New-York daily tribune., 1843-04-04

CAKES SMITH Edited by John Reese. Wiley X Put
naG, NewYork.
This Is teautiFul Poem, placed before the pub
lie in beautiful dress Those who read it, upon
its first appearance in the Iages of the Southern
Literary Messenger, will read it agaia with re-
newed pleasure and those who meet it now for the
FIRST time will scarcely thus neglect the future pro-
ductions of its authorcss. Nearly all our readers
are well aware that Mrs. SMITH has been, for some
time past, constant and popular contributor, both
of Prose and Poetry, to the pages Of our best Maga
zines. She is native of Portland, and as we learn
from brief sketch of her Life by NEAL, prehxed
10 this volume, was first incited to write by the
hope Of thereby aiding her husband whose pccu-
mary fortunes had suffered disastrous reverse. Mr..
NEAL manner of narratng the fact is striking
and beautiful, that we copy it:
',When Miss Elizabeth Prince,-a mere child, =
married Mr.. Seba Smith, who had been writing fer
the newspapers of the day nobody knews bow long,
had she been asked if she ever hoped to equal her
husband, or to contribute in any way to his repu-
tation as literary man, she would have laughed
you in the face. And long after that, years after
she had begun to hazard little scraps of prose and
poetry for her husbands newspaper, which he care
fully corrected for her, if she had been questioned,
she would have acknowledged that, SO far from
dreaming of what has since occurred, she would
as soon think of ensting for drammerboy, or
OF digging CLANS at the halves, either Cape Eliza
beth or Booth Bay, as of earning dollar by the
pen. Yet such hes been her willingness end her
energy; such her oteedfast determination to do all
that mi ght become woman for the help OF her
husband, who has had every thing to struggle with
since he removed to New-York, and for the sup
pert of her little family that she is regular,
,,J bnp To n mr.
clsverest and most popular journals, and has won
for herself most desirable reputation. She was
child but the other day; with no sense OF her
own strength and after she became woman,
her coun,enance you could not see for her veil,
and her wings we've hidden by her shawl. But
the rains beat upon her husband upon her little
ones. and tie winds blew and the floods care,
and 10: the veil and the shawl disappeared like
the mists Of summer; and the highest nature OF
woman broke forth like sunshine, and her wings
were molted and her feet planted upon rock
sure and steadfast. She no longer trembles when
you look into her heart or try to read her eyes
neither shawl nor veil is wanted DOW. The woman
is no longer ashamed or anxious to hide herself
when called to by her Heavenly Father. She feels
her own worth, and looks out, answering and self
DEPENDENT upon the storms about her. What the
girl and the bride unequal To. the wife and the
mother delights to grapple with
The principal poem in the volume thus touch |
ingly introduced, in the purity and beauty OF its
conception, is among the finest in the language.
Eva, the Snless Child, enshrines an angelic nature
in her human form meek and gentle from her
BIRTH holding close communion with the holy
spirits which fill the universe around her, she
awes even her mother by the high mysteries OF
which she perpetualy speaks, and by the sacred
atmosphere which she ever breathes. She sees
the world with more than mortal eyes, and dis
Germs the internal life which makes itself manifest
in external forms of beauty and power. The
grace Of the soul gives beauty to her face; she
describes to her mother the deforming power OF
sin, and paints It's hatefulness in ce!ors that
alright and disturb her parent. She speaks to
her, too, of all the woes and wrongs she sees
throughout the world; and, as she grows to
womanhood, her spirit becomes beautiful tenn
pie, in which dwes all that is lovely and pure
Then her affections go forth, and she loves youth
who is drawn by her power from the paths OF error
in which he has trodden, to life of prayer and
truth And then she has fulfilled her destiny, ans
psssc, away from the earth like the last sweet
note of the singing-bird or the dying close OF the
siad-Aarp.
"The Sinlcss Child, with mission high,
Awhile to Earlh was given,
To show US that world should be
The vestibule of Heaven.
Did we but in the holy light
OF truth and goodness rise,
We might communion hold with GOD
And spirits from the skies
The life of which this is the outline has been
developed by Mrs. SMITH with great beauty Inc
puest sentiment and most delicate taste are re-
veaed throughout, and the Poem is written Us
snely as it i. conceived. We copy the following
s,anzas, in which Eva speaks to her mother Oh tle
/ spirits with whom she holds converse
Mother Mother, do not speak,
Or ali will pass away,
i The spirits leave the green hillside,
When light the breezes play
| They sport no more by ringing brook,
18th daisy dreaming by
Nor float upon the feecy clouds =
That steals along the skSsy
/ 1t greves me much they never will
| human look abide,
Blu, veil themselves in silver mist
BY vale or mountain side.
| feel their presence round me STILL
Though none to sight appear;
feel the motion of their wings,
Their whispered language hear
With siyery robe and wings outsproad