Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-16
AMERICAN POETRY.
From the London .Athe.

Richmond; for the author, Washington City.
The poet, whose works are at the head of our
paper, has been known to us through his writings
for some time; he published volume of Youthful
effusions called (" The Mountain Muse" which,
in his ripper days, he describes as " the wild off
spring Of a rude undiscipiined fancy, and so dis
figured by Imperfections that readers, unacquant-
ed with the circumstances under which they were
written, have looked with an eye OF distrust up
on his later compositions" In that volume there
were manifold touches of true poetry, accompa-
MED no doubt by ill-conceived and worse express
sed things: the poet has now disciplined his Tan
CIV; and his muse, under the influence of improv-
ed ,aste, INDUCES US with more correct and bet
ter motlulated strains: we mean, as far as regards
language only; for in pure and moral feeling and
kindness of nature. Bryan had nothing to amend:
nav, the only fault we shall find, arises ircm the
love he bears to moral excellence, and the sym
pathv which he feels with suffering genius. We
consider the education OF youth. and the misery
of brother bard. to be subjects which the
muse cannot we'll pour out her full inspiration;
vet it is wonderful with how much interest the
poet has invested these unpromlsine topics. On
education he has discoursed with good sense and
feeling, and with levotedness of heart not COM
mon in these our latter DAYS. In the introductO-
nv passage there.is something which reminds US
of our own Akenside:-
Not mine the power to sweep with magic skill
The golden chords Of the celestial bre
O'er which Urania sheds her beams divine,
Nor vie with glorious barts b sci crowned
Not 'Nre, in rumbers iTausht with mystic lore,
To w,.fi the spirit through rnchsntt d grcves
Ard reg ,ors throngel with Flcuon's vaiyng forms
Not rnire 20 wied the bright sstiric shaft
Whose double edge, and keen electric point,
Can pierce throueA breasts of steel and vaDquish
pride!
If ,usht oa M of their inspiring gifts
The MUSES. deign confer they breathe no hopes
that prompt ny Enc. ;. wing TO daring ght;
They urge net me To scale he dizzy peaks
Where, crowned with burning light, Apoo's fame
FotbEis approach to those who rashy SOAR
They paint IN colors rich with classic force
The heatlo1g doom that lcarus bee',
And kindly pointing Ia ;he startling scene,
Wan me shun the rash Athenan's fate
Adnonished thus, dare not wildly aim
To sport in Fancy's high and giltterng clouds,
Where out eagle Pnions are sustained,
Aud dazzling splendors quench the feeble eye.
The theme to which my humble harp tune
Pertains to thing, o. lfe-to human veal
Ard human The tru. wise are they,
And only they, who seek the light of truth
To gui.ie them from the tempting snares OF Vice
To shaw forth Virtue ia Ler native chsrns-
To shed inning brightness DER her path,
AMI cheer them ouw srd ia its nt ayenwart course.
Nor is the conclusion unworthy of such COM
mencement:
The appointed care for these, and all the ills
That swell the catalogue of moral woes,
Is found within the Gospels holy truths
Let the,e be early On the mind impressed.
And carefully enforced from year to year,
Until the character Is formed mature,
With their celestial DOCTRINES d, ep imbued
Then man, 10 his pri,nevs health restored,-
Where'er the hall"we process is pursued
Shall bear again the image OF his God
For Rom ,,st sacred fountain, rich with all
That pur1fies and elevstes the soul,
stream, forever uniimlnished, aows,
Inviting him to drink thereof amt i've
Whenever that blest millenial day shall come,
In which mankind, by Gospel councils swsyed,
Shall feel the h,eness OF human pride,
Aud grow meek as t, ey Themselves are trail,
Sec,srlan strife shall cease to vex the world,
And peace, and love. and charity di,ine,
In one harmonious brotherhood shall blend
The universal family of man
The connexion Of education and morals, is
tempting matter to expatIate upon. but we can
neither hnd room for remark quotations; suf-
flee il to say that the poet feels the subject just
lv, and tho he has not always written 50 clearly
or SO POLITICALLY as we could have wished, no one
can read hiss work without ediilcation and advan-
tage. The poem called The Appeal for Suf-
ferins Genius" was written for the benei, of
Robert Coffin, known b, TIL name Of the Boston
Bard, who seems to have been then on bed of
IS much TO the honor of Bryan that he stepped
forward to aid him; nor should we withhold our
praise from certain good citizens of Boston and
, New York. who not only subscribed largely, but
made public declarations that the siling poet was
a strictly moral and worthy man. and would make
no improper use of the benefac tons of those who
admired his genius. This we confess we like.
In the U. States, It is still necessary that virtue
should belong to genius. The Appeal is some
seventy pages long, and is written with natural
readiness Of language. and an occasional vigor
of expression. The difficulties which low-born
Genius has to encounter, are not il-expressed IN
The following lInes-they apply to many poets;
By hard ne cessi,y's unyieding Law,
In manual tolls compelled to spend the hours
For which his struggling genus vanity sighed
TO consecrste to his aspiring Muse,
.rhe Reviewer puts b, mistake, the place where
one of the Poems was recited as the residence OF the