The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1859-09-17

ilIzed nations to Ind, that all OF them
had their poets, who sang their loves,
Joys, and sorrows over their marriages,
c0nquests, deaths or defeats, or their
games, festivals or tournaments, when
no other historic means could be em-
EpIoyed to commemorate their national
achievements. Poetry then, must be
viewed as the most primitive develope-
ment Of literature Gift can be called By
that name }, inasmuch as the other ac-
quirements which have been noticed
were the result Of more refined ages,
when the power Of letters and words
was understood and practised. 10
come to more accurate conclusion we
would require to 20 as far back as the
days OF Homer, and from his epic poet
Try, learn the traditions and legends Oh
his time in his inimitable descriptions,
gathered from the scraps and songs of
less intelligent authors, who sang Of
wars, and victories won, by the snppos-
led gods Of their mystical creation, be-
fore him. From this il is clearly OBJ
iyio;.s that poetry Is not the production
Eof education, but the natural deyelope-
lment of expression.
Hseems to be a wise provision made
for us by the gods, in our nature, al
| though dimmed, and almost obliterated
in consequence Of our degeneracy, to
speak in happy illustrative language.
Wecan only have a correct idea Of this
truth, by looking back to the first poets
| and declaimers on record nand wo-
men, unlearned in the rules of grammat-
lieal construction, who have composed
the most beautiful pieces, which
stand as models Of the best composition,
down through series Of more than four
thousand years.
The Indian tribes who inhabit these
valleys OF the mountains, are a fair
specimen Of what all other savages or
Ebarbarons nations have been in all ages
lof the world, before they have attained
Ito knowledge Of letters, or the
art OF writing. They have their war
songs, their rejoicings mingled with the
song and dance, their songs commem-
oratiYe Of their warrior chiefs, their
victories, their nation, and their ances-
TRY. Indeed they have no other way or
/ method of retaining q history Of their
national glory and achievements, than
by this simple and natural process de-
rived from their natural .developement,
and the crude arrangement of their
ideas. Poetry may besaid to be the
first transposal OF reflection, or convey
tance OF unwritten thought from father
to son, and from one generation or age
Ito another, known by the nameof le-
Egend and tradition. 10 verbal prose
I communication could be so wellrehears.
/ ed, nor SO well remembered; rhyme,
Verse or blank lives longer on the me,
mory, and is more easily acquired.
Hence, the savage, barbarous, and semi:
civilized nations have all had their poets
Ito commemorate in song, what they de-
fsired should be committed from father
to son, as the bye-g one memory Of thei
past deeds. Rules and legends 81
ancient date were all Of a poetic caste,
and although many of them are not
! set forth in rhyme, yet they are all il
measured verse. For example, JOSEPH
I and his brethren, the poems Of Ossian
/ and in general all the Celtic tales, saw.
or Of this description. ssGive me, sai(
! zone English author, 'sthe songs Of any
/ nation, whose language we are acquaint
], ed with, and it will Be easy to tell yot
their history, morality and refinement
their degradation and the consequence:
4 thereof" +
!: 1t is a well known fact, that poetr,
when properly directed inspires in I'd,
breast q love of country, whether natiy'
or adopted; it stimulates the slave witt
, a love of freedom, and freemen witt
/, heroic valor. 1t clothes the rusticity O
life with the robes of innocence, make
social eonviyiality burst its sides wit
! laughter, and imprints a neyer-to-be
forgotten yeneration on the minds o.
the religious. In truth, nothing in til
: shape of literature ever has left, orWil
j leave such an indelible impression O
tho minds Of any people, of the past
present, or future, as that Of poetry!
The only reason We can advance j
j proof Of this, is, that all men and wo
linen are, more or less, developed wit
; the same physical organization, includ
ing similar feelings, sentiments, pas
sions, tastes, and desires; SO that poet