Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-03-02

The UnIverSallSt societies In Winston,
Essex, Jericho, Bethel and Calais, are in
want of preachers.
From the Springfield Republican.
POEMS OF MRS. GEO. p. MARSH.
When a new volume of poems appears,
naturally the first question is. WhAt.is their
proper rank and place among the already
accepted achievements of the divine art p
But we have taken up the unpretending
volume from the pen Of Mrs George P.
Marsh Of Vermont, just published by Serb
ner q Co., New York, and have read on,
page after page, with ever increasing s~atisfac-
ton, without once asking any Of the ques-
lions which the critic brings to test a new
book. Simple, unaffected, full Of charming
description and healthy and humane senti-
ment, set in the purest and choicest words,
We know not what these poems lack Of the
highest excellence. We begin with the
last poem in the volume, which should have
been the proem. As any one may see, it is
addressed to her distinguished husband, and
to Us it seems one of the best things of its
kind-which is a good kind, for what no.
bier thing is there in this world than the love
of true wife?
Beloved thou whose t nder care hath fed
Ny Pickering lamp oflife for many a year,
Thou who hast watched beside my weary bed,
And dried with loving hand the frequent tear
Who, when each healing art had proved in vain,
With a strong arm thy helpless burthen bore,
Dserte~ +ha threatenings Of the stormy main,
10 mllder breezes on a forolsn Shore
Sweet was our rest in Amos lovely vale,
Amid her olive groves, her orange bowers,
And if health came not O. the balmy gale,
Better than health the memory of such hours
Nor less delight from Elmo's rock to gaze
On the proud city 50 read so fair below,
And on that classic sea red with the rays
| OF such a sunset as those skies may show.
What awful pleasure, too, at midnight stirred,
When from Vesuvius, like a sudden day,
Shot the wild flames and molten lava poured,
Turning to blood the waters Of that bay
Lifting my languid head, thou bad'st me look
Where blazing rocks in showers were upward driven
With mighty thunderings from below, that shook
As if the fends of hell again made war on heaven.
And all one golden winter did we lie
Rocked softly on the breast of Nilus old,
Silent with wonder, as we foated by
Pharaonic glories still left half untold.
Beneath the shadow of Arabian palms
Thou'st gently famed my heavy eyes to rest,
Praying new life might come with spicy balms
Breathed ser me from the land well named the
Iblest.'
On hallowed Olivet our feet have trod,
Where He of Nazareth was wont to pray
We wept DER Salem that disowned her God,
Her glorious garments stained, her kingdom rent
away.
Fair was our summer home as childhoOd's dream,
Where, robed in clouds of canvas floating Free
While giIded barges gay his bosom gem
The dark blue Bosphorus hastes from sea to sea.
Greece, with her purple islands swathed in gold,
Her skies transparent as the Egean flood,
Her mountains that heavens rainbow robe. enfold-
Even on that mythic shore together we have stood.
Nor sight Of natures fairest scenes alone
l owe thy love, 0 f riend most true and wise I,
Arts highest wonders, old and new, thou'st shown,
And taught me how to see, and how to prize.
And thy beloved voice hath charmed mine ear
With many a sage's, many a nations lore,
Lifting my soul above each selfish care,
When on the page sublime these eyes could look
no more.
Lo, now the humble offering that l make =
A poor return for culture-well | know =
Given with such a liberal hand-yet do thou take,-
And may some future day fruits less unworthy
[show
The principal poem, occupying nearly two
thirds of the book, is " Wolfe of the Knoll"
The scene Of the poem is partly on the island
of AmrCom, in the North Sea, belonging to
Sleswig Holstein, and partly in the city and
territory of Tunis, in the African coast of the
Mediterranean The strikin. natural diver
sity of these places, as well as the unlikeness
in the character and life of the inhabitants,
gives opportunity for some very striking con-
trasts, which are effectively wrought out,
evidently in a great measure from personal
observation. 4" olfe of the Knoll" is a
peasant on the island of AmrOom, who has
grown grey with sad watching for the return
of an only son, who went to sea and was
taken captive and sold as a slave in Tunis.
Melleff, the son, rescues the young daughter
of the Pacha of Tunis from destruc ton by a
hostile foe, and with her last breath she asks
and obtains his freedom, and he returns home
only to see his old father die. On this brief
narrative are strung the descriptive passages
which are the real object and scope of the
poem. A few disconnected extracts will
show how admirably the object is accomplish
ed.
Through the fierce haze descenis the sun,
And throws across the waters dun
A slender band of ruby stain,
So bright it seems the golden chain,
That binds earth to his glorious sphere,
Is visibly extended here,
And that the dancing waves may break
The flashing links they rudely shake.
TRANQUILITY doth our islet sleep,
This eventide upon the deep.
Der its bare face the slant rays pass
And gid it with a tender glow,
Leaving no image on the grass,
Of rocky crag or greenwood bough;
The crescent line of downs alone
Hath eastward a broad shadow thrown,
And the poor %cotters lowly roof,
From angry spring-tides held aloof
By the turfed mound his hands have reared (;
Above the reach Of foe % feared, sa.m ia 1