The Irish standard., 1892-01-23
HIS SAD CAREER.
That of Ireland's Gifted Son, James
Clarence Mangan, Called
to Mind.
IRELAND'S EDGAR ALLEN POE,
Best Remembered as One of the
Sweetest Poets of This
Century.

Century.
In Glasnevin cemetery, says Mary j.
Onahau in the Chicago Post, where ire
land has gathered to her bosom some of
her bravest, her most gifted sons, is
grave unmarked by stone or slab, one
that is dear to the hearts Of Irishmen the
world over-the grave of James Clarence
Mangan.
Many tear has fallen on it, many
prayer been mur1nered over it since that
summer, dire and terrible in Irish his
tory, when the wasted body of Clarence
Mangan was laid in the dust. Those
restless, wild blue eyes were closed at
last in sleep untroubled by dreams,
that heart tumultuous and breaking was
was at last forever stilled. Here the
sternest we'll may relent, the severest
soften to pity. He who in life knew
naught but misery and wretchedness and
despair surely in death deserves only our
kindness and onr commiseration. The
uniformly woeful career of Mangan has
been often and sadly told. Mitchell told
it in '59 in a brief introduction to VOL
ume of his poems-told it as his friend
and helper might wellte it; with tender
ness, with pity and with sorrow.
James Clarence Mangan, like Moore,
xpoo tho ,or of q orooor op1 wps born in
Fishamble street, Dublin, May 1st, 1903.
His father, he tells us in the fragment Of
An autobiography found after his death,
treated him and his brothers and sister
"as huntsman would treat refractory
hounds"
"We often boasted," says Mangan, that
we would run into a mouse hole to shun
him. Indeed, the poet attributed all his
misfortunes to his father. He was an
improvident man, let the little business
he had slip through his fingers, and then
gave himself up to bitterness and des-
pair. We need not wonder that poverty
soon gave place to actual want in the
Mangan household. Reared in an at
mosphere of curses and intemperance, of
cruelty, infidelity and blasphemy, it is
not surprising that Clarence Mangan
was a trembling, stunted and an un-
canny child. What little school educa-
tion he got was acquired at small
+Popish seminary"in Durby square. His
schooling lasted till he was 13. Then for
seven years he labored as ecriyener's
clerk and contrived out Of the miserable
pittance he received to help support that
wretched household. It was, doubtless,
among the evil associates of the seriven-
er's Office that Mangan first fell victim
to the demon of drink-that demon in
whose clutches he was all his life to
struggle and to whose power he was
finally to succumb. The worse and the
better self! What strange bedtellows
they make! Indeed, it seemed fated that
no human misery should be alien to him.
1t was probably before his complete
downfall that Mangan went through that
other great branch in the Curriculum OF
his education. He fell in love (what
Irishman does not, and he was deceived.
The fair Frances was false. She captur-
ed his heart, toyed awhile with it, then
cody flung it back to him and "whistled
him down the wind" Those beautiful
lines purporting to be ballad from
Ruechert were surely wasted upon her:
ST saw her once-one little while aud then no
Twas paradise on earth awhile and then no
more.
All! what avail my vigils pale, my magic lore?
She shone before my eyes awhile and then no
The shallop of my peaceis wrecked on beauty's
Near hopes fair isle 1t rode awhile and then no
I saw her once, one little while, and then no
more.
Earth looked like heaven little while, and
then no more.
Her presence thrilled and lighted to it's inner
My desert breast little while and then no
more.
Thanks to the efforts of DR.. Todd and
one or two other friends. Mangan OBJ
tanned employment in the magnificent
library at Trinity College, of which DR..
Todd was the librarian. He was set to
work making an improved catalogue Of
the books "a labor for which his varied
and polyalot studies eminently fitted
p him. Here Mangan acquired or perfect
ed his wide and miscellaneous stock Of
4 learning. min He was fluent in the German,
/ = French g and Spanish tongues, but his
80 kno Wedge Of Persian, Ooptic and other
J g59oriental lang aees seemed to have been