The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
a LITER Any HERO.


The Life OF Joel Harlow, tn. Publisher OF
Watts Psalms
New York Letter to Troy Tines
As we are going through an epoch OF cen.
tennials IL might ba we'll 20 notice the fact
that 10 Is ust 100 years since American lat.
erature took its irst start after the Revolu.
tion. The hrst book published on this con.
tinent after the peace with Great Britain
was Watts Psalms edited by Joel Barlow.
which was Issued In Hartford In 1885 Bar
low was then thirty. He was native of
Connecticut, and had studied at Yale. where
In l77S he delivered q poem entitled the
PROSPECT OF Peace" His poetic talents had
already attracted notice, and this led the
clergy 10 request that he should preI re an
edition OF Watts for public worship. He
also edited weekly paper in Hartford called
the American Mercury, but after ward added
law to literature. He had. however, already
contemplated what he considered his great
poem, The Oolumbiad." This was not
competed until the lapse OF twenty years.
but its inc ption wa given | the " son Of
Coiumbus,' which was published the year
our Government was formed.
Pursuing this "reminiscences, 1t may be
added that Barlow went TO Europe soon af
ter issuing the Vision, and was the nrst
American author that visited Great Britain
after the close of the war. He sym pathized
with the French Revolutionists to whom @
rendered some diplomatic service, and on
his return in 1905 he was the best informed
American on the subject OF foreign affairs.
He was then 6fty, anu his ripe experience
rendered him highly useful to the Gsneral
Government. He made Washington his
abode, and erected an elegant house. Two
years afterwsrd his great work, The Column
bad, /" appeared. IL was published In Phila.
delphia. and was the most costly book which,
mp TO that time, bad ever been Issued in this
oJuntry. 1t was dedicated 10 Robert Fulton
of steamboat fame. and was graced by a por-
trait OF the author, together with eleven cop
per plate illustrations executed In London.
The author expected that this work would
permanently retain Its distinction as the
greatest OF American poems. II was read
aud admired, but like many other works of
temporary value IL gradually sank out OF
sight. and IL Is not probable that On other
edition will ever be printed. It's prophecy
OF future de, elopment is one of its most
striking features, of which the following is
an instance:
From Mohswk's mouth, far westing with the
Through all the woodlands recent channels
Tap the redundant lakes. the broad hills brave.
And marry Hudson with Missouri's waves,
from dmi superior. whose unfathomed sea
Drinks the mild splendor OF the setting day.
New paths unfolding lead their watery pride.
And towns aud empires rise along their side.
TO missi,aippls source ~ Get The passes bend.
How wonderfully this prophecy has been
fulhlled during the eighty years interval.
"rhc Columbiad" NJ once gave Barlow M
tionAl distinction. and this led him TO pro.
Ject q full history of the country, but his
plans were broken by the Gal, TO diplomatic
service. Madison needed An ambassador TO
France, and there was no one 40 well
adapted 10 this service ~ Joel Barlow. On
A - l. A.. Al.
liberty and it's bloody frenzy had given place
70 the still more bloody desp)tsm OF Napol.
con. He bshelo the march OF this crowned
monster To Moscow with an army OF nearly
half million, 20 few ofwhom ever returned
Four months afterward came the sad tidings
OF the failure OF the expedition. acoompau.
led by d requts. from Napoleon that Barlow
never published, but IL 10 probable that he
wished 20 obtain troops from America to re.
new an army sacrificed 10 his own folly and
ambition.
Barlow obeyed Nspoison's request aud at.
tended by his private secretary, fastened to
the appointed spot, but the expected meet
Ing never took place. The exposure OF the
journey and the wretched condition OF the
Polish inns reduced hin health, and on the
22d OF December, 1912, he died OF pneumt
MIA near Cracow, where he lies In an un
known grave. His last days were sAddened
by scenes of horror. for he beheld the
wrstched remnant OF Napaleon's army per
ishipg by frost aud IA mine on the be riders OF
Poland. These scenes gave his genius its
last inspiration. and being unable to use the
pen, he dictated the most tremendous in
dictment which the poetic muse ever de.
fivered against the imperial tyrant. II is|
called advice TO Raven" and closes with
Earth's total vengeance on the monsters head.
Barlow 10 the only one of our Embasa
doris that fills foreign grave, but his name
y not recalled on this occasion By either his