Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-07-27
THE POEM AND ORATORS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.

The Richmond Dispatch, after publishing
the poem recited at the University of Vir-
giuia, called over to Petersburg to know what
the appeal and Star thought of it. The
several editors of those papers, who are
evidently men of cultivation and scholarly at
tainments, pass judgment of condemnation
upon the poem, which the Dispatch publishes,
with Its own concurrent opinion of disappro-
baton.
If the object were to reflect public opinion
on the subject, it was hardly just to the poet
to collate the adverse criticism of neighbor-
ing village, without making any allusion to
the favorable and complimentary notices of
the Baltimore Sun, the New York Tribune,
the Washington Capital, and other city
journals.
At the same time, We are not disposed to
deny that the criticisms of the Star, and the
Appeal, are fairly conceived, kindly expressed,
and to some extent just
Upon the main point of their attack, how
ever, those acquainted with the laws of lyrical
composition will entertain very serious doubt
whether the editors themselves are entirely at
home upon this subject 1t is much easier
matter to speak of the "mere mechanical laws
of metre" than to define more accurately the
requirements of those laws in their application
to lyric poetry. The poem in question is an
Ode, composed of two parts, or of strophe
and antistrOpRe. Will the Appeal now tell
us whether the strophe and antistrophe should
be In similar, or dissimilar measure? Also
whether there is any ''mere mechanical law of
metre" governing this question, and if so,
what is that law? And with reference to the
length and measure of the verses, should
they be equal aud the same, or should each
verse vary in these respects, and what is the
Law of prosody on this subject? And in re-
gard to the relative length of each line in the
verse, should the lines be of equal or unequal
length, and by what process of counting on
your fingers" shall this question be deter
mined
We are speaking now of the modern ode,
as to which the average newspaper editor is
not supposed to be authority but conceding,
as We certainly do, that the editors of the
Star and Appeal are men of culture, and
literary attainmenta, we venture to call their
attention to the above questions, believing.
that they have not as yet given to the subject
that special consideration which would entitle
their opinions to the weight of any authority
For ourselves, after considerable investi,
CATION, We venture upon the following propo>
sition: TIE modern ode is like the musical
fantasia of composer, governed by no
law of construction except the will of the poet
or musiciau-if the composer be master, we
shall have music; and if the auther be in
sPired, there will be poem.
If this proposition be denied, we ask COM
parison of Dryden's Ode in honor of St.
Cecilia, With Tennyson's Ode to Memory,
and Victor Hugo's Ode to the Column.
The defects of the poem of Mr. Lucas must
be sought, therefore, in the thought and
music, and not in the violation of any sup
posed infexible rules of prosody.
We have word to say also upon the SUBJ
ject of the Orations delivered at the Uni
Tsrsity, which have been SO mercilessly, if not
ungenerously and tuhospita6y dealt with.
The address of Gen. Preston should be
viewed from the South Carolina standpoint.
and not from that of Virginia, or other more
prosperous States. It was an echo of despair.
finding its way through superintendent
mass of poverty, desolation, ruin, Ignorance.
and barbarism. It was the cry of lost civili-
cation. 1t may not have been appropriate or
Well-timed, but it would be far better to turn
attention towards relieving the distress in
which it originated, than to find fault with
its utterance.
AS for Mr.. Hunter, he can well afford to
aWaitthe final verdict upon this, the crowning,
and perhaps the closing effort of his honored
life. What mattered it whether few thou
sand persons then and there assembled heard
itor not? Posterity heard and will remember
IT. He has the world for an audience and
when all the vapid and fatally pretensious
utterances of provincial press are forgotten,
this Grafton of Mr.. Hunter will be preserved
by the historian and lover of letters, among
Virginia's comparatively few contributions to
permanent literature.
w. & o. R. r. EXTENSION WASH
ington and Ohio Railroad Company have
adopted a proposition to make Oscar A. Ste
vens Vice>president and general manager on
condition that the mortgage bonds of the
company are negotiated for the extension of
the road 1t is understood the money is to