Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1840-12-05
ron THE AMEnICAN.
A { 0 N NJ L \ T.

In all ages since The DAYS Of Homer, thcie has
been a class among the eraii. denominaed critics.
Some are wise, and their fluctuations have been
beneficial to the world; Others making rretensions
to learning, by their sophsuy and prepos,erous a.
busc have reprcssed the ordour of genius, and ban
shed the highest order Of talents 10 unmerited
oh. curi,y. Too often either the tomahawk of un-
just crit cism has Immediately fellej the writer; or
sectional feeling and party pr judice have rejected
productions Of unqucs,ionabe excellence. Mllion's
"Paradice Lost was almost total unknown until
the publication of the Spectator. And now there
are works unknown 10 the world, which never had
fair trial at the tribunal Of public taste. There is
one which will venture to draw from the rubbish
Of by-gone ages, and presenting 1t to the public eye
solicit attention to its uncomm IN beauties. II has
been basely banshed from our lbIarcs and shame
fully neglected. perhaps at the insligaon Of pre-
JUDGED critic, that its existence is known hut TO
few, who have 10y chance stumbled on it in their
antiquarian researches. TIE work to which | al-
Jude, is poem. II is the production of mighty
mind, which gathered up al its energies for the
task. Such a condensation of ideas, and at the
same time so lucid is unparalleled; for within the
shor, space of four lines he expresses world of
wisdom. Bot tie authcr-who, and where is he
Alas, the fate OF genius lie, like the inventor Of
tha, invaluable u'ensil the plough, is unknown.
Perhaps, decricj and pursued by the "bloodhounds
of literature" ycep, critics, he fled to his misera-
lie alb de IN g,rre,, where he perished from want
of the necessaries Of life II may lie, like the dying
swan he expired in the composition of his sweetest
melody. But, kind reader, it is absurd like the
Athenans who erected an altar 10 the unknown
god, to vent your sympathy for a poe, whose works
you have never seen, and of whom you have never
heard, Therefore, will now spread teiore you
the epic in full:
Peter said unto Paul,
There is Tobacco for u. all.
Paul said unto Peter,
am no Tobacco eater"
In this elegant eiiusion the sentiments are plain
iy. grammatcally, puritancaly, and beautifully ex-
pressed. The meiiical harmony appeals delight
fully to ihe ear, while an imaginary demand is
made for the exercise of the ofacores themselves.
The subject of the poem is that odoriferous weed
called Tobacco. 1t is unnecessary to enter upon
an elaborate argument to prove the subj ct Of the
poem to be one of taste. No one, possessing the
five senses and a sound intellect, dispute the
assumed position. At The same time, the author
described a thrilling incident in the lives Of Peter
and Paul, Who This Peter and this Paul were, We
are s,mewhat al a loss 10 specify. Though !, is
certain, they could not be the respectable worthless
Of old, of the same name. For mankind, anterior
to the days Of Christoph'r Coum' us, was ignorant
of the del gh,ful accomplishment of tobacco chew
ing. We Of this civi lied and ref aed day. cannot
hut wonder how they who lived in the dark ages
could possibly enjoy their existence, since they were
ignorant Of many Of the pleasures Of taste. Ger
tain il is, that The Peter and Paul here INTENDED,
hourished subsequent to Sr Walter Raleigh, who
fret smoked tobacco pipe in England An an
cirnt commentstur makes the following sagaciouS
remark; "Peler appears to have been gentleman
of liberal principles, all whi key drinkers and
tobacco sobbersrs' Carefully Perusng the poem,
we infer that there assembled company ol
boon companions. Doubts had arisen as to the
quantity of weed on hand being sufficient to meet
the demand. Peter. the elegant and liberal Peter,
with his cheek distended by qud of an ounce
weight, and his teeth and lips tinged by the yellow
narcotic, casts q glance of bengni,y over The sur
rounding gentlemen, AMI then fixing his eyes upon |
Paul. (who | think had just been introducej.) |
draws forth piece Of cavendish, or roll Of plug |
or ladies twist, and gives utterance to the second
line OF this swee, poem "rhcre is Tobacco for US
all" Peter sPPears to have used the word "al I'M