The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-09-23
/ NORTH CAROLINA BOOK.
, POEM SUPERIOR TO MERE
DIiiI-S Ill GLE.
but { CoTrr~ poHdcHt W rites bout North
CaToIIu. Poet OF w hOm Little il known
and Quotes Extracts from His Poems.
Especial Cor. STATE CHRONICLE,

aud influential III other states who were |
bt birth North Caroinians Such instan
-.- are 50 common as to lead To the state
meut that North Carolina has furnished !
her sisters with greater number Of di-tin
guIshcd men than any other State III the
mon, that many of their most famous
citizens are her sons.
This assertion is always made in spirit |
pride but while we read each instance with |
pleasure, yet we invariably feel a secret
suspicion that in this matter we are glory
ing III our shame.
Why should 1t be true of North Carolina
more than of any other State-so common
rs to be notorious, SO characteristic as to
rou4titute actually an element o. State
prlio that her sons forsake her borders
aulE contribute their genius, their gifts
tactr energy to illustrate the annals Of her
t1I5rs: leaving their mother to pay them
the tardy tribute of a posthumous recog
Iit on, and to SOlace herself with the
bo;-tful though doubtful honor of shining
hy -efection in the oblique rays of fame
which is itself AT best but the aftergloW Of
their glory
Indeed our old mother presents Il strange
blending Of pride and indifference, pride
honest and hearty in the achievements Of
her sons, Indifference to the perpctuatiOn
pf thcil honor and renoWn as unaccount
memorials have we Of her great men
Where can the growing generation learn
the lesson of their lives The proWess of
the past is the inspiration of the future;
great lives hOnorably and lovingly EN-
balmed III biography are the impulse and
motive and encouragement to future
greatness: but what has our mother done
IN this line for her children, to honor the
dead or to stimulate the living? When
10 the history of her heroes they can only
answer with IA catalogue of names to them
as vague and shadowy as ghosts OF spirit
land.
The g.rIy Of Castor, Ruifin, Badger and
Macon is even now little more than "a tra-
dtion, last dying out of mind as the links
which bind them and their deeds to the
present are breaking. Occasionally you
meet with one Of the fathers who will
speak OF them with Frightening eye, with
swelling heart, with eloquent tongue; as
memory brings back their days, and love
and pride recount their doings, we feel
that verify there were giants in those days,
while "Reminiscences and anecdote sparkle
to relieve the gravity of weightier deeds,
and the listener cannot help thinking
Wistfully of wealth SO inestimably precious,
so irreparable, and yet held by 50 frail a
tenure when time has rusted out these
connecting links what Will the greatness
of these mighty men be but a tradition?
oh, that some one would do for them
what has been 50 well done for Henry and
Marshall and Randolph and Mason.
This however is a depression suggested
10y our subject, it has gone far beyond our
purpose but not, we trust, beyond its i'm
portance or its interest.
About eight years ago we lighted upon
Il book which we read with equal pleasure
and pride, pleasure IN its decided merit,
pride III its origin; for it was written by a
native AND A CITIZEN of North Carolina.
our acquaintance with it and with Lucille
was of about the same date, both books
We're bought the same year; this colnci-
dence has associated the two in our mind
Where one North Carolinian has read our
North Carolina book a hundred doubtless
are familiar with with Merediths S popular
Work. We have asked a number of read
ing people about it and have yet to find
one who has read it; still We do not hesi-
tate to declare our deliberate conviction
that in the elements of real power and en-
during life the North Carolina poem is
superior to the sentimental sweetness of
Lucille with its wOrdy wealth but niggard
thought u few lonesome ideas 50 grace
fully floating on an ocean of verbiage.
our book is a thoughtful work. it Crap
PICS WIN INV L4Ooo PNiPiSAAhS PiObiSlio
that veX the human mind, that are at
once its inspiration and its despair; a dar-
ing and original venture this, to set such
themes 10 the music of thought, But in
cmprse of this kind merit is measured by
difficulty and success is glory; though we
by no means claim a perfect success for
our poet, yet we do think the degree at
tanned is a credit to our State.
The poem is a wonderful production,
u ,f,,l
youth twenty four years of age. 1t is Sc
rious in cast, healthful in character, rev.
erent in attitude, pure in tone, religious
and dcvout in temper and spirit while
fervent with feeling it lacks not logic; its
seriousness of intent and weight of topics
is lightened by panoramic change of scene
and Kaleidoscope variety of style; meta
physical theological, argumentative, de
scriptive. emotional, sometimes even sar-
castle with suspicion of humOr, it flows on
with full tide of melody; always musical,
1t compasses well nigh the whole gamut of
human feeling, touching many chords as
it sweeps this mystic harp of a thousand
strings You Will not find in it the axio-
matte clearness Of Emerson's s'Oyersoul,
the severe simplicity and fluent conference
of Carlyle's prose epic The French RevO-
luton, the limpid transparence of Brown
ing's "The Ring and the Book" but re-
member that its author was only North
CarOlinian.
And now, patient reader, if we have
enlisted YOUR interest or awakened your
curiosity, we will give you a couple OF
specimens from the work of our poet
What think you of the following as vivic
description? Does not the scene of the
last part stand out as bold as bass relief
beautiful and distinct as clear cut cameo
And when the Boaz Winter throws his sklr
OF purest white across the lap OF Earth,
And decks her bare arbOrlal halr with gems
Whose feeblest flash would pale the Kohl
moor,
The rich alone, find beauty in the scene,
And clad in thankleSS comfort, brave the
cold.
The gliding steels flash through the feather!
drifts.
The jingling bells proclaiming happiness;
Yet meath the furry robe the oath is heard
And boisterous laughter at the rlbald jest.
The coldest hearts beat meath the Warmes
clothes;
And often ali the blessings wealth give
Are heaped on one, whose daily nfe reVlle
The very name of Him who doth bestow.
While in a freezing garret, oer the Goals
That, bluely flickering with the feeble flame
Seem cold themselves, a trusting Christian
bends;
Her faith all Knocked by cruel circumstance
The cold, bare walls, the chilling air-sWep
floor:
Some broken stools, a mattress stuffed witt
straw,
Upholsterng the apartment Through tn
sash,