New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-26
LFoF me NOV UTIeabs Only 2
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poetryy' has been asked BY those only whose minds
SO narrow that they cannot see the use Of any.
thing Of which the benefits are not tangible and
visible as are those Of steam and commerce whose
motto is work, work, without ceasing and who
treat with scorn shat which only gives pleasure !;
as If the dear God who made US, did not intend we
should experience happiness as well an pain here
below. They never have felt the delicious enohant.
ment OF poetry, or looked with delight upon tho
birds and flowers, and the glad green earth before
asking this question, but they have labored, until
they have succeeded, in bsnshing from their minds
all beautiful, all heavenly thoughts. If poetry
merely filled with refined pleasure hours which
otherwise would be given to idleness or gratihca-
ton Of the senses, we should feel the question
sufficiently answered, for we all striving for
happiness, whatever contributes to It's attainment
must be Of use But if we look for them, we may
find many other uses Of poetry than the exquisite
delight it affords us We
In the early ages poetry, as the child Of imagina-
ton, came to maturity long before prose- the child
OF reason, and to her was given the task Of soft
ening fierce manners and cultivaing the loftier
passions which really ennoble man. These she
contributed towards civilization, for it was great
step in the march Of improvement when rude men
were willing 70 leave, for time, their wild sports
or fierce warfare and listen, with wrapt attention.
to the words Of the poet who soon learned to feel
and use his influence over them. It was glorious
triumph Of .aird. The sway the poet thus acquired
was unbounded. He placed before his impressible
hearers stories Of battles and sieges, and their
ready valor was kindled and their admiration ex-
cited by the vivid pictures thus presented and per-
chance his master-hand, at times, sn,ote the rock
of their rough nature, and tears gushed forth album
dainty. In these remote times, poetry brous ht
to perfection and the sublime stories of Troy and
the Grecian heroes recitei by the blind old bard,
a. lie wandered from city to city, have never been
surpassed, although mere than twenty centuries
have rolled away since Homer's magic words were
first heard by bis wondering listeners.
/ Ages passed, and man became more and more
civilized, till Rome, the Mattress Of the World was
decked with splendor, and art seemed brought to
ts highest perfection when suddenly there came
revulson, and mankind was plunged into state
more barbarous than before. The nations of the
north wandered about from country to country,
ravaging and plundering. Livery noble principle
and aim seemed to have been forgotten in the de-
sire to murder and destroy. The earth presented
revolving sight, delnged in the blood Of her sons,
yet Poetry, undannted, entered upon the dreary
scene and accomplished her mission. Under the
form of the Troubadour's lay she directed mans
mind to religious object-the recovery OF the
Sepulchre, and hhe taught men the virtues and
claims of woman, who had hitherto been consider
ed as slave. But now, under the sweet influence
of Poesy, she received . degree of Difference that
amounted almost to worahip and, raised to a high
position, was enabled TO aid Poetry in her great
work.
In wars and reyulsions Of all kinds Poetry gives
her aid to the just cause, and her influence is ex-
tensiye. It is thus that the poems of Chaucer ex-
erted nearly as great an influence in producing the
Reformation as the preaching Of Wckliffe, for his
words sank deep into the hearts Of the people, and
they, perhaps, unaware of the cause, began to be
conscious Of their strength to resist oppression and
the abuses to which they had 50 long bowed in
blind respect. In wars the Poet sends forth his
songs, glowing with patriotism, and fills the hearts
of others with the thoughts that inspire his own
Thus Campbell's warlke songs exert widespread
tnhuence over sea and land, and rouse the courage
of the English sailor whatever be the battle
scene.
The improvement of a language Is always ac
eomplished by the Poet. Our noble English
tongue Uniformed and uncouth, used only by the
ignorant, wanted but the poems of Chaucer and
the succeeding efforts Of Wyatt, Surrey, spenser
and Shakespeare. to render it unsurpassed in its
power of expressing strong and lofty thoughts
Poetry is a great teacher, though her lessons are
conveyed indirectly. Many poets have created
characters as pure and SO lovely that they appear
ed not OF this earth, yet they claim our admiration
and gain our sympathies, and unconsciously we
initiate them in our actions. In times Of trouble,
their examples appear before MS and we emulate
their acts of sef.saerifiee Again. they have paint
ed characters hideous in their wickedness. ana
shown that such, if not punished by man, suffer
the torture of conscience, worse than DEATH and
thus are we warned from the path of sin.
But, above all, Poetry eleyates our thoughts anG
gives us an aim to which our energies NAV be di
rected. 1t steals into our hearts with a gentle
and healing sympathy, and leads US into the do
main of nature She shows us everything that NAV
escape our careless gaze, and throws over ali
things she speaks of the charm of Imagination
till, enchanted with her descriptions we ourselves
seek the source from which she derives her inspir
alton, and our hearts, thankful for the treasures
which are given to us, offer up the incense o,
prayer.
If, then, Poetry is a source Of exquisite delight
if she elevates the mind presenting to it refined
and noble thoughts, in such manner as to insure
reception Of them if by SO doing, she ciyilizes
mankind; if she forms the medium by which the
heart be most readily moved; if she teaches us to
look more lovingly upon nature and is ever our
wise instructor and if she lends her sweet in
fiuence to Religion, need we seek to find othe,
uses of Poetry?
BARGAINS N Day GooDs.- AT the establishment