The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-03


II is needless anticipation-a taking OF time BY
the forelock with most uncalled-for and irreve-
rent haste. The poet may have commenced his
descent from the sun-bright summit Of hfe but
while he fancies himself quite under the hill,
he is yet on the first slope, where the light is
still golden, though more mellow than Of old, the
flowers warm with richer than the early bloom,
and where the abundant fruits Of thought, labor,
and experience, are just riPening to his hand.
He has yet to grid on the arms OF his greatest
power-the wells of deepest wisdom and the foun-
tains of refreshment are along his future way-a
way that broadens, and lengthens, and does not
grow barren, and bleak, and wintry," but loses
itself in light and rest, not in shadow and tenn
pest The great and faithful soul IS never left to
know bare and cold and desolate season, but his
going hence. after large and earnest life, is like
a glad and triumphant harvest-home-when he
goes from the fields whereon he has toied in wea-
riness or in hope in sunshine and in rain, with
out lingering and without haste, and when like
generous sheaves, golden and fully ripe, 81 his
works do follow him."
OF the SONGS or LAPoR, we know not which to
praise most for, in speaking of them, anything
less than praise is quite out of the question.
Spirit and form-the original idea, the scope
given to il and the voice in which Il IS heard, all
crafty and satisfy u.s. Pcvnsps THE HpsNEy' z
the most ballad-like and picturesque, but about
all the others there is the true lyric sound and
swings force and vitality which fill one with as
Co. labo tho
lays Of Scott ever inspired for feats of arms and
knightly encounters. Yes, all honor to the poet
who has thus not only assigned to hardy toll "
the attractive grace Of bis healthful sentiment
and the beauty of Heavens conservation, through
the patient labor of Jesus,
"a poor toing with the poor
but claimed for it an almost royal dgnty-pride,
and courage, and heroic endurance, which put to
shame the pretensions and achievements Of war
rors.
We must indulge ourselves in extracting few
favorite stahzas from The SONGS OF LABOR
These from the SHIP-BUILDERs strike us as espe-
cially spirited and beautiful:
"Ho! strike away the bars AID blocks,
And set the good ship free
Why fingers these dusty rocks
u yssEz S,iap Of the sea-
Look! how she moves adown the grooves,
In graceful beauty now!
How lOrdy on the breast she loves "a
Sinks down her virgin prov
God bless her! wheresoe'er the breeze
Her snowy wing shall fan,
Aside the frozen Hebrides,
Or sultry Hindostan!
Where'er In mart the maiD
With peaceful flag unfurld,
She helps TO URd the 'Hkct chain
0foomp.erce round The cord :"
The following verse from The SHoEMAKERS con-
tains truth sufficiently well known to some
women and all poets
The foot is yours whsre'er il falls,
II tresds your well-wrought leather
On earthen hoor in marble halls
On carpet on heather.
Still there the spcetest charm is found
Ofaatron grace or restdPs,
As Hebe's foot bore nectar round
Among the old ceestialsw
Here is vivid home picture from The DRovERs
when suow-askes DER the frozen earth,
Instead Of birds, are fitting;
When children throng the glowing hearth,
And quiet wives are Knitting;
While in the freight strong and clear
Young eyes OF pleasure glisten,
To tales Of all We see and hear,
The ears Of home shall listen"
Here is verse from The FISHERMAN, which
Campbell would have been proud to own
Where in mist the rock is hiding,
And the sharp reef turks below;
Where the white squa smites In summer,
And the autumn tsmpests blow;
Where through gray and rolling yspor
From evening until morn.
A thousand boats hsiiing,
We have always considered Whittier the hap
piest of poets in Scriptual figures and illusions
Here is one from the same poem, which charmed
us greatly:
sour wet hands spread the carpet
And light the hearth Of home
| From our fish, az in olden time,
| The silver coin shall Gomez
In The HusKERs there are no verses that W,
can well detach Its ouaint and delicious pictures