The weekly Columbian., 1857-05-23
Ealrlanla.

ralrlania.
We went to the Fair, we called at the
POST Office, and we received the follow
ing letter. Give ear 0, poetdom; lift up
your heads 0, Mary Matthias and Sary
AIMS:
DEAR SIR:-I perceive by the last
weeks paper that you have just COM
menced your editorials. So far, they are
brief-slightly spicy, and passably good
(Oh, now, how can you "Debbyi") Now.
I'm remarkably fond of poetry, and
constant searcher OF the columbian" af-
ter some bright gem. bless your dear
heart "Debby," keep searching). Nature
never intended ME for poet, and per-
haps he has played the same churlish
trick with you. (lfyou have four or FIVE
cents, "Debby." bet them all that this is
so, and you will double your capital) ~
Therefore, for the advantage of all inter-
ested. | send you the following recipe
To write lines to anybody fit to publish
in newspaper:
Select from twenty or thirty old news
papers, all the poetry. original and Sc
lected. (Ah! "Debby," there's the rub
How is fellow to know which is poet
ry. and which is notO You will then
be possessed of a good stock Of words
additions to which may be obtained in
walkers abridgement Should you
find any words jingle tolerably well to-
gether, place one under the other ON the
right hand side ofthe page thus:
poke,
smoke,
You will find but little difficulty in filling
up the lines with the usual sentimental
phrases, for instance:
Dear girl, in your eye my finger poke,
To show by the spark (or snar) that my flames not
all smoke.
Should the lines limp little by having
one leg shorter or longer than its neigh
Dor, you may dock it by authorizations, or
elongate it by interections or repetition
thus:
o Sophia Sophia Sophia oh y. 4!
1ve got pain in my great toe
(That's not classic, ''Debby." Why
couldn't you make the first line end with
entity, SO that the last could be crtremity).
Poetry is measured by the foot as linen
is by the yard two syllabes make foot
of poetry, and three feet make yard of
linen. ln writing very long lines, care
must be observed to count the syllables of
each line on the fingers, so that in read
ing it may come tlippingy off like the
revolutions of a grindstone, or the sound
produced by steam saw mill, thus -
Dear maid I've long c0urted you be side Of this
brook
And am determined on having you by hook or
by crook.
perceive have made small mistake
in counting the last lines, (perbaps deb
by You counted your thumbs for fingers,
or you may have had one of your fingers
i'll your mouth and so missed COUNTY. but
it seems to give some idea of what good
poetry ought to he, besides it is not to
be presumed one is 10 be acquainted with
AL the minutia of the subject on which
they are writing for the instruction of
mankind. In the class of poetry of which
| am speaking, ideas are superfuous.-
The immortal Shakespeare who seems to
have stolen many of his best phrases from
our modern newspaper poets, gives fine
hint in what consists their greatest merit.
PoloniM- do you read my lord'
Hdmld--Worls, words words.
Now, if you feel grateful for the above
and wish to see your paper go ahead of
all in the poetry line, (don't we though ?
Why we keep man engaged constantly
to cut out poetry. We have got seven
barrels of it on hand, and have not yet
half enough to satisfy the public dcmand),
just drop letter in the Fair P. O., to-
morrow night and pay me some nice liz
tie compliment on my ingenuity and re-
fined taste, and may become constant
correspondent of yours.
DEBBY LoNGFELLOw.
We did not write to you "Debby," for
fear that certain lady. who pretends to
own an interest in our dear self, might
find it out, and-well you understand
"Debby," and so you will excuse US wont
you. Let US say now, however, in def
ance of Mrs. Editor of the columbian"
that you are great, tremendous, and high
generally. That your ingenuity is only
excelIed by your taste, and that your
taste is highfalutin. Go it, "Debby," and
if We may be permitted TO hold your bon
net, we will back you against the world.
Hook AND LADDER Co.-There was a
meeting held on Tuesday eve'g last, Of
persons favorable to the formation of
Hook & Ladder CO., in this town. A
company was organized, and officers