Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-01-20
For the Wilmington Journal.
Literary Notes.

Literary WOteS.
I.
Tennyson has received what appears to
be large sum for one or two of his smaller
poems. But however great the price, it is
really quite trifing in amount, when CON-
pared to the sum paid poet of Venice, in the
days OF its glory and magnifcence. In
the fifteenth century-near the middle
Jacops Sannazaro received six thousand
crowns in gold for only six lines in praise
of the splendid and unique city that
seemed to rise ont of the waves of the Adri-
attic. AS these lines give good idea of
the splendor and beauty of Venice in the
time of the Doges, and are at the came
time rare, quote them as translated by
DIR. Thomas Guthrie, of Edinburgh
Neptune saw Venice on the Adris stand
Firm = rock, and all the command;
Think thou, Jove,' said he. Rome's walls ex-
Gel
Or that proud cliff. whence false 4rpaia fell?
Grant Tlber best view both, and you will say
That men did those, gods there foundations lay
The Duke of Marlborough, confessedly
the greatest military genius that England
has ever produced, has provoked a vast
deal of discussion among historians and
critics. There ls a great variety and an
tagonism of opinion in the estimate placed
upon his personal character. Lord Mac
aulay and Earl Stanhope, in their TT spective
great historical compositions, differ en-
tireiy in their general summing up,
as we'll as in the discussion of
particular incidents and points in the life of
the hero of Families and Blenhein. But
all writer's agree that Marlborough had but
little political principle, was avaricious
and soreiy hen pecked by q termagant
wife. Macaulay paints him on his graphic
canvas as utterly mean and despicable in
his entire composition. Pope, who SO
| we'll knew how to sting his a1versaries,
and who has bequeathed the English reader
the most perfe ct spe cimens of satire, has de-
scribed the baseness of the Duke in 6 saw
| age lines" which have never been printed,
and which the Edinbmgh ReuieaO says,
Pope dared not give to the public" I
copy the following couplet, which is good
specimen of Pope's manner. Speaking Of
| Marlborough the poet says
Filled with all fears OF loss, small joys of gain "
Walter Savage Lauder deserves to take
rank among the foremost writer's of Great
Britain. There are not half dozen authors
in the long roll of distinguished literary
men who have employed the English Ian
guage as the vehicle Of their thoughts, who
have displayed a completer mastery over
the most composite, flexible and copious
of all languages. His Imaginary Con
versations" and other works, will doubt
less survive all the changes that may take
place in our tongue, and be read hundreds
of years hence, together with the works oi
Bacon, Milton, De Quincy and Macaulay.
Some ten or a dozen years since. certain
French official angrily charged that Eng
retorted the ill natured charge in some
lines that are worth reproducing
They appeared in an English paper and
may not prove uninteresting st this time,
when the subject of the satire is al exile
and prisoner. Here is what the iadig
nant and gifted Englishman said Of the
French Emperor
"We encourage assassins Fair sir, have no
No hold has the murderer, or sympathies here
England loathes an assassin, and loathes him 40
| lees
Whether shameful by failure. or groat by sue
Whether hiding from sight, set high on a
Whether killer of thousands, or killer of ono
| Whether bribe or revenge or the hope of name,
Or the the dream Of q 'Destiny" 'damn him to
| fame"
Whatever the prompting. whatever the end.
Has he slaughtered People he swore % de-
| fend-
Has he banded with ruffaus like him to strike
At q brother Assass in-we loathe him alike
Fen where, OAin-ike, by Providence guarded
from i'll,
| With mark set upon him that no man may kill
| Where prosperity seems all his projects to
| crown,
| We've faith in his Favor-no fear of his frown
Undismsyed by bis Fortunes-unawed by his
| Fate,
We smile at his "Destiny''- him and
| WAIT"
T. B. K.
Oxford, n. O., Jan. 10, 1870.