Omaha daily bee., 1885-03-19
A LITERARY HERO.
The Life of Joel Barlow, The Pub
Usher of VISITS PsRlms."

The Life of Joel Barlow, The Pub
Usher of watts PsRlms.r
Are we going through an epoch of CEN
tennlals, writes a New York clrrespon-
dent OF the Troy Times, it might be well
to notice the fact that IL Is just one hun.
dred years since American literature took
its first start after the revolution. The
first book published on this continent
after the peace with Great Britain was
WAITS Psalms" edited by Joel Barlow,
which was Issued 10 Hartford In 1885
Barlow was then 80. He was a native of
Connecticut, aod had studied at Yale,
where In 1878 he delivered a poem en-.
titled the prospect of Peace" BIS po-
etic talents had already attracted notice,
aud this led the clergy to request that he
should prepare IN edition of Watts for
public worship. He also edited q weekly
paper in Hartford, called The American
Mercury, but afterwsrd added law to
literature. He had, however, already
contemplated what he considered his
great poem, "The Columblad." This
was not completed until the lapse of
twenty yearr, but it's inception was given
in the "Vision of Columbus" which was
published the year our government was
formed.
Pdrsuing this "Reminiscences, it may be
added that Barlow went to Europe soon
after issuing the Vision, and was the FIRST
American author that visited Great
Britain after the close of the war. He
sympathized with the French revolu.
,ionists, to whom he rendered some
diplomatic service, and on his return in
1906 he was the best informed American
on the subject Of foreign affairs. He was
then 80, and his ripe experience rendered
him highly useful to the general govern
ment. He made Washington his abode,
and erected an elegant hou,e. Two
years afterward his great work, "Hhe
Columbiad," appeared. 1t vas published
in Philadelphia, and was the most
costly book which, up to
that time had ever b.en issued
in this country. 1t was ded-
icattd to Robert Fulton IF steamboa,
fame, and was graced by u portrait of the
author, together with eleven copper plate
Illustrations executed in London. The
author expected that this work would
permanently retain Its distinction as the
greatest of American poems. 1t was
read and admired, but like many other
works of temporary value. it gradually
sunk out of sight, and il Is not probable
that another edition will ever be printed.
Its prophecy of future development is
one of it's most striking features, of which
the following Is an instance:
From Mohawk's mouth far Wrestling with the
sun,
Through all the woodlands recent channels
run,
Tap the redundant lake,, the broad hills
brave,
And marry Hudson with Missouri's wave.
From dim Superior, whose unfathomed sea
Drinks the mild splendor of the setting day,
New paths unfolding lead their watery pride.
And towns and empires rise along their side,
To Mississippi's source the passes bend,
And to the broad Pacific main extend.
How wonderfully this prophecy has
been fulfilled during the eighty years of
interval
"The C~olumb'ad" at onos gave Barlow
national distinction, and this led him to
project a full history Of the country, but
, his plans were broken by the call to di.
plomatic service. Madison needed an
, ambassador to France, and there was nc
one 30 we'll adapted to this eervlce as joe
Barlow. On reaching Paris he found
, that the dream of liberty and it's bloody
frenzy had given place to the still more
, bloody cespotism CT Napoleon. He be.
held the march Of, this crowned monster
to Moscow with an army of nearly half q
million, 30 few of whom ever returned.
: Four months afterward came the sad It'd
ings Of the failure of the expedi ion, &C
, companied by a request from Napoleon
t that Barlow should meet him at wilma.
His object was never published, but 1t ii
i. probable that he W she'd to obtain troops
t from America to renew an army sacrificed
f to his own folly and ambition.
Barlow obsyed Napoleon's request,
3 and, attended by his private secretary
fastened to the appointed spot, but the
expected Meeting never took place. The
=, exposure of the journey and the wretched
f condition If the Polish inns reduced h,l
health, aud on the 22d of December
I. 1912, he died of pneumonia near Cracow,
where he lies in an unknown grave. Hi
g last days were, saddened by scenes of hor
r ror, for he beheld the wretched remnant
of Napoleon's army p;rlshing by frost
and famine on the border, of Poland.
u. Theee scenes gave his genius Its last In.
Y splration and being unable to use thu
t pen, he dictated the most tremendous In.
! I oictment which tho poetic muse ever de.
livered against the imperial tyrant. 1t
lis called "Advice to a Raven" and
closes with the hope of
Earth's total vengeance on the monsters
head.
. Barlow is the only one of our ambassa
doris that fills a foreign grave. but hi
name is not recalled on this occasion by
. either his mi,furtunes or his productions
! 1t is merely introduced by its C injection
. with the centennial Of the new birth o.
literature and the important fact that the
first volume issued after the revolution
was q hymn book.
The DETERMINATION OF Game.
New York Herald.
In the autumn of 1883 there were
, brought into st. Paul. Mimi, zoe, 00O
buffalo hides. In 1884 there were
brought In only fivethousand hides. This
year it Is said there will be none. aud this
rapid diminu,ion is not due to The effect
, of any attempt made to prevent slaughter
F. by the protection of this magnificent
8 game, bu. to the strides made toward the
determination of the animal in the inter
ests CT q ruthless trade. Besides the
buffalo our other large game are the elk,