The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-07-24
The Poet Again Descends to Prose

ted by the same power, with a wheel
11H inches in diameter. What a revo>
luton? We are progressing. r.
The Poet Again Descends to Prose.
10 the Editors Of the Herald and Matt:
In your last issue my critic presents
me with something which he is pleased
to call "Attic Salt" and insists on nv
taking it, urging as a reason for my do
ing so, that 1.-The weather has become
suddenly oppressive" etc. Now, no one
will deny that salt is a Yerv good
thing, but if it has lost its saYor," we
have Holy Writ for it, that st is thence
forth good for nothing but to be cast
out and to be trodden under foot of
men,"
Before partaking of my critics sa-
line preparation, l prefer applying to it
some tests, both from the scriptures and
the chemistry of common sense-to see
if it smacks of the genuine article. And
in doing this, we can only judge of the
mixture by its effects; just as 1.-The tree
is known oy it's fruit" Presuming
then that my critic has the honesty not
to recommend to others something as a
good thing without having previously
made large experience of it in his own
person, we have only to look to him for the
Out~crOPptn9S, by which we may deter
mine the nature of this "attic COM
pound" The word salt carries with it
the idea of preservation and protection
Should we not then expect in one who
has of this commodity ian abu ndance
and to spare" goodly and welI-pre-
served amiability, a fairness of discus
sion and evenness of temper, as well as
a most thorough protection from the
gall of bitterness and sail uncharitabl BILE
ness?" Surprising him then to be fully
Imbued with the solution that he is
so willing to dispense to others, we have
but simply to point to his mo. 2" as
the OWt-ttO1Ct7gS in which your readers
may search lin vain perhaps) for the
delicate characteristics of the Attic or
the virtues of the other, which so pre-
served its subjects as to have called
forth the expression of our Savior, eye
are the salt OF the earth" Until the |
fruits of my critics salt are very consid~ |
erably improved, l must decline his |
very pressing invitation by exclaiming, |
"A way with the villainOus stuff"
find from my critics last, that the |
basis of his operations is a little more |
;Ircumscribed; at least, he has dropped |
.he stars, quit the dreams and thrown
away the 'JdtFy feet" He has even
earned also that there is really such
hing as the "white violet" and that,
90, without taking my advice and Wis
ting the "fair and accomplished young
ady." am glad now that he did not
axe the rendered ADVICE; since lie
ellis me if he had called upon her he
night have been so much affected as to
lave had an abortion. Really my crit
C must excuse me. The last time 1
Ta aHt,i his comedy person, [ was certainly
lot think there was the least danger of
UGH a catastrophe, or 1 should not have
,iven him advice which might have
,een fraught with such dreGdfuL con-
equence. As to the allusion to Geo. d.
Prentice, my critic replies that he knew
i'm and was also aware of his capacity
or determining what should be accepta-
lie in poesy," but that his favorable
of the poem of Miss Matte
iriffith was no evidence that he would
ave passed a like one on mine. This is
wonderful discovery! Who said it |
vas? Certainly | did not. Again, let
ne present the matter in question. l
sed a certain expression in my poem" .
t was objected to by my critic, and l
eferred him to precedent, which pre-
edent had been approved by Mr.. Prem
ice.
Now, Messrs. Editors, suppose you
we're to use a0Ord or phrase in an ediA
Orial and it was criticised, and you
hOuld refer to Shakespeare for the pre- {
edent, would it not b3 bad salt that
7ould make any one presume that SUCH {
reference was EVIDENCE that 45oW BE-
eUed that the "inmQFtal Will
yOuld have endorsed nam
lriaIy And your entire edi-
81 -, yet, is this not somewhat
4,er the manner of my critics reason
ng? But before we conclude, let US
ouch (Only once more) the almost worn
ut pronOun. And here again my crit
. seems to think he is successful in get
ing off one of his Attics, when he saws
rat off rtG to off ba |
THAT was the result of my own ''disre-
ard or ignorance of the rules of gram-
lar, is q little too NiN.' On this point |
wish him to know that it is not my
esire to conceal the truth with any,
hing either chick or thin" If the
rinter remembers the prOnoun to have {
cen HIM instead of He in the copy fur
ished, of course it was that way; but
till say it was different in the original.
his fact, were it necessary, is suscep-
bile of proof. The charity of some of
is salt would have very readily sug~
ested the possibility Of the uninten-
onal omission in the copy for the press. i
tut to hunlOr my critic, let us admit '
ne pronOun to have been in the case he
,ould have it, and still it will not be a
0nlpGniO7eteSS creature in the world; for
5 IyrO informs us, it often occurs in
"methinks, methought," ETC., l
lough, he confesses, mot very ele-
antly." Byron, who was in his day in
40 province of letters what Napoleon
-as in the military, in the following ;
ne: {
joy and health alone could be-" I
as also been so regardless as to have {
ecOme the father OF lone of the ineEe>
mt ki19Smen." Truly my critic is
eeping his Light under a bushel" in
ursuing the "hedgings' when he !
light go for the eagles. Let him then !
ave the ''SntaU fry and grapple with
lie LeUjdtbG11. and he may yet be a I
[omer and have seven cities TO con- :
md for the honor of his birthplace.