The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-01

ee the Light Mr.. Weos'efs PloPosaiS "
The contrary Notwithstanding. Bot what
ave determined upon!isltos go on ssraPidly
as can, to embody all the factss then, re-
viewing the whole, to lay il OF into sec,
lions. by spochs, on Middlston's plan; and
taking up the fast section, 10 make last
and dying effort upon il, per sc. Ii | iaii,
surrender my sword; il otherwise. | shall
% forth. section after section, conquering
and to conquer. And if the public forgive
me this time, will promise never 70 make
similar experiment on their good nature
sgain.-Ksnnsdy's Life Of Writ.
.Poor Hoodl' Thus does every one
sneak of the lamented Thomas Hood. who
died lust as the world was beginning to APP
preciate the true genius Of the man, but be-
lore he could reap any OF its substantial
rewards. Hoods reputation through Lille
was that Of humorist, Tor be wrote Tor
bread. and as the public would not have
Hoods deeper thoughts, he gave them his
lighter ones; he spun them comic ANNALS
and laughter from year Ia year; ard thus
he managed to live on from day 10 day
Bot Just before he passed away, there rung
through our island those thrilling stanzas,
appealing to the proioundest syRPathies oi
the human heart, The Song Of the Shirt,
The Lay Of the Laborer. and The Bridge
of Sighs;' and then it was the public de-
creed that Hood was something more than
humorist; that he was, in fact, great
tragic poet.
Thomas Hood was of Scotch PaIentage,
| though born in London, where his iather
was a partner liz the book-selling hm oil
Vernon and Hood, Poultry. He was first
apprenticed as a merchants clerk, but his
health being delicate, it was found neces-
sary to take him away from bis desk, and
he was sent 10 his fathers relatives in
Dundee, where he remained some time,
and made his successful debut as writer
lin the pages OF the local magazines and
Journals. Here, doubtless, he acquired bis
knowledge of the broad Scotch dialect,
which we find him reproducing in the old
Scotch housekeeper in 'Tyiney Hall, a
novel, though not much known, OF the
. most powerful character. full Of highly
, wrought incident, and situations Of the mosI
} tragic kind.
With his health somewhat restored, he
; returned to London, and was aPPrenticec
to his uncle, Robert Sands, the engraver
and was afterwards transferred to one o
{ the lie Keuxs. He was a good draughts
, man, and might have attained distinction il
: his profession, but that he was soon attract
D ed from it by the more agreeable pursuit o
3 literature. Yet, We often afterwards FIND
D him at work with the pencil and graver
in furnishing the quaint and comieal de
g signs of his own works, in his BONN,
E ANIMALS, Up the Rhine, Magazine, &c
: We believe his first published book o
: poems was his plea of the Midsumme
o Fairies, little work full Of poetic beau
: ty; tender, graceful, and exquisite. Blu
Il the book was not popular; indeed, it is no
S so yet. So. as the public would not TAX
5 his poetry, ne met them on theiI own ground
/ and gave them Jokes and tactic, whic
c they would read Laughter, however, wa
e not Hoods only object in writing. II
L amused the multitude 10 attract their alter
j ton; and he used bis wit and humor as th
1t vehicles wherewith to convey his wholesom
Is and lasting lessons Of morality. Though
II as a writer who lived by his writings, b
% had TO write that which the public woul
y buy, and thus suited his productions TO III
y general taste, he never wrote down to IN
e lowest taste. His wit was never sullied
y impurity nor coarseness; never indelicat
: nor profane. Nay, his delicacy was el
,: IRENE; he was as sensitive as a mimos
Ie leaf, and a sort Of melancholy often dash
u ed his meuiest writings, which made hi
ID tests to 'scald Ike tears Many OF hi
Ie quaint and laughter-excIting conceits WEI
stepped in human feeling and passion. A
u he himself has so touchingly said
- "All things are toueh'd with melancholy,
l. Born Of the secret souls misuust,
)t To feel her fair ethereal wings
Weigh'd down with vile degraded dust;
;, Even the bright extremes Of JOY
n Bring on conclusions Of disgust,
~ Like the sweet blossom Of the May,
re Whose fragrance ends In must
l'' Oh, give her, then, her tribute just,
n, Her signs and tears, and musings holy!
" There Is music in the life
10 That sounds with idiot laughter solely;
e. There's not a string attuned to mirth,
| But has Its chord in melancholy"
ID Towards the close of Hoods life, Will
TO he was still popularity known as a hume
b. ist there appeared in the columns Of Psacl
e, that wonderful poem which instantly Thrill
M ed through the hearts Of thousands, an
es produced an effect such as, we believe, n
II piece Of writing within the same small con
h pass had ever before done-his sgonisin
b. "Song OF the Shirt" Parliamentary Z,
r, ports had exposed, in long detail, the harC
We ships inflicted on large portion Of the il
y, duslrious community; volumes had bee
nt written about them, eloquent speeches d,
Q! lIvered on the subject. the miseries Of OF
'e female artisans--dressmake and shirtmt
10 kers-had been deplored in all forms, b.
O. Hoods little poem effected more than IheI
as all. Ii went straight to its mark: it thrill
II, ed the common heart. He hit the nail o
L. the head, and sent il home at blow. n,
O. less touching, not less full Of peneuatin
To truth, was his Bridge OF Signs, one Of Ii
th most powerful exposilions Of a great socia
$ evil. cancerous sore eating away the hear
IS Of mulutades OF human beings, which hs
to ever been penned. These pieces, sho
I'll though they were, revealed the almost ShaI
N sperian genius Of Thomas Hood. The
of vera the last tbonxbta of h. ,~-aa, -.