Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-08
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This "cOup d'esSal, IN blank verse, ID
the work of Edwin W. Fuller, a young |
North Caroliniau.
We Sat down TO its perusai. with no dis
position to seek faults. bat in fair and
catholic spirit Perhaps it may ba we'll to |
state frankly that, prepossessed by the
preI ared to applaud whatever critical Law
and Justice to the r. aders of the JOURNAL
would tolerate.
We have 10 purpose now, by savage
as ault, to illustrate our prove IS at the ex-
pense Of the writer. We are so mach
pleased that we cordially commend the
little book to public favor: uuheralded as 1t
is, not faultless, but with merit that lot
only promis. future excellence, but gives
| it positive value-we could not do less. 1t
has received no foreign imprinedf'",
and our PEOPLE are wont to wait for this
before they venture to apt,laud. For
ourself, whatever fragrance gratifies cur
sense Of smell, whatever beauty delights
our eye, We enjoy aud til INK God. and
care little what Mrs. Grumpy may say.
Let every North Carolihian d. likewise
and he will, at least, find pleasure III a
realization of independence.
The subject selected scarcely seems to
the modern reader to be properly one Tor
poetic treatment Fate and free will, tt g
relations of man to Deity, the meaning
of lie. responsibility, futurity, belong
rather to speculative philosophy or theol-
ogy. To recur to an earlier perlod-Mr.
Fuller had the example and sanction OF
Greek tragedy and less remotely of Milton,
and, doubtless has drunk of these
classic fountains. His speculatione. deal
ing with problems iusoluble otherGlse
than by revelation, have engaged in all
ages, and must ever continue to engage
the highest human intellect. The very
difficulty Of his theme, however, beightens
our admiration of his skill.
The measure of the poem is pentameter
or "heroic," aud the rythm musical
; The openings luxurious country resi-
dence time, summer solstics-the effect
; OF heat upon vegetable and animal life. il
we'll painted and with Dutch fidelity.
, The profundi,y of silence, broken bJ
tho
Sound of melting ice
Deep il q massive urn. whose silver slies
With trucking dew beads RAM"
? is q stroke of art eminently suggestive. The
? clouds
That wbitened as they rose
Till bleac he'd to snow they drifted dresmity
= Like cleaning icebsrgs through the blus sui
, Lme."
is picture beautifully true.
The limit of newspaper review is 6
ksrl~ oil
q CANT citations.
It is a fault in the author to illustrate a:
. frequently as he does the natural by the
artificial. He sometimes errs by mean inn
ages. such as the metaphor near the bot
tom of page 81 and by the use of ex-
pressions and words below the dignity O.
;. poetry. On the whole the writer hal
achieved success-not q perfect success
such as should induce him to lay aside hi
pen the better to enjoy his fame, but suct
. as properly appreciated should stimulate
:, future effort. Dazzled by it's light let bin
!, not fold his wings, but again and again
after severe preparation, try their strength
= and ultimately he may fly at the sun unit
lost to the admiring gaze of his country
= men.
q To know ones ignorance is the begin
= ming of wisdom. What is true of the in
! dividual is equally true of man in the ag
gregate. Though policy commend thu
: rule ''H .fdut 6la'achisser nos hinges che
> NOUS" and patriotism, which is something
. higher, forbid the citizen to expose th'
> nakedness OF his country, the safety, thu
Al. &C. =.
supreme law. The latter exacts and justi
fies the most rigid examination of our con
q dition, even if it be attended by humilia-
!. ting exposure. In comparison with othe
, States North Carolina is in many respect
> inferior, especially so in science and litera
ture. There is nothing in our past bis
! tory, however, to discourage, while Their
. is much TO iDfame hope. Talent and vir
: tue often perish unknown to fame for lacl
of proyocation and opportunity.
There is a limited number of college
- bred men in our State, and the number O
we'll educated, bit s9lf-educated men
;, though larger. is also small, and necessari
~ the circle of readers is contracted. II
, the interest of literature the first step is tt
: oAt6uU Tic ulHu0t0E Oh bulS C1FCle. MIS-
Siddons remarked. "to play we'll there
. must be large and appreciative audi
= ence." Such an audience-so to speak
is as necessary to the writer as the actor
Its stimulus is essential to high and pro
q longed effort its support is vital to labor
n without these there will be no p.oduc-
q ton. The exceptional cases where the de-
q sire of posthumous fame, or tabor ct Ups,
roluptas" are the motives but prove the
= rule. It is the duty Of the press, the pull
pit, and every good citizen to foster edu.
cuation, science, and good literature. Ear.
, nestly we invoke their aid-not fee
BILE assent-but generous, jealous succor.
! That none may misunderstood US, we
mean time and money, in the coniunctive
or disjunctive. Not many years ago it
oil in St~x,h IL A