The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-29

American Poets and Poetry.
From the Foreign Quarterly Review.l

American Poets and Poetry.
From the Foreign Quarterly Reviewl
"AMERIcAN PoErRr"-AMERIcAS IMrUpEscE. u 4
mens in the newspapers headed 1.-THE best Substitute for
Sver"-H 1t he not the genuine thing II looks just
handsome, and 10 miles out OF sight cheaper"
We are far from regarding it just ground of re-
Proach to the Americans that their poetry Is little better
than iarof echo Of tho father and but think 1t is
reprosch to them that they should be eternay hrusng
their Prstensons to the poeca character in the face Of
educated nations In this particular in most Others
what they want in the of their assumption they
make up in swagger and impotence To believe them.
selves they are the finest poets the whole w0rd before
we close this article hope satisfy the reader that
w h or .nres there IS not poet oil mark
The circumstances of America, from the commence
liary unavourabs the development OF poetry and if
the people wise they would be take credit
LOT the things they have done, without challenging cr
ucism upon the things they have failed in attempting
They have eled forests drained Marshes cleared wilder
nesses built cities cut canals, laid down railroads oo
much OF this too with other peoples money! and worked
out great practical exemphcation in an amazingly
short space OF time OF the political immorates and social
This ought to be enough for their present ambition Tbey
ought TO wait patiently, and with BETTING modesy for
the time to come when all this frghtiu crush and conflict
OF wild energies shall in have subsidized, TO
afford repose for tho fine take in their soil and
ripen in the sun II is not enough that there ndiy
duais In the tossing multitude afflicted with babblng de
sires for ease and solitude and books and green places;
SUCH dreamers are only in the way and ~ be
trampied down in the blind commoon, than, like Orphe
u.s. to still the crowd and get audience for their delicate
music. There must be national heart and national sym
pathies and intellectual atmosphere for poetry There
must be the material to work upon well work
with. The ground be prepared before the seed is
cast iAto it, and tended and weordered il will
choked with weeds as American literature, such as it
10 now choked In every of its mutarious manifesto
tons As yet the American is horn handed and pig
ed hard pcrsevering interruptions carnvorous ready
for all weahers with incredible genius for lying
vanity elastic beyond comprehension the hide OF buffalo
and the shrek OF seamengine; "a real nineoo breast
Of fellow steel twisted and made Of horse shoe nails
the rest OF him being cast iron with steel springs" II any
body can imagine that literature could be nourshed
frame like this would refer him for final satisfaction
Dr. Claiming, whose testimony is ndsputabe where the
honour OF his country Is concerned "Do possess he
inquiries what may be called national literaurel Have
produced eminent writers in the various departments
OF intellectual effort Are chief OF instruc
ton and literary enjoyment furnished from ourselves?
We regret that the reply to these questions obvious
he lew standard works which we have produced, and
which promise to live hardly by any courtesy, be
denominated national literature"
The REvEwER PHILosoPHrsEs A LITTLE on AMERICAS
The whole state of American society from FIRST to last
presents nsuperabe obstacles GUILTY. letters
the expansion of intellect the formation of great and ORR
gnai minds There IL an instructive tendency in 1t to
keep down the spiritual to the level of the material The
progress Is not upwards but onwsrds. There beino
vulgar great" in America lifted wings Of intellectual
power above the level Of the community. American
greatness only greater than all the OF the world
AZ nome .il individual distinctions are absorbed in the
moss and thing that is likely interfere with that
concrete idea by exercising disturbing mental influence
on the surface Is cut down at once by tyranny
tain in its stroke the guillone The result IL that
whenever of more than ordinary capacity have arts
en- in America they have adapted themselves
Of their fate the overriding exgencies in which thew
found themselves placed Instead Of venturing upon the
dangerous experiment OF endeavourng elevate their
countrymen to their own height they have sunk into the
arms of the mob Hence America has never produc ed
Statement but teens with politicians Hence the udpes
the bench constantly give way to popular Glamour
and law itself IL by the law and OPENLY
violated by its Hence the total
of all dignity earnestness truth and cour
cendancy of Lynchaw over satelaw hence ssssssina
ton in the DAYLIGHT in the thronped sreets hence mpu
nifty to crime backed by popular fury hence the wild
justice of revenge boarding the Justice of the iudcatre
IN s own COURTS hence the savage bowiekne gli.terng
IN the nand oil the murderer on the floor OF Congress
where decency or selirespect the subugation OF pas
SION or dehperate sense OF any sort Of esponaibty
where IN the country we might hope disco
We, ~ anu nencc that intimidation from without which
N, tse farce and which tramPing upon
hnowh 81 human rights mas prohibited TIT
Oh slavery IN the ehampers where discussion
70 ps any vae az all ougn 70 De Tree ana above suspi
cion exhiotng IN the most comprehensive spirit fear
lois. me apesV men III America nave bowed dowr
before these demoralizing necessities They have pre-
servgu tneiI own equvocai ana insecure position by
servIe 3pedienSe 70 the masses. NO man In America
ands clear OF ms rotten desPotsm NO man dare asse
MS own ndependsnce apart from inc aggregate ndepen
aence ne people ne mas no liberty but theirs and The
nsant ne asserts the i8h Oh private judgment he Is dis
=" every 0'her 90 thoroughly ana universally
TINS acknowedgea 80 implicitly Is submitted to- that
mas iong ceased 70 exce IL IL one oil the
cohdons o, socety matter OF tact usage
uhVersai ana unavoidaDie IL ranges with equal force
throughout al orders from inc hghest 10 the lowest
even governs questions OF taste a. coerces questions
Poncy ne oTa.or 20 ADDRESS himsento tht
low standard OF ne popuace ne must srew ms speech
win mowers Oh piIhgsga,e win hyperpohcaI explehves
ana garnsh o. iasehoods 10 make enective and res
vn t v reah dn -, rn or lseu me
mus preach 70 ne iash9h OF ms congre
saon OF io e1, VII ,Jr prcao ana devoson Inc
he od hsv ms journal infamous and
ouseene ne Woua paw =. popu,nr Tor lei II never DC
& sc ~ , ~. s. !, n, ~ W., me su, press ths
The nuhl;c annette for arossnc. and o.
III. IN , ~ ~ , % an one o.
Not ,ba;re ~ hlsme ,yho f,,n es, 'teas says
mt ours Yyho throng The boarJ I'D a,'
""' '"'' WV VA '"s '"' ''''u "nu siosSiy cat
The ALMIGHTY DOLLAR THE ONLY PoET AFTER ALL
That there are educated and highly intelligent men in
America who look with sorrow upon the condition OF
country we to acknowledge but they form
no ca ana are not even numerous enough to produce
any sensible enect upon tne zone OF the community They
are scattered over the race OF the and are poweress for
good by segregation and dispersion and, giving them
full credit ior grave desire 10 resist the malignant cir