Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1890-09-18
NORTH CAROLINA POETS.
THEY WE'RE DISCUSSED AT
THE I.YCEUM LAST NIGHT.
An Interesting Article Read by
Col. J. ID. Cameron, I'resislent Of
the SOciety-SOrne Good Poetry
brought to Light.

of this kind than any other man in the
state, was the principal speaker. Hcrcad
a very thorough and carefully prepared
essay in which he treated the subject with
great ability.
lie began by referring to the scarcity o
good poets in the state. He explained
this by noting the want of literary ccntcrs
in the state and the tendency of poets Ia
80 to large cities, which he said were the
only places they could obtain fame.
Col. Cameron gave the names of a num-
her of the most distinguished and best
known poets which the state has pro-
duccd. The first of these was Thomas
Godfrey, who was the author of "Thc
Prince of Parthia," n tragedy which was
published and performed in Wilmington
in 1859.
Reference was made by the speaker to
Dr. Chas. +. Deems and Judge George V,
Strong, who wrote and published some
poems in Raleigh, but who afterwards
suppressed them.
Edwin A. Fuller was II native and resi-
dent of Louisburg, Franklin county, and
is principally known through his Angel
in the Clouds" One of the most bcauti.
lul quotations from this work is as fol-
lows:
.. -. |, lie. rn nr,e
The guardian angels, hearing In their arms
Their charges during lite: as laden bees
They flew to heavens hive; and some
passed by
So closely | their burdens could discern,
And though from far oil unseen earth
The stiiicncd forms are horne all tcndcrly.
Some bore the dimpcd babe, with soft
closed eyes,
As upon its mothers breast its hands
unhardcncd yet by toll Of life: its face
rnfurrowcd yet by cares sharp plnw; and
some
The agc.bent form. with ghostly silvercd
hair
And features gaunt in death, that would
have seemed
A hidcous sight In any light but heavens
Thcoph,lus II. Hill, Of Raleigh, was
the author of "llcspcrus" and the Pas
sion Flower" Gen. Robert b. Vance, %
this county, is the author of volum,
entitled Heart Throbs from the Noun
tains," and many pieces on msccllan
eous subjects. John Henry Boner, a ma
tive of Salem, and now resident OF New
York, wrote and published a volume o
miscellany. George Horton. was Negro
slave, living near Chapel Hill, the seat o
the state university. He wrote acrostic'
for students OF the university on thu
names OF their swccthearts. He was {
great admircr of Byron and wrote Il
imitation of his works. His poems wcr'
remarkable and his Address to th'
Occar" even approaches Byron's II
majesty.
OF the writers Of fugitive, or occasiona
pieces, the following were mentioned:
Judge CASTOR, the author Of the "Ol'
North State" wrote the poem under pc
culiar circumstances. In Raleigh, II
Iunc, 1910. when the state capitol ant
the Raleigh and CASTOR railroad wcr
completed, it was made the occasion OF I
great celebration. A lady who at til
time, heard some hnrpists playing tn
air. at once became cnthuscd with TIL
idea of having n state patriotic SON
written To il and asked Judge CASTOR L
do il for her. lie complied, and hurried
dashed of the lines which have becom
50 familiar.
Mrs. Mary Bayard Clarke, Of Nc'
IIcrnc was the author of" Racing Waters,
n poem on the French Broad. Nccdhai
lryan Cobb was the writer Of n reply I
Grcy's Elcgy. Jos. w. Holden, OF WAX
county, was the writer OF some very TN
lines on "Ilattcras." Thos. q. Lowe.
Halifax, was wonderfully cloquci
Methodist preacher and the writer I
many verses. Wm. Is. llarrcll and ID
Francis l.. Hawks were writers of patr
otto verses. Thos. W. Harrington WI
the author of Carolina Our Pride" an
other patriotic pieces. Christian Rci
now Mrs. Tiernan is n novelist al
poct as was also Fannie Downing. v
", Holden was an able editor, political
and poet and Misses Anna and Robcc,
Cameron were writers OF many patriotl
religious and descriptive poems. &c
Cameron said that there were u numb
of others, but he would not mention ~
more.
In conclusion, Col. Cameron said: "Ol
real poets are yet tocomc. 'Poeta mas,
tur. non 1T. lie comes ready mad
like Minerva from the brain Of Jupit,
We need not dispair Some day he "
flash upon us like blazing comet
the western sky and then we shI
learn that nature is not unequal nor II
kind"
After Col. Cameron had concluded
) was moved and carried that the essay
, published in the November number oi
. t.yccum magazine.
. Mr., Wcstall made some remarks III
gard to poets in general, and said in I
der to have some variety in the progra
he would rcnd piece entitled. "a u
course by the Printers Devil" II "
written By the foreman of I iiE Cirz
, about ten years ago for the carrie
#; Christmas address, The verses ",
!, much enjoyed by the hearers. A numl
/. of gentlemen were called on for remar
|. and among them, Col. Clingman, "
said he was very fond of poetry, mu
(; and ladies', and always enjoyed listeni
J, to ANYTHING from North Carolina poe
}, but did not feel prepared to speak.
;; "primary Elections" was the subj
:. chosen for Wednesday night two we
y hence, and Mr.. L. d. Garter is to
:; principal speaker.
/. The subject for next Wednesday Mi
lis Woman's suffrage.