The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-07-22
MARTIN MERRIVALE.

MARTIN MERRIvALE. !
From, the fifth number of the above interesting !
.cra,. row in course Of publication by Phillips.
,,up.,r & Co. copy the following poem. with |
,,rrion Of the context which gives the reader a
.l- ir,ich. into some oi the mysteries of author ,
mp. /
His mind now turned upon the subject Of !
,contribution for the .Stredmer ofMe Free
He Ie,lccide1 on furnishing poem. His i'm
a,na,ion became excited, and straightway the |
storm was forgotten. The laundering omni
buses. the muddy streets, the wet pavement
PEDESTRIANS, umbrellas and rain, vanished
from his consciousness. Up into the pure.
bri.ht regions Of the ideal scared his soul
and there, among its own creations, shadOwv
.lare> of beauty, mystic groves exquisite
lowers Of fancy. golden streams of love. and
azure hills draped in shining haze Of the un-
real, it trod sweet measures. like dancing
.irl. and floated round in happy gyrations of
rhymc For time all this richness of I'M
accry remained unfxed, iluctuatino. intang,-
bic: but at length few poetcal ailnlties
separated themselves from the misty chaos
frightened into distinctness, and began to
assume symmetric form and order Then
commenced the labor Of constructing fit
sarb Of verse to clothc the living thought;
AID Martin. pacing up and down the drcarv
streets and around by the desOlatc Common.
unconscious Of cold rain and raw east wind.
whispering. muttcring, and rolling his eyes
in fine frenzy to the roof Of Mr.. Toplnk's
umbrella might have been taken hy almost
any observer for sublime lunatic-as per-
hars he was
The ringing Of the one-o'clock bells all a
round the city brought him down from those
IDEAL regions; anil reIapsing into disagree
able consciousness of time and space. he
looked about him in some surprise, wonder
Ing INTO what part Of the town he had stray
cd. Presently he recognized a wav-mark,
hurried down the nearest street. and made
all haste to reach Nj. Toplink's place Of bus
mess. where he had promised to meet that
voun. gentleman at dinncr-timc. with the
borrowed umbrella. lie found him standing
IN the door, with his coat-colar turned up
about his ears, waiting; and the two walked
10 ror'land-strcet together.
Mr. Toplink was very talkative: but with
the measures Of his poem undulatins in his
brain. Martin could only say "ves" and mo-
tohi> conversation, in mechanical and ab-
'ct-minIed way. Mr.. Toplink, who had
earned something o: the business his friend
was 20 transact that morning manifested
keen curiosity to know the result Martin
vailed his questions; but that Young gem
titman, observing his singular dcmeanOr, and
iI'Idng coniectnres thcreupon. shrcwdlv in
icrred that The Beggar of Baclad was fail
!Fe. Full of the snhiect. he hurried to the
table. chucklins. and. with many significant
"Irks and whispers, revealed darkIy, for the
entertainment of Mr. Wormlctt and his guests
who, he hoped. would not be preiudiccd by
ANYTHING he might say,-the true reason why
Ar. Merrlvae had no appetite for dinner.
Martin. shut up in his room with Alice.
who would not 90 down without him. was
happily unconscious of the remarks made
concerning his literary abilities and pros
poets. His mind was completely absorbed in
his poem. With Alice si,tin. peaceful and
eon;ented by his side. he wrote out with a
pencil the lines he had already composed. re-
,i>ed and polished them, and read them aloud
rel'eatetly.to criticize the rvthm. and to Judge
Of 'heir effect upon the child. She was COM
Eletelv charmed with their music. Perhaps
her love and sympathy for their author rem
aered her keenlv susceptible to beauties the
world would never seas is so often the
ase with authors friends Or, the fact that
'e lines were descriptive of the grand au-
'Hmhal scenery, in the midst of which she
Rad enjoyed Martins presence and conver-
alton so much during the past few days, may
nave inspired the deep interest she felt. 1t
possible. again, that what he said about
'"llns the poem Alice" out of a tender re-
7"rd Tor her, was the principle source of the
e'Joyment she derived from hearing it read
''.e declared, however, that, independently
'' a'l such associations, the poem was the
Neetest she had ever heard, and the con-
''us author was but too happy TO believe
'ae spoke the truth.