The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-11-26

CHINESE MUSIC AND POETRY


good things. We treat our readers to the
following racy EXTRACT as a sample:-N.
Y. News.
America has frequently been visited by
celebrated poets and musicians-OIe Boil
has iddled the Yankees into admiration,
and Braham has su.g them into delight
Numberless professors have put forth their
claims to consideration, but undoubtedly
the greatest musical lion who has ever vis'
lied our shores is the celebrated and pro.
learned Professor La KAw HING,
who is now exhibiting his wonderful pow
ers al the Chinese Museum 10 this city.
Professor Lc.Kaw-hiOg is one Of the
most extraordinary men OF his age and
times. Ia bis native land he was teach
er of music, but having become an inVet-
crate opium user, his brilliant genius evap-
GRATED in smoke, and his talents were hid
in an opiur pipe. To cure himself OF this
bad habit, and TO afford the outside Of the
world an opportunity Of basking 10 the ef-
fuTgent rays Of his genius, be consented to
leave for time The central howery ma
tion,'' and bestow the benefits Of bis learn
ing and science on the barbarians OF Bos-
ION. Accordingly, the AnacrFon and the
Apollo of China is 10 our midst. May his
shadow never be less.
The personal appearance Of this great
poet and musician is striking and peculiar
Would that the "Pen and ink sketches"
might describe him! His eyes are small
and deeply set beneath low recedlng
esrchoady witch tenninates in shaven
crow, from which hangs one long plated
ock Of hair, which il is supposed COM
munlcstes with his ideas, and by which
he pulls them up as necessity or OCCASION
REQUIRES. His countenance has all the
gravity Of thinking man, OF Words"or-
th4in Chinese; and when lighted up as he
sings one OF bis own inimllable melodies !"
is wonderful y striking. But his voice is
the chief attraction. Unlike anythIng else
in nature, it stands # voice can be said
to stand) by itself alone. Like Niagara
There is nothing with which TO compare 1t;
and once heard, il can never be forgotten
We once heard lady say happily, that 1t
was purely feline in its character, and a
more Catallni.sh compliment could no
have been paid. We have ourselves heard
serenades which have reminded US ol some
tones of the Professors voice; and great
living poet has thus graphically described
such midnight music:
" Soon the cry began to lanSuish, melting into
plaintivo anguish,
Like the Tyre Eoian, lulling to tender slender
tone;
Then as il come brute we're boiling, or on FED hot
grid-lrOns brOiling,
Or some fond mamas we're spelling Gust because
they were their own.)
Half a hundred blubbering babies Gust because
they we're their OWN
Such the sounds heard alone.
Then there came splitting, Sputtering, ''ihsd
stammering aud suffering
Than a shrek so shrill and piercing that 1t cu'
me TO the bono,
Like the death cry Of a lonely, lost and ioveie'
| being only
Like that awful death cry only, sinking TO
grasping groan;
Then the silence fell, as faleth floating ieathe
downward proPe,
And once more I seemed alone"
But LE.KAw.H1NG is a poet, and Prof
ILongfellow in his recently published vol
ume on the Poets and Poetry Of Europe,
Having BY a most unaccOuniable neglig
lsnce omitted to furnish Us with a transla
luOn Of the Chinese poets verses, we ha''
ourselves undertaken the task and It wal
he seen that some great English poets havI
written verses which bear a wonderful re
semblance to Ls~KaW>hing's' For 10
; .t,nce, take The following with which th
Professor gr.,i6ed a select circle a fs'
Evenings since, end which will remin
lsvsry one Of Barry Cornwall. Il will b
seen ,bsi hisa Chinese national melody