, 1890-09-04

snip strongly resembling tuuC ol
Edgar Poe. "The Diamond Lens"
for example, Is justly regarded us an
American classic. or his poems
called out by occasions, his greatest
Is the "Nfonody ON DR.. Kane" A
stanza is chosen from several equal
ly strong:
Not many months ago we greeted him,
Crowned with the Icy honors of the
North.
Across the land his hard-won fame
went forth,
And Names deep woods were shaken
limb by limb;
His own Keystone state, sedate and
prim,
Burst from its decorous quiet as he
came.
Hot Southern lips with eloquence
atiame
Sounded his triumph. Texas, wild and
grim,
Prohered its horny hand. The large
hinged West,
From out its giant breast,
Yelled its frank welcome. And from
main to main,
Jubilant to the sky,
Thundered the mighty cry
Honor to Kane!
Fitz-James O'Brien met the death
he probably desired In falling for
his adopted country on the battle
field. In what was practically u
hand-to-hand duel in skirmish,
he killed his adversary, Colonel
Ashley, and was himself borne
away mortally wounded. AT his
funeral the one tribute of flowers
came from Matilda Heron, the ac-
tress. Several of O'Brien's former
comrades are still active journalists
i'm New York. One of them. Mr..
William Hunter, collected O'Brien's
poems and stories and published
them in 1881 with this dedication:
This volume,
The first that has ever been made
OF the writings OF
Fitz-James q Brien,
Soldier and Patriot.
As well as Poet and Scholar,
Is Dedicated
To the Army of the Potomac,
Under Whose Flag lie Fought,
And for Whose Cause He Died.
PoET-PRIEsT OF THE SOUTH.
The Confederacy ms well as the
Union had singers of Irish blood.
The most notable, perhaps, besides
Theodore O'Hara, was the Rev.
Abram j. Ryan. OF Father Ryan,
the "poet-priest," rs he was called,
it is not certainly known whether
he was born in Ireland or in the
South, but certain it is that he was
more Southern than the Southern
ers themselves. He was n chaplain
during the war In the Confederate
army. His poems are partly hymns
suitable to u book of devotions and
partly martial lyrics celebrating the
Confederate cause. "The Sword OF
Robert Lee" is by many thought
to he his finest effort. One stanza is
taken from 1t as an example of con-
centrated power of expressions:
Out of its scabbard Never hand
Waved sword from stain as free;
Nor purer sword led braver band,
Nor braver bled for a brighter land,
Nor brighter land had cause so grand,
Nor cause u chief like Leel
Father Ryan was of highly
sensitive nature, and it was fortunate
for him that he had theme as
stern us war and another as severe
as religion. His religious poems,
indeed, have sensuousness like
that of painting or incense In u
church. A good example of his
richness of his imagery Is his "Song
of the Mystic" of which the latter
part is here given:
| In the hush OF the Valley of Silence
dream all the songs that | sing;
And the music floats down the dim
valley
Till each finds word for wing.
That to hearts, like the dove of the
deluge.
A message of peace they may bring.
But far In the deep there are billows
That never shall break on the beach;
And have heard songs in the Silence
That never shall float into speech;
| And have had dreams in the valley
Too lofty for language to reach.
And have seen Thoughts in the Val
Ah, me how my spirit was stirredl
And they wear holy wells on their faces.
Their footsteps can scarcely be heard
They pass through the Valley live vir-
Too pure for the touch of word.
DO You ask me the place of the Valley.
Ye hearts that are narrowed by Care
1t lieth afar between mountains,
And God and his angels are there;
And one Is the dark mount OF Sorrow,
And one the bright mountain of
Prayer.
Father Ryan was pastor Of st.
Mary's church at Mobile, Ala from
1870 until 1888. He died at the
Franciscan monaster at Louisville,
KY, April %, 1856.
John Savage IL known for poem
of great power entitled "Shawn's Is
Head" In 1t he expresses an opin-
ion OF Brltons which seems to have
met with the approval OF his pious
countrymen:
To expiate their Saxon sins 'twould
tnke another Christ.
John Savage's strength asa poet
lay In detached images rather than
In sustained passages. The following
fine figure Is from his poem on
Washington:
Could ! have seen thee in the council
bland,
Firm IS a wall, but as deep stream thy
manner;