Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-02-13
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II has long been 1" ;-v urite declaration, that III
age Of poetry vas on =, decline-that the drama wa
on the decline-tna, /, 'sturc was on the decline
We do not believe t!ier, = las ever a period when poetry
was read by the million with more approaching de
light-when the drama WAS more literally suPFor'e"
BY the masses of the people-wlIen literature h"u'
90 many fortunes for successful authors. we wcrt
nleased 10 note some remarks in Il recent number OF
the Home Journal. on the subject of poetry, which
Thoroughly conceded with our own views and feelings.
Here they are:
dDropos Of poets, we were rejoicrd 10 find, in one
Of the English reviews, !. stout dciilai oil the ai'eGea
decline or appropriately Of poetry. We are relieved,
We are free to own. Poeiry-tlic reading 81 Twas
a luxury to us, in the enjoyment "t which we were
uncomfortable TO he discountenanccd by the pro
cress Of our age 1t troubled us Ia be called upon
TO think less of poets. But, in n review of 4 new
edition of the works o Cowpcr, the subject is thus
encouragingly handled:
at is a tavoritc saying in the present day, that Hhe
tendencies of IRE age rccsStat,aHg pr0SG'c.' The pre-
else meaning which these words are intended +" con-
yev, may not be very clearly understood by the Iia.
ioritv of those who utter them: but they seem 10 EN-.
body a general idea OF the unpoctical character OF
the times. There is a confused notion IN mems minds
that the Practical and the Ideal not only cannot asso-
ciate, but cannot co-e1ist one with the "thcr-bat ks
roicc Of Fact must beVOw dorm Tie r0Ice Of Ftcft0n-
that the c~langings Of our iron must drown the harp
inrs of our b~ards-th6t because We can travel on a
straight road, at the rate OF forty miles an hour, the
excursions uf the Imagination and the wanderlngSo OF
Fancy mus, he disregarded for evermorc.
But what, after all, is the meaning OF the cry =
Does it mean, that given up NJ We are To materiali-
ties-layiuc down iron roads by hundreds Of miles
spanning immense rivers with arches OF stone; fash-
ing messages along electric wires with the speed OF
the lightning; covering the seas with magic hre-ships;
multiplying by the same mysterious agency textile
fabrics not wrought by hands, OF II beauty and o
splcndor such rs Solomon III all his glory never 1reain'
of-.ie intelligence and the invclitiveness OF tho age
expend themselves upon projects vi utll'tariaiiisin
and intent upon the palpable realities before US We
have neither eyes to glance from heaven I" EARN
from earth to heaven, nor wings to bcAr Us up Ill II;
limitable space! that whilst we ac coming one meta
into another, the brain coinage OF that great ideal cur
rency, which is more enduring than IRON ana stone
must necessarily be suspended! =.
"Or is il meant, that although the few may nr"'
poetry, the many will not read 1t!
sIn whichever direction the Interpretation of the
ropular aphorism il 10 be found. ,c pronounce a to b'
n RINK and ogeRsirc taNacy. The smoke OF Il steam
yesael NAV sometimes obscure the sun from the lDrer'
ers up0u deck but all the steam In tho world, or I'll.
materisI tendencies of which it is the representative
could as readily put out the sun as they could put on
poetry. As Long as there is sunshine-as long as there
are moon and stars, sky and cloud; green fields nnd
sweet flowers, the changing ocean aud the lh'nar
heart, which contains the likeness OF them al. -,
few will sing and the many will listen. To us, il'i'"j
this would seem so be Il truixm scarcely worth der
:ng, ii 1t had not been in effect sn often contradic:"d
We are utterly Mt II loss for n reason why 1t sfoniI nt
otherwise. There rs room enough m hr ro,Fd doN
for Poetry and Steam. y man il not less likely to ot
endowed with the vision aud faculty divine or lesi
likely To admire It's manifestations in others, BECAUSE
his father goes up to London every day, with a sea
son ticket in his pocket, from the fur hills OF Surrey
or the green woods of Berkshire, instead OF travelling
in the Irixton or Clapham omnibus along the old
high.road; or because lar himsclf can rush from tn,
smok. and din OF the metropolis in L few h"urs.