The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-12-22
New Work.
NOW w OrK,
PoErs AND POETRY OF VERMONT, Edited
by ABBY MARIA IIEMENwAY.

Sweet are the pleasures that to verse belong,
And doubly sweet brotherhood in song.
Rutland George a. Tutte & Com
pany, 1858, PIP. 400.
Miss HEMENwAY has been quite sue
cessful in her adventurous enterprise The
book, which has resulted, is handsome
one in type and form,and presents a taste
ful collection OF literary matter, of which
no d'sinterested citizen of the State will
have reason to be ashamed. hat is Of
fered is POETRY from every portion of the
State, from contributors differing in age
and in culture, yet representing in
general nicely Of poetical percep-
tion and finish of literary expires
sion, indicative Of peryading char
acter both Of taste and intellect, the
sonrces Of which must be equally diffused.
| There is a common merit of the kind de-
scribed, which indicates at least the spirit
and faculty OF poetical writing Poetry
itself is supposed to be something differ
ent from this,--to have its seat mainly in
the feeling Of that truth which rhetoric
describes, but which poetry tells, however
beautifully With simplicity even palmer
than that of music. The form it takes is
originated by its own fervor, or seems to
be, as are the molten particles OF flowing
lead, or placed in verse fills out its mould
as naturally. 1t is the soul of the thing
said, the refinement and essence of which
impart the character of soul,--and not
mind merely, or the absence of it.
OF such poetry, so difficult always to
describe, so easy and universal to fee, the
quality belongs, as is said Of oratory, both
to the occasion and the feeling of it.
These are not made; at least, are not Of
ten made tor each other. Love is the
spirit of many a song of which both the
sentiment and the expression had their
model before them, in the passion and the
poetry of some previous lover. The song
is poem in form also, but conventionally
or but feebly poetry, whatever its rhetoric
may be. 1t has been said the great Vi
cissitudes of life breed the spirit of pc.
etry. They perfect it perhaps, in the
school of experience, but nature prepares
it more truly, of a quality SO real, that
the trivial or ordinary trials of life are
enough to test it, and move all other
minds by its affinity, This is not sensi.
bility, which is but weakness till it in
form some faculty with strength want
of soul, as poetical clement, till its re-
sponsive power is felt. OF course, fancy
or Imagination is not poetry, though the
forms of the one and the sweep of the
other are the vehicles of its soul of feel
ing, as are the flowers or the whirlwind of
the informing Spirit of Creation.
Where is the poetry then of our book,
or of our people? One of the highest
names Of American literature graces its
pages, and challenges an or ginal place
for force and freedom of poetical concep-
ton, His rivals, up and down the lad
der of fame, are scanty enough. He is
sure of place with those who see with
intenser faculties than the mass--"a form
they cannot see, and hear a voice they
cannot hear" and renders the impression
to them, even in the rudeness of drollery
in sense so exquisite, that they live anew
in his perceptions, as those indeed of 9
Poet We find a medium of female sen
sibility here, gentle, melancholy, into
which realities enter as spectres of mem
ory, while still present, and challenge {
, sympathy for " the vision and the faculty
divine" which elevates our life by shad
, owing it and pleases by saddening it
The real power or charm is not wanting
here or with our people, but their NOR
, common characteristics predominate, in
, tellectual in kind and elegant more o
! less in the form of expression.
S If intense and sleepless patriotism an
$ the home virtues characterize us,they vii
4 appear in our poetry. If the soundin
y brass supplants to some extent the NOR
maleaole metal, and the show and success
of families are instead of mutual help an
love with them, we shall expect some gill
tering token of this emptiness in our sons
If our history is familiar, if our scener
is impressive, if our opinions are liberia
poetry will reflect them as in a mirror, o
- which the breath of many gazers hl
stayed andyet how exquisite is their seen
l. ing. Life has the soul of our feelip
subject to it, which in poetry rises 81
% preme over it, sympathy or passion sul
= gesting its spell ,subordinating every EN-,
tion to an ecstacy of truth. EASTMAN
/ L.. 1 II