Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-23

ohstac1es our writer's have 10 strive against.
There are many others, which it may be need'
less TO mention =
In our country, the exciting causes to the
inspiration OF poetry are many, and surrounded
as we are with scenes and Officers which may
Ere the bosom Of patriotism, and give rise 70 2
national spirit in our songs ii should DC OF ioi-
" characteristics.
IL is true, that we have not the legends ana
traditions Of romance which exist, oil course. ID
older countries. There areDo decaylng, crum'
bling ruins here-the last vestiges OF castles
and palaces, where the song Of The troubadour
once pealed out merrily on the ear, ana inc
beating hearts Of joyous maideus, kept almost
audible time TO the gay and enlivening music
Of the dance. Here are 10 be seen no rninous
gaieways, or half filed moats, which oesPeak
the site Of an old seat of English hospitality, IN
whose halls the trophies Of lac chase were sus-
pended- where the antlers ofthe deer cast Their
almost wizard shadows DER The fes!al board, al
which the red wine circulated in as large
streams as that deer's blood had once dyed thf
heather. We have no gypslss here-the rem
nas.s of race which once have heen-the WI
gal cbronicI.rs Of remo,e ages Our poe's
cannot as Walter Scott, lead the people out
anon the d, ath clad mountains OF the boany
.aDd'- conduci them 10 lie down by Inc rip
ming STRAINS sud sunny fields OF old Scotland,
with her broad bsighi sky cu'streichrd above
them. They will nos Ike Tom Moore. con.
lure up 10 the iuagii AEON the sonss o. the
m, site foun aims, tl.r Joyous birds and the melt
ing maidens OF an E s.ern tllme- picture TO
them the incense breathing affairs the pure de-
vo,e dness Of hear, and The gorgeous i@Xuty Of
an infds! religion. They have no. all these
things 10 sing .booi; 5u' they bavt n. proves
Of their faIhsts--,Ge warlike achievements oil
the iron frcmes Of the Revolution. They have
our rackiess ard de- p forss's, where the winds
make music among he leaves, and the rich
PERU ne Of the wild flowers gees up as accept
able iacense before the :hrone II the Almighty.
They have our unrod noun ains stealing alof',
as i, were, 10 hide Iheii summit S In The regions
of space, In whose crsgs the unnamed raPie
holds her eyrie, whence she teaches her shri-k'
ing brood 20 dart away up TO heaven, surviving
TO soar in,o the very precincts OF the sun. lhcy
have our no6i, rivers, our calaracts when the
hand of Nature formed when IN her hercssi
mood, TO incite them. And then, too, come he
soft eyed rich Tipped naideps which daily pass
b. fore US as fairy visions, and the thousand
charms OF their beauty, their love, and their
tenderness. These, all these should, and they
have ac,uated many OF our poe's; some OF
whom, we rePea', nave done much Ana we
care not for wha' they say, when foreigners
aye, or. the rec!eant in heart in our own land
casii al, and attempt 10 depreciate native pro-
dac,ions;--for we have ihese-and We do not
go too Far when we say it who have poured
forth the effrrvt scence Of their spirits in such
strains as ave chilled the neartless bo-
som Of misan,hropy, and made the places OF
IGNORANCE and superstition 10 be- alive 10 The in
O"ss, 'Sf"'S
We conclude, therefore, that poetry in our
country is rot al so low an ebb Of meri, as ma
ny would have us believe. And though there
are many defects to be remedied, and faults TO
correct, and a great deal yet 10 be done, we do
not de.p pair of seeing The day when we shall
have brought poetry to that degree OF elegance
aud perfection, which have attended every 9TH
err subIec, on which the genius OF our country
men has BEEN exercised. NOEL.