Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-05

for these ideas, must have had in
mind that exquisite little poem:
"H.w doth the little busy BEE,
Improve each shining hour,
1t gathers honey all the day
From every fragrant flower"
or, as We appropriately improved it
Just after last falls election:
Glow doth the little busy BEE,
Improve e. Oh 81 lining hour;
1t gathers dispatches all the day,
By some mysterious power"
The composition of Senator Phin-
cas- w. Hitchcock's poem is beyond
criticism; his ideas are beautiful,
and are finely expressed; the rhyme
is excellent, every two lines cling
ling" i'm harmony, as it were. The
author, in several instances, has
availed himself, it is true, of the
license allowed to poets, but he has
done it i'm such a finished manner,
that no one can consistently find
fault with it.
We cannot pay a higher compli-
ment to Senator Hitchcock than by
comparing his production with those
of the author of
"Hey didile, the cat an the fiddle,
The COW jumped over the moon;
Thu little dog laughed to see such sport,
While IN. dish ran away wi h the spoon"
A great similarity between the
two will at once be observed by the
careful peruser, and we are led there
fore, to believe that their "poetry
machines" were constructed on the
same plan, and that the only thing
requisite for Phineas to do, in case
he wants to become recognized as
the leading poet of the day, is to
"turn the little handle"
1t is hoped that he will not be
content with this his first public eff
fort. The lovers of poetry would
be greatly disappointed at any such
determination on the part of the
Senator.
If there are any faults to be found
with his ''pome," they may safely
be ascribed to the fact that he had
to write it after midnight, when he
had a terrible headache, and an
aching heart, as he himself says.
He is advised hereafter to write at a
more seasonable hour, when he is in
better trim. Although the poem
may go down to posterity along
with the efforts of Tennyson, and
other rhymesters, it is hoped that
this will not be his only attempt.
He is a public man, and he should
cultivate his literary talent. Don't
all public men and Statesmen dOit?
Didn't D'Israeli do it? Didn't Bull
wer do it? Didn't Gladstone do it :?
and didn't Napoleon Bonaparte do
it? OF course, they did and they
gave to the world the results of their
labors. Senator Hitchcock must fol-
low suit, if he wishes to live i'm the
memory of men long alter he has
been reduced to ashes by the pro-
cess of cremation he must find
time, aside from his arduous labors,
to favor the public with 'some more
of the same kind.n
There are some critics, we know,
who would not agree with us i'm our
criticism of Senator Hitchcock's
poem. They belong to the fault
finding class of critics-persons who
are not aware that it is an easier
task to critieise a literary production
than 1t Is to write 1t.
They have nc word of encourage
ment; their chief delight is to dash
cold water on the maiden efforts of
writers. They do not take into con-
sideration the painful heart-achings
caused by their cutting criticisms.
There are persons among this class,
who would, after cruelty dissecting
Mr.. Hitchcock's poem, deliberately
advise him
"No more 10 ape poetical creation,
But straightway don his spinal termination,
And join mis- fellows in the forest cool,
Until taught better b. Dame Natures r-le,"
We suppose that the daughter has
ere this answered her fathers letter,
and should not be surprised to see it
appearin the Republican next SUM-
day morning. 1t will probably be
as follows:
G<.xt.ar deorfathor anna hova 10 49,