St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-08-06
M'Donald Clarke, the Mad Poet.

F. E. Pond in Baldwin's Monthyl
Tho honorable residents of Gotham,
whose memory may recall the scenes
and characters of the metropolis of IA
half-century ago, can no doubt call to
mind the eccentric genius, M'DOnald
Clarke, known familiarly to all New
Workers of that day as the "Mad POet.n
He was of a half-scOre or more of nota-
bles, whose presence on Broadway
never failed to attract interest or ad-
miration. 1t was at this period that
Edgar A. Poe, with his aristOcratic air,
his commanding presence and magnetic
powers of conversation, was best known
to the literary people of the city, where
in he was rapidly winning his way to
fame as poet and critic. 1t was at
this time too that Henry William Her
bert, in his sporting costume, cavalier
boots and King Charles spurs, was
prominent figure amid the thrOngs that
passed "down Broadway" attracting
attention as much, perhaps, by his un-
ique garb, knightly bearing, and his
luxuriant mustache - an appendage
generally tabooed in those days--as
from his abilities as author, classical
tutor, and sportsman. Fitz Greene
of the day-mOdest and retiring, al
most to fanlt, yet courteous, grace
full and elegant, rare conversational
ist, in short, ga man of mark" wherev-
er seen. Then too, there was the sport
ing editor, William Il. Porter-affec-
tionately termed "York's Tall Son.
who stood "six feet four in his stock
ings;" :" Lord George Gordon, the wit
and Beau Brummel of the city Horace
Greeley, conspicuous in his 'shocking
bad hat ;" n. P. Willis, the poet and
journalist, as neat and fastidious in at
tire as in literary walks; William Gull
len Bryant, the popular and able editor,
since rendered immortal as poet; and
a host of others of more or less promi-
nence in literature, science, the fine
arts, etc.
Amid this throng of celebrities, how
ever, M'Donald Clarke was by many
deemed "the bright, particular STAR"
not from his abilities, but rather by
reason of the sparkling wit, the fantas-
tic Imagination, the commingled pa
thOs and humor, which seemed contin-
ually bubbling up from the tongue and
pen of the erratic genius. His creative
fancy was large but like Nat Lee,
che was one of those wits in whose
heads genius is divided from madness
by thin partition" He held the rela
tive position to the residents of the me-
tropolis that the kings jester in ancient
times occupied in the presence of the
monarch and his cOurt-that is, he con-
trlbuted to their amusement. His muse
was pathetic, grave or gay, as the mood
might dictate hut at timac stranpe
blending of the ludicrous would pre-
vail. 1t is due to him, however, to say
that although an enthusiast, he was not
an egotist, like the self-styled "Boston
Bard," rhymster of that day, whose
pretentiOns were greater, and whose
merits fell far below the eccentric
Clarke's.
Visiting New York city in 1919, at
the age f2l, M'Douald Clarke became
fascinated with metropolitan life, and
took up his abode here Broadway
was his favorite haunt, and his graceful
bearing, his unique costume, and spirit
ed style, combined with military air
natural to the young poet, served to
render him one of the most remarkable
personages of the day in the quarter he
loved best to frequent. His literary
taste soon became known through the
publication of little volume of poetry
from his pen, bearing the title of "The
Eve of Eternity, and other poems :" and
the wild, weird strains at once arrested
attention, gaining for him the cogno-
men which he afterward bore of the
MAD Poet" In 1922 he published
"The Elixir of Moonshine; being Col