The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-03-20
A RARE ENTERTAINMENT.
Mr.. q. 8. Longs "EvenfnE with the
American Poets"
Correspondence OF the Register.
MoRGANToWS. March L.

A large audience was Presen. s. the
University his evening, 70 be entertained
by Hon. .. S. Longs Evening with the
American Poets," q most interesting
combination of lecture, critlque, reading
and recitation. The gentlemsn's open
ing remarks were very complimentary
10 the literature of Americs. He says
that America has literature Of which
i. may be proud. l. Is acknowledged
that American wit makes the world
laugh. True, We have 70
Shakespeare. There can be but
one. American literature has
had no infancy, but sprsng forth, fully
armed snd equipped, like Minerva from
the brain Of Jove. Most of our poets
are still living, and are not what our i'm.
sginstions sometimes picture them, like
Rsphaers angels, .'sll head and wings
but living, moving, human beings, with
like passions with ourselves. The poems
We most like are those that accord best
with our inner thoughts and emotions,
and such are the poems OF America.
One of the oldest snd most truly AmerI-
can Is John Greenlesf Whittier. Born in
1908, be had but slight education, and
his grammar is 70. always good, but
his poems are highly priced. For exam
pie his "Snow Bound" and Barbara
Frelcdis, the latter Of which, the lecturer
said, was drawn from the poets imagi.
nstion entirely, but we have reliable
proof of its being an historical inciden:
as it pQrpoCts.
"Scnool Days" wss read in very
lsusaable manner. Among the toEemos.
of our poets Ar. Long places Bryant
born 10 1894, who "wsss poet in his
cradle" who wrote poetry St ten years
of age, and whose almost sublime Than
s.opsis" was written St the sge ot nine
teen. Joseph Kodmsn Drake was given
the rank Of the most imaginative poet
cur country has produced. His
best kuswn are the C4lprit Fay" sud
"Apostrophe to the American Flag"
Drake was 81 intiu1ste friend OF the poet
Hsllecs, the only poet to whom the
Americans have dedicated monument.
His fame rests upon five or SIX little
poems, smong which is Marco Bozsrris."
l think il he could he would step down
from the position they have given him 20
give place TO him, 70 whom: ne wrote
Green be the turf above thy head"
Many other poets were mentioned and
remarked upon by Mr.. Long. He read
The Briaiess Bsr-ister," by Johu u.
SAKE; s poem on the eve otthe battle of
Ssb.stopol BY Bay.rd Taylor; The
Doorstep by Z, G. SIednen; "Oyer the
River by Mrs. Nancy Priest, and ss $
specimen from the most popular Amer
icsn poet, Henry W. Longtell9w, ne
rest "Ssndslpnon."
Mr. Long regards Mr.. Longsellow, 81
though nov ssventy-two years old, 81
retsining bis poetic genius ss young and
frezh S. ever, and hls poems of yesterday
.s charming as those which first Gu
trsuced our youthful fancy. He has
written nothing msdiocre or unworthy
his fine culture; no line which, dying,
be could wish etf.ced.
O. W. Holmes wss mention ed a. the
humorous poet, VIE only year ago,
smid the great political strife, produced
poem, How Not TO Settle L." which
would not be suspected Of emanstlng
from an old man. From this su:hor the
Iuimitabe "Oue Horse Shay va. read.
The lecturer expressed himself ss not
sr ardent aImirer of Edgar Allen Poe,
regarding els poem, The Bells and
others similar, as mere jingle, and read
.s his most exquisite "Arnsbe! Lee.
We can remember when the name OF
Bret H.rte was not mentioned, bu. by
the publishing of few poems, among
which was The Hesthen Chlnee,"
which male him MS fortune in day.
The reader resd his River S!auislau' 10
81 uuapproschsbie manner. James
Russell Lowell owed hls frs: fame to III.
"BigloE Papers" Coronation Ode.
ana similar humorous and .atiricsl writ
ings. His The Courtin," wa, read amid
hearty applause.
NJ. Long then mentioned with
much praise Mr. Wm Leighton,
Jr- Of Wheeling, Who hiss given
fair promise in two dramas already.
The frs. "The Son, Of Goodwin y appear
ed s. the same time SIS Harold by TeunT-
son, and was isid on the critics table a.
the same time. The plsn OF tbs dramas
was nearly the same; that of oGr fellow
citizen was praised by the Boston Chris
tain Register" HIS other drama ia sn-
titled, aAt the Court OF King Edwin
Finch, author Of The Blue and the
Grsy." Henry TInrod Of 5. C., author Of
The Cry TO Arns," With others, were
mentioned With some very appropriate
remarks to the young men Of the Univer-
sity, the gentleman closed his evening
ment amid round of applause.
HrvN