American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-05-31
Character Of the NORTH american Indian, as ar
fording a Theme for Poetry.

Character Of the worth s1mertcdh Ihdtah' 10 "
fording a Theme for Poetry.
II an opinion may be formed by the expert
mepts already tried, the character OF the North
American Indian affords but barren theme io'
poetry .4taLa is an Indian story, it is true yet the
fancy Of the poet has made the grace and beauty Of
his picture consist more in adscltilous ornaments
than in any strongly drawn lines peculiar 10 Indian
life and manners. Campbell in his Gertrude q
Wyoming has attempted the portraiture OF an Indian
in the character of Outalissa, the Oneyda warrior
@Trained from his tree rock'd cradle to his bier,
The fierce extremes of good and i'll to brook
Impassive-fearing but the shame of fear
A stole of the woods-a man without tear
These characteristics are true to nature, but view
ed in all his conduct, Outalissa is only half an 10
dian, partaking alike OF the habitudes and feelings
oil the white and red man. 1t cannot be denied
however, that the poet has succeeded better than INT
painter, who has thought to illustrate his conceptions
by embodying them in visible form. In one o
Wesalrs designs for beautiful edition OF Camp
BELLS poems, the Oneyda warrior is represented witt
curled hair. African features, and white beard
three most extraordinary appendages TO the head
a North American Indian.
Our own countrymen have begun recently to in
woke the Muses. in behalf OF these ancient sons
the forest. A poem has appeared, the express OBJ
iect of which is to deneate Traits Of the .aborigi
mes of .4merica So unproductive was the theme
that the author has wandered in other Chimes an6
other ages to find materials for the work, ant
the Greeks and Romans, the warriors and sages o
antiquity, figure nearly as much in the drama, a
the Indians themselves There is good poetry il
this performance but that is not the best which draws
traits oil the Indians The author of Ontwa hal
been more successful in describing Indian character
and scenery, than any writer whom we have read
As descriptive poem this has much merit, but /
ldescrnds little into the deep feelings OF the human
heart, and the strong movements OF the passions
tells of the wars between the lroquos and the Fries
by which the latter race was exterminated; and the
warlike propenstes of the natives. their modes o
going TO battle, making peace, their treatment o
captves and other peculiari,ies relating to this sub
iect are well deneated Many things the author
describes from his own observation, and he applies
to Ontwa the language which Chateaubriand had be
fore applied 10 Ata,a that 1t written in the de
sert, and under the huts OF the savages" This fami
Iliarty with the local condon OF the Indians, CAV,
him advantages which he has well employed in hi
descriptions Of savage lite but, alter ALL there il
so little of the romantic and of the truly poetcal il
the naive Indian character, that We doubt whether
Ia poem of high order ever be woven out OF the
material 1t Affords The Indian has lofty and com
mandng spirit, but its deeply marked traits are few
ste n, and Uniform, never running into those delicate
and 1nnumera0le shades, which are spread over the
surface Of civilized society, giving the fullest scope
TO poetic invention, and opening store of incidents
nexhaustibe, and obedient to the call of fancy
When you have told of generosity, contempt o.
danger, patience under suffering, revenge, and
cruelty, you have gone through with the catalogue
of the Indians virtues and vices, and touched all the
chords that move his feelings or affections. To ana
lyze and combine these into poem Of high interest
without extensive aid from other sources than the
real Indian character is no easy task, and the day
is not to be expected, when the exploits of the Iro
quos and Mohawks or the rough features of their
social habits, shall be faithfully committed to the
numbers Of ever.enduring song The minstrel:
harp would reco at its notes in hazarding such
"a strain, and the Muses. would deny inspiration to
votary bent on so desperate an enterprise.
North .9mer,can Review.
Interesting improvements English Wdval .qcitectre
recent number of the Register Of Arts and Sciences
informs of the following inventions, for of which
patents have been obtained from government One is a,
and bo1ptr me utility OF which is to be teset
by the Admiralty in of the public vessels.
Another is the of moveab sliding keei the adj
vantages of which, # they prove successful, will constitute
era in naval fac ties These to be very massive
and to afford substitute for the Of ballast by their ex
IRENE weight their greater distance from the surac,
the water They to be attached the hull by slonf
Perpendicular iron bars made to slide up and down il
water tight grooves through the vessels centre In shall
low water they be elevated and in gales of wind they
can be depressed enabling the vessel to spread more can
vass, and Increasing her security The necessity of baas