;
Il And precious the winning flowers
/ In gladstone Jsraels feast of bowers,
i Bound on the hallow'd sod.
| More precions that dviner part
OF David cen the Lord own hearts
| Great, beautiful, and new
In all things where it was intent,
In all extremes, in each event,
i Proof-answ'ring true to true.
i Glorious the sun in mid career
j Glorious tn assembled fires appearl
i Glorious the comets train
i Glorious the trumpet and alarm
II Glorious tn Amghty's stretched out arm;