Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-03-10
HnWAR1H. CALDWELL.

to glance at one of them briefly.
Mr.. CALDWELL is a native Of South Carolina, son
Of the late Chancellor CALDWELL, graduate Of the
South Carolina College, practitioner at Law (atlsast
until recently in Columbia, and man highly es-
tecmed for his purity of character and aocial excel
onces 1t is further claimed for him, that his name
deserve, place on tho roll Of Americas poets. To
substantiate this claim, two volumes arc I" in evil
first having appeared sevora years since
under the title of "Oliatta and other Poems;" the
other is the collection now before us and commencing
with production bearing the peculiar appellstion of
=" TIE STAR OF SUICIDE" Presuming this poem to
occupy pretty much tho same relation to ts compnn-
ions which an Editors Leader does to his ohor articles
of the same isaue, we shall scan somewhat closely to
see whether the author is correct in giving it this po-
,tion of precedence.
We find that upon our frst reading of this poem 1e
made the brief annexation: Good in the main." Az
wo are firm believer in frst impressions, especially
in the article Of poetry, shall let that decision
stand for the present If after looking furtner we
can soy more it will afford sincere pleasure to do so
nThs Star Of Suicide" purports to be the reveris
of melancholy and rather msanthropic dreamer. lie
is leaning upon his pillow on dreary winter night
and the fame of his lamp just dying in its socket,
as tho poem opens. The dreamer is reminded by the
circumstance Of "Death," and ponders
"msny q faded dream of old
When Faith confded in all Hope had told"
until at length his restless eyes, as wandering IS his
thoughts arc caught by CLEAN of starlight and afar,
"upon the sullen arch of night" hc sees old Saturn
shining thro the hazy air" Saturn then, is the "star
of suicide" train of sad reflections crosses the
mind OF the poetmuaer as ho gsze' upon that "chiy
orb on the verge of creation" lie mourns the
"folded wings of Glove and Hope" sorroWfully ro-
calls a time whom innocence and the charms of an
carly home were his, and feOngly paints tho deca-
deneo one by one of all the joys Of his life. And
then an earnest longing to be borne away to "some
celestial clime," takes possession Of his soul and
"throbs with his blood" His wish is mysteriously
gratifiei Angel hands seem to bear him up to this
"Stnr of Suicide" He there finds the suicides of all
time scattered far and wide" upon its "shadowy
slopes from Ajax and Cato, Of old, down to Chat
tcrton and North of modern days. Chsttorton at
once becomes tho prominent person Of the drama.
lie upraids the unhappy dreamer" for essayins to
exchange earth and salvation for this dismal homo Of
tho pallii and wan victims of Despair. The dreamer
replies with bitter conplainings against his over
flowing cup of misery, and with retfu structures upon
his fellow -mortals their vain chow Of pety and ho
low form Of devotion. Chnttcrton rcjoins, and the
converse strange is thus continued until the sceptcs
sckly fancy begins to recover from its error' and
soon his terrestrial home once stands out before
bis vision in its true value It is hero that his mon
tor points him to alight stealing thro high easement
fur of on earth It reveals maiden at her prayers.
The dreamer's name is upon her supplant lip. 1t is
for him she prays. Ecstasy rushea through his vens.
Ho is himself again. Fath and Love, and Hope, re-
turn to his SOUL And, to mako short story shorter,
the kneeling maiden is now the bride of the happy
acknowledgements NO more but trustful humble
Christian and lover Of all humanity for the sake Of
that sweet maiden and her blessed influences.
Such is the simple, original, and rather pleasing
plot, around which Mr.. CALDWELL has woven a web
Of poesy containing many pretty concets and we'll
turned periods.
We quote the third stanza,-the ono which follows
up the drcamer's first view Of Saturn:
"Thc star of sueide, old SATuRg stood
Alone upon the sullen arch Of Night:
strange emotion, throbbing with my blood,
Swept all my soul to that :m distant light;
Might my tirod spirit wing its airy aight
To that for region, some celestial cline
Like u Gagged eagle, in this realm Of blight
She longs to fee away from oarth's dull slime,
And clap her wings aloft, in hesTenward night
sublime"
Thi, is not unlike TnoHAs GRAY, whether RS to pu-
Il ~, oc1ir M ri
time, viz upon the heightened cadence of the con-
cludng line. Tho three next sanzas all decidedly
good; VIC have only room for tho last Of them, illus
trating tho gradual fading away of the hopes and
joys of life:
"As in that season when The church recall,
The wuful sufferngs Of tho ncarnate Son,
The lights arc qucnchcd at solemn intervals,
Till, at = pause. the atar-lights alone
Shine on the gloom, then, even they are gone;
Mine eyes had reen tho lights of life to fade
In the hearts hues place, e'en,-one by one,
Till NIL the structure did thick gloom invaso
And sighs alone heard sobbed from the dismal
shade ~
The Sth stanza is the one which takes the dreamer
up to the ",tur of suicdc:'
"Mcthousht that angcl-hands now bore me up
Thru the dusk air. and to that star we hied,
Where wandering freely thro' the shadowy slope
The Suicides scattered far and wide
Hero Ajax stood by grave old Cato's side,
Iscariot, Plate Saul and Samson here
Talked with Calypso and the hapIess bride
OF Capaneus; and Hero followed near
Sapnlo and Dido; Portia, Arris, brnvc as fair"
lie various other unfnrtunutes, and at length
meets Chatterton and North, rho aru introduced by
tho following f"rciblc liues:
A.. 4
Pud and wan, and crowned with old Despair;
The wondruus Chnttcrton. and he whose fnme
Is yet to ri.c. star Of Pride and Fear,
Unhappy North in this far distant sphere
Slave Of the Lamp, now, neyermore for uye
But in their eyes the CLEAN of madness clcar
ShOuc like flash Of lightning that from high
Fits thro' tho sombrc clouds then lesvc, to gloom
the sky"
Stanzas llth, 18th, 18th, 18th, 18th and 18th we
have marked avery good" Four Of these We must
make place for They occur in the course of the dis
cussion between tho "ost spirit" and the hoart-sick
donizcn Of earth:
DREAMER.
"Wherc, tell me where, lost Spirit! may find
His voice. Ills living orucles, His Faith
Arc not eHrth's millions to Him deaf and blind
And mady punging to eternal death?
Where is the Light, the anccint record saith
In Urm and in Thummin doth abide?
Whore is the royal Priesthood has the breath
Fled from the Church, His Body ?-a has died
Save Dogmas and vain forms with churchmen's sted
Pride"
"I wandered one fuir Sabbath to church,
And filled with childhood's memories, sat mo down:
a gay and motley throng from font to porch
Bowed, whispered, jostled; gavo the smile or frown;
Anon, the glorious music rose to drown