The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-10-10
PHINEAS OWENS TO A FRIEND.

and you must not be surprised at any
little traits of dignity that may prevade
my future atmosphere. 1t is just that
moment between manhood and youth
that now approach, and 1 feel myself
stepping into the new road with some
responsibilities upon my shoulders, and
some confidence in my bosom to bal
ance it. My future career is now be-
fore me, to view with my own eyes and
guide with my own hands. Therefore,
any moment that you should happen
to drop in upon me you will find me
buried in pile OF books and papers,
with dog-eared copy Of Socrates
bound to my temples and bust of
Plato stuck under my arm. The pos
sbilities that lie before me are only to
be developed into realities by application
and perseverance, but it is such task
as my soul delights in; and who knows
but that l may some day yet receive
checks from publishers and help poor
people out of their misery? l have no
doubt the time will come, as you have
suggested, when | will look at this mat
ter of poetry and poetic composition
as you have come to consider it after
your years of experience. But, in my
present life, when every new thought
is welded to a rhyme even before it
has lost its hints of babyland wisdom
and youthful proverbialism, it seems
quite matter of regret to forsake the
Muse and dress my conceptions in the
gray cloak of prose. Still, after close
study of Poe's "Poetic Principle" l
can plainly see the great beauty and
growing need in America of simple,
unornamented writing. This style OF
expression, its plainess and sincerity,
is, am well aware, quite as fine an art
and equally as difficult to attain as a
pleasing mastery of verse. With all
the advice, however, l cannot yet give
over my modest poetic attempts.
pHINEAS OWENS TO BENNY.
xxx If l were capable of so doing a
little advice from me might, as you
say, do you some good. This Of a
valuable quality cannot give you ; but,
let me tell you you have in your desire
to edo good" been touched by that
strange spirit which moves poets to
their pure and beautiful expressions.
You st1U do good some day. Be hap
Ply, especially when others are about,
time enough for sadness and tears when
you are alone in your own room or at
night when you walk out under the
stars and trees, but when others are
about be gay and pure and gentle, talk
softly and draw them to you by SYM
pathy and pity. Read many books,
you can talk better when you have read
a good book, and above all be original,
but solid not soft and doughy. If
were you and in K l would make
a poem of every leaf that cloaks its
trees and sermon of every flower that
decks its door yards. There are whole
volumns of romance and entire Epics
of poetry in every tree and shrub and
blossom that flutters in that little old
town. The fates have placed you in
the heart of it all, but they cannot see
and think for you, you must do that
yourself. We human beings are a stern,
material set, not mythes, not fairies, land
must not be preached to by an Elm.
SO l say be strong and large with your
strength.
pHINEAs OWENS TO A FRIEND.
f** | sometimes see vast and gen.
erous career before me in this my ia
vorite path in literature, filled with
bright events and happy passages, but
very often despair seizes me and | feel
the real materialism of the world super
ceding all idealistio fancies. In my writ
ings shall try to speak with my heart
to every one. l love people SO well.
l love the great surging masses of life
and warmth. Each heart beating away
with its own grief..or gladness, each sep
crate soul SO capable of attaining its
grand object; and so many grovelling
with dead consciences and lost respect
among the gross losses and gains of the
world, never pausing in their losing
game tospend moments thought upon
the vastness and grandness of things
above the world and its universal push
and hurried money-getting. So few o.
them who can see good in anything
beyond or outside of the store and the
Office. Content and, seemingly, happy
to sacrifice and see their lives Greer
and steal away when it becomes toe
late to recall the 'might have BEEN
Where find we any enthusiastic warmth
large heartedness, and good fellowship
All are individual, alone, restrained
uncommunicative, lacking that great
large-souled sweetness and communion
SO necessary to the foundation of hui
mainly. None need be bound so com
pletely to the lower foggy atmosphere
of life. All can grow intellectual wings
and soar upon them from the dust O
the lanes and smoke of cities. As
said before, we must be palmer, kinder
purer, with and towards one an
other ; practical with our love, infinitely
generous and large with our warmth.
PHENIAs OWENS TO BENNY.
*** You have propounded me quer
les, Sir Oracle, to witch delight to