The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-09-23
Original Correspondence.
For The Cecil Wig.
E.eticr from Blanche.
VALLEY FARM, Sep. l95

VALLEY Farm, Sep. 1854.
Ny Deer MnMc EVERY thing looks so
fresh this evening that feel like writing to
you for somehow or other you are SO associ-
ated in my mind with grassy slopes and sla.
dy hooks that whenever nature appears in
hei lov,licst moods feel an irresistible ycarn.
ing to have free and easy chat with Maudc.
Scenery, climate, time. and place have much
TO do i'll moulding our opinions and belief
and surrounding circumstances, in great
measure make lis what we arc. This even
ing You and y our fresh, natural off hand let
tcrS arc brought to my mind AS sit here on
the porch and watch the swallows fitting
around. and listen to the clear tinhle Of the
little rll coming down the valley. while last
night, as lay in my cosy c!.ambcrand heard
the big drops pattcring on ,hc roof could
think only Of Coatts-kinncy and his charm
ing Rain upon the roof" That sweet LITTLE
poem has found its way into quiet homcSall
over the country and has been read and re-
read by admring thousands:-yct how near
it came being consigned to oblivion! When
Emerson Bennett was editing weekly paper
it was given TO him by the author, who was
then unknown, to publish if he thought it
worth place in his paper. Mr. Bennett de-
cidcd it was destitute of merit, and threw it
in All old barrel in the ofii,c--,hc receptacle
of rejected communications, and thought no
more of it. Some year or two afterwards a
new editor took Mr.. b, s place, and one day
when "copy" was scarce he gave the old
barrel an ovcrhauling in hope Of finding
something punishable. The title Of the po-
EN- i'll question arrested his attention, and on
pcrusing it he was so pleased that he printed
it forthwith. "Kain upon the roof was
copied far and near elected general admira-
ton, and established the reputation Of Coates
Kinney as a poet. Since then | have never
admired Emerson Bennett or his writings,
for it seems to me the man that could read
that poem and not discover its beauties must
be destitute Of some of the faculties, or MS the
phrcnologiSt would say defective in somc of
the organs" which arc essential to a writer.
And yen don't like Alice Carey. Well I've
half mind to quarrel with you about her,
for Alice is one Of my rcts.-l]er Glover
nook and her poems are two of the most
Charming books ever written, and would do
credit to the head and heart of any woman:
but her later writings do not admire. Her
sketches and stories for the magazns are en-
tlrely too trivial; and her attempts at carica-
ture are ridiculous. She was evidently in the
wrong Which she denounced Caroline Cheese
boro' and Grace Greenwood as bold bad
writers, " and although she found some who
applaudcd her for the course she pursued in
the matter, her language on the occasion was
uncalled for and improper and did her much
more harm than good. For her first two
books can overlook all her later writings.
When her "Hager, Holly Wood etc, have
been long forgotten her "Clovernook" and
Poems will be eagerly sought after and read
am so sorry you can't come on that visit
during the peach season. But then may be
You wiIl come in the fall whcnit is still pleas
antcr-when the melancholy days of Indian
summer arc upon us and
1.-The withcrcd leaves lie dead
And rustic to the eddyins gust,
And TO the rabbits tread"
The weather will then be delightful crisp
and bracing in the mornings and evenings
and mild at noon day, and we will take our
baskets and something nice for dinner in
them and go a-nutting-ramble away off a
mong the hills and holows and gather chin
qucpins and hickory nuts and chestnuts and
talk about Myra Mystic, Cousin Bel and
don't know who all. Tell Ellen Grey she
must learn to sing when her heart is glad as
we'll as when it is sad, and be sure and bring
her with you when you come TO valley
Farm" But it is getting dark and must
say good bye" ~ ''.-.s BLANCHE.
p. S. Isn't that letter from Fredrika Bre-
NOR in the last "Whig" a beautiful vindica-
ton Of hersclffrom an unjust attack <! B.