Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-10-03

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For the .idcertiscr.
SIR HUMPHREY DAVY.
Mr.. Editor /:

SIR HUMPHREY DAVY.
Mr.. Editor:
Did YOU ever hear Of Sir Hunphry
Davy as poet Asa rhymsr. his fame
has spread over the civilized world hui
it is no, generally known that he had a
poetic genius of the highest order.
so",hey, Coleri'lge. and others. said Of
him, that had he turned his attention to
pne,ry, he would have attained the first
rank.
1t is said. by his hiographer. that, like
P"pe, " he lisped in numbers" is
perhaps, not To he regretted that he cult
waited his talent for philosophical pursuits
as The world has heen so largely henefiIrd
hy his investigations His safety lamp is
a richer offering 10 the world, than all the
poetry of Hnmer, Milton. and Byron.
His poem. called "The Sons of
Genius" contains many passages, A.
beautiful ] think. as any in the EnglI>i'
language. Wllyou publish the following
extract
Bright bursting through thr awful veil Of night
Thu lunar beams upoI the ocean play;
The watery iows shine with trembling light,
v here the swift breezes skim alon. the sea.
Tho glirnmering stars in yon ethereal plain
Grow rale, and fade before the lunar-heams;
Save where fair Veus. shining Ger the main
Conspicuous still, with fainter radiance CLEANS
Clear as the azure firmlmen above,
Save where the white cloud luats upon the
hrrcz.;
Al tranquil is tie bosom of the grove.
Save where the zephyr warbles through the
trees.
Now The poor shepherd wandcrm, 10 his home.
Surveys the darkrning s,'ene with fearful eye
On every green sees little elfins roam
And haggard sprifes along the monnbcams fy.
While Superstition rules tho vulGars soul,
Forbds the energies of man TO rise.
Raised far above her low. her mean control,
Aspiring Genils seeks her native skies.
She loves The silent, solitary hours;
She loves the stiffness Of the starry night,
When Ger the bright'ning view SeIenc pours
The soft ellulgence other pcusve light.
THE SWAY OF REASON.
Before her lucid, al-enli ghtening ray,
The paIlid spcctres oftlle night retire;
She drive. tho gloumv terrors far away,
| And fills the bosom with celestial fire.
Inspired by her, the sons Of genius rise
Above all earthly thoughts, all vulgar care
Wealth, power, and grandeur, they alike
desrse,
Enraptur'd by the good, the great, the fair.
a thousand varying Joys to them belong,
The charms of nature and her changefn
scenes:
Theirs is the music of the vcrnal song;
And theirs the colcrs of the vernal plains.
Theirs is the purple-,inged evening ray,
With all the radiance ofthe evening sky;
There's is the splendor of thc'rise day,
Enshrined in glory by the suns bright eye.
For them, the zephyr fans The odorous dale;
For them the warbling streamlet softly flows;
For them the Dryads shade the verdant vale
For them sweet Phiome attunes her woes.
To them no wakefnl moonbeam shines in vair
On the dark bosom of the trackess wood;
Sheds its mild radiance DER the desert plain;
Or softly glides along the chrystal floods
Yet not alone delight the soft and fair,
Alike the grander scenes ofnaturc move;
Ye, not alone her beauties claim their care,
The great, sublime, aud terrible thcy love.
When the red lishnings though the ether fly,
And the white flaming pillows ash:he shores
When to the rafting tIrundcrs of the sky,
The angry demon Of the waters roars;
And when, untouched BY Natures living fires
No native rapture fills ttedrowsy soul,
Then former ages. with theirnnefu Tyres,
Can bid the fury of the passions fall.
By the blue taper's melancholy light,
Whilst all around The midnight torrents pour,
And awful glooms beset the face of night
They near the silent, solitary hour.
Ah then, how sweet to pass the nil ght away
In silent converse with the Grecian page;
Whilst Homer tunes his everything lay,
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