Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-05-31

MONDAY MORNING, MAY
MISCELLANEOUS.
Dcat!, OF Mrs, AueIia r. WeIhy.

w Clpy.
Mrs. Welby was woman oftrue genius
Indeed we never knew one to whom nature
had been more partial in the gift Of song. AT
very early period OF her llfe--a period when
the mind is generally very immature-she
produced poems that have everywhere been
received with delight. and which will never
fade from our country's literature. ltis now
about fifteen years since the pubic first became
acquainted with her name and her productions
through the columns ofthis paper Poem fol-
low, d poem in bright succession, each one
teeming with fresh wild thoughts expressed in
verse of the most delicious harmony. These
Eoems came from the heart of the lifted girl
and " ere all very beautiful-so beautiful and
so perfect indeed. that they have scarcely been
equaed by the productions of any other Amer
lean poe,ess.
Such an extraordinary series of poems. all
expressive Of unworn feelings and glowing
with genius. would not fail to attract atten-
ton. amelia" became great favorite a
mong all the lovers of poetry throughout the
Union. AS poem followed Toem, they were
eagerly caught up by the conductors of the
public press in all sections and published un-
I'll every reader in the Union became familiar
with them. Nor was their fame confined TO
the United States. for many ofthem were re-
published in England and created in that
country deep interests in the welfare of the
Young minstrel girl from whose harp-strings
foaied harmones of thought and expression
that charmed all hearts. For two years she
continued to sing, making this paper the me-
dium other communications with the public.
That her poems were unequal in their merits.
1t Is true, but yet. what were considered her
poorest efforts were sweeter than the best of
those of other people.
Such an intellectual phenome non was re
garded with strange interest in every State Of
the Union. Tributes of admiration in verse
and prose flowed in upon her in abundance
The list of her admirers includes many of the
most distinguished in our literature. All stran-
gers on reaching our city desired to see the
poetcss, the enchantmept of whose verse they
had so often felt. And when they saw her,a most
ar,less, shrinking, april hearted thing" with
the tlouery hues ofsIxteen summers on her
joy Gus brow and the light ofgenius in her deep
bril- ht cye,they could not believe that the mere
girl before them could possibly have produced
those poems of such great wealth Of feeling
and such imperishable beauty. But she was
a mystery to herself and a mystery to her
and 10 others" Those superb poems which are
equal to the best of their class in the language.
came in all their exquisite brightness and per-
fecton from her mind almost without an effort.
She always had them finished in her mind be-
fore she Committed them to paper. They
were for the most r art composed while she
was engaged IN some domestic avocation, and
written off without difficulty and published as
they were written.
Alas! that widely sensitive heart has ceased
to beat. and those harp-strings will be heard
no more on earth! She has gone from amid
things perishable to the home of the immortal.
and the unfading. That bright star which
shone so lustrously in the heaven Of song is
cclipsed to our vision. and we shall see 1t no
more among the bright sisterhood.
Her spirit has passed from our habtations,
and her form will in few short hours be shut
out forever from our view. One of the mos,
gfteI women Of the age has fallen, and the
places which have known here shall know
her no more forever. She is gone in
the spring-time Of her life, and the spring
season ofihe year; that season which she
she loved so well because ofits birds and bios
SONS and visible poetry gushing out from hill
side and valley, and her eye is now dim to this
world myriad beauties. and her ear is cold to
the warblings of happy birds. sounding like
the echoes of her own sweet melodies.
For several Years, Mrs. Welby's muse was
silent. She preferred silence to song, and would
not yield to the solicitations of those o her
friends who desired her to string again her
long neglected harp. But she wrote enough
in her bright girlhood to secure to her name an
abiding place in American poetry. Now that
she is gone, let those who would be just to her
memory and her genius. open the p ges of the
volume containing her poems, and read any
where, and they will find the unmistakeable
evidences of true inspiration in many poems,
which in beauty Of thought, delicio lsness of
melody. freshness of feeling. and naturaness
ofimagery. have rarely been equalled. Sad
indeed are we now to know that the bright
mind from which emanated those glorious
songs is gone from scenes ftime, and that its
last strains of earthly music have died upon the
air.
''Along the blessed heaven
Her spirit holds it- way
In the starry dance Of the night
And the golden light of day
Its pnions flashing back the sheen
OF those uncoudsd spheres,
And its wild music mingling
With the angel-notes il hears"
Louisrale Journal.
A Touching INclDENr.-We heard yester-
day Of one of the most touching and sorrowfI
incidents that, in the whole course our life,
we have been called upon to orecord.
An aged mother--a woman Of seventy
years--left her home in the Emerald Isle some
ten weeks ago to seek the abode of her chill
dren. who are now residents of Louisville.
Aiier tedious passage and the troubles Incl
dent to long journey, she reached this city