The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-19
GheG'1telEiqeute,.
WIZ. LEIGIITON'S BOOK.
a Remarkable Literary Come

To the Editors Of the Boston Daily Advertiser.
In pursuing my fayorite study Of "glasS
and glass.making," to which was led by
my business ms n glass dealer and manu-
faCturer, have had occasion to meet
some men Of very interesting character,
at home and abroad, whose achievements
have shown that the pursuits Of litcra.
ture are not incompatible with the cares
anl duties not only Of professional life,
but Of mercantile, mechanical and manu-.
featuring occupations. At the Centen.
NAL Exhibition met with man in the
person OF William Leighton, IT,, mem
Der OF the firm OF j. H.. Hobbs, BrOcku.
nier Il Co., OF Wheeling, West Virginia,
who had one OF the finest displays Of
American crystal glassware in the main
hall. He had been my correspondent for
some time, but only on one previous oc.
caslon had ever enjoyed the pleasure Of
Il personal interview. Our conversation
was almost entirely on our special topic
OF the various manufacturers OF glass, "a
illustrated in the great Exhibition.
You may imagine my surprise few
days before Christmas in receiving from
my friend copy Of the book named at
the head Of this article. l Immediately
wrote him an epistle Of surprise and con.
graduation, using my Yankee privilege
OF asking him few questions az to the
origin Of his work, his choice Of subject,
and when he commenced to use the poetic
pen. | had heard Of tragedies, peCnniary
and otherwise, which had taken place in
glass factories, but did not remember in
my literary researches to have heard of
any written tragedyproduced by one who
was an artist in glass making. told
him that should as soon have expected
to receive treatise on glass making from
Lowell and LongIellow, M y poem or
tragedy from him. congratulated him
that he could WELD the pen in prose and
poetry rs well as the punty and the
hlowpipe. suggested that perhaps the
fires Of the furnace without had kindlcd
and kept alive the poetic flame within
him.
Mr.. Leighton, who has reached the mid.
die age Of life, was born in East Cam.
bridge, graduated rs Bachelor OF Sci.
ence at the Lawrence Scientific School,
and few years ago became an active
partner in the firm named above. He
wrote n most excellent article in the
Popular Science hmllly Of January, 1876,
on Prince Rurcrrs Drops, in which he
exposed some Of the many errors which
have appeared in published works on
glass making. 1t was one of the best
essays ever written on this subject, and
this opinion is seconded by most com.
petcnt authority in Europe.
BY m unprecedented coincidence in lit
crary history, n few days after Mr.. Leigh
toms hook appeared, an announcement
was made by OSgooi e Co. Of Tcnnyson's
HAROLD drama founded on exactly
the same historical events, having the
same number oi acts, almost the same
length, aud, with slight exceptions, the
same characters. 't..t.
In justice to Mr.. Leighton, who knew
nothing OF Tennysons forthcoming vol
ume, ! will venture, without his knowl-
edge, 10 give an extract from letter
lately received from him:
"AlthOugh entirely unknown TO the world
hitherto rs q poet, i have always been an
ardent admirer Of poetry and ofthe drama,
aud have east many u wisttul glance up TO
the blue summit OF the ParnaSsian noun.
tain, but have never really contemplated
mn attempt to scale its difficult ascent.
have always admired the romantic in.
tcrest that surrounds King Harold, and
long agO-twenty years or more-COnteM-
plated heroic poem on the subject.
This book, Which seems to you to come
30 strangely from me, is also n surprise to
many OF my friends. 1t was written and
finished more than q year ago, my purpose
in writing being simply literary exercise
aud amusement, and with no intent 10 pub.
lish. Those Of my friends, to whom read
the manuscript. expressed so much COM
mendatiOn OF II, and urged me 40 strongly
represent II to the public, that at length,
in doubt and miSgiving, | have done It.
Now, whenitis just out, Ilearn that McSsrs.
OsgOOd < Co., OF your city, are publishing
u historical drama from the pen OF the great
Tcnnyson, upon the same subject, and emit.
tied "llnrOld.' So lsuppoSe my little light
will be Snniled out before any one Inns had
time to notice that II had been lighted.
am very much afraid my book will be
nvershadowcd completely by the work Of
the great English laureate, and should
not have published it had ] known what
was coming from him.. But the thing Is
done, aud must face tho music. What
little criticism | have yet seen has not been
very unfavOrable, and some Of it more flat
tcring than dared expect"
We leave to other and more competent
hands the task OF reviewing the first lii.
crary effort Of our friend, and Of CRITICS:
ing it in connection with tho work Of the
great English bard, although from what
we have heard from competent Judges We
think it will lose nothing by the Compar-
iSon. We need not be ashamed Of the
glorious names and works which are be.
ginning to shine in the annals Of Ameri-
can poetry. But we have not 80 many
that we can let any worthy aspirant, how
ever modest, allow his light TO be hid I'M
der II bushel. Therefore wo have deemed
ii not only labor Of love but duty TO
write our brief story Of the "Sons of God
win" not doubling that our American
scholars and critics will have the patri-
"tism and Justice TO give il careful peru
sal and candid Judgment, and il it he
lonnd work oil merit, TO give cordial
welcome TO n new brother in their ranks.
We copy, rs an illustration OF the style
this passage, from solIiIoquy of King
Harold in the last act: -.
llic=a short day-Hn interval between
Nnihing and darkness Gtilng cnnsri0uSncsl,
vivid aud startling M the lightnng's flash;
And like that blIndlng CLAM, bchol,lIng ali,
Iul ~ an Instant gone beyond recall.
h7lh grim phantom ever haunting Lie
ne Night that swallows DAy--a irightiul pause
Tue black tuVcrsC Of glOry'S shining shield
les opposite Whose emblem IL the grave.
ill", l%ath-thc two conditions Of one thing,
, Who're margins meet; which Il tho normal slate,
Wh'Ci zeal and which tho shallow which Is
health
Aud which dis'1scI to-day We have the ono,
Tomorrow COMES the othcr--a Iaye'S spCs,r,
random arrow, sOu,O disastrous chance, 81
Aud nn this dayoI liOA black OcllpSe,
70 Him who dies II n as II the world,
!his1olid, aieAdlast earth on which Is writ
Forever In Its sunshine, At 4 touch
Melted again In chaos And what them
How deeply Mr.. leighton appreciates
The nOWnF nI thn y,nnN lar..nNa - ~