New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-01
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
SENATOR ANTHONY As \ PUII.
VERSUS WRITTEN BY HIM on FANCY BALL
WHEN HE WAS YOUTH.


TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: United States Senator-poet: rather m'Vhs'"
Gus epithets We say TO be applied to one ana V"e
person. We hardly think Of grave and hoNoreo
members Of body dignhcd. rs the senate ch"o"s
the steps Of Parnassus drinking from the wae's Vi
lIollcon. We may remember. however how hequ'huN
the gravity Of age has followed the sentiment anu
romance Of youth. and II We refer to the iae Seo'
Anthony, Of Rhode IslaEd, as poet we 60 back 10
the early spring Of 1897 when he but twenty-five
years old. In The Harris Collection OF American
poetry"hls own gift to the library OF Brown I'M
verSity-are two copies Of the small nuinOeF Nv" cA
tant Of the poem 10 which We refer Ihe verses
he tells us, In the preface b the poem new edition
Of which printed in 1873. were written IN 1884,
and We're Intended to describe an entertainment gwen
the residence Of Mr.. Barnscy one Of the merchant
princes Of savannah. gentleman well remembered
by the older citizens. for his courtesy Ills h'eh
character aud his elegant hospitality. or those VINO
participated IN the and brilliant scene the greater
number must have passed away for the date Is
divided from us by more thnn the space Of genera
tion md tho writer cannot, In looking over MS
rhymes. recall the names Of half Of those VINO ihepITu
them"
The title OF the poem Is "Thc Fancy lal.' ana the
aim Of the young poet to describe the persons Of
those who appeared both ladies' and gentlemen. In the
different tnbeaus TO which he alludes. What ADDS
interest 10 the poem IS the clrcunetance That copy
Of this new edition, having been sent to lady In
savannah who present the festive OCCASION
more than thlry-se"cn years after the "ball' took
place, returned by her b Mr.. Anthony, the name
0f every individual who appeared In the tablcau' nav
ing been written By her In the margin She closes u
note which accompanied the volume In these words:
Il" heard Of your visit to savannah last sptilg. ana
should have been glnd 70 welcome friend associated
with so many pleasant memories Of youth and tHab
gay time and 10 congratulate You on your sue
ccssfu In uio and hope It, continuance TO the
end OF the week dnv work day llfe." This hope
Of his nlir correspondent was fully realised. Mr..
Anthony on, whom had been conferred by his as
socates the afcctlOnatc title, "The Father 81 The
senate" dying In Office on september - 1854. bis
term Of service having been nearly twenty-five years
half. exceeded. at the time by that Of no other
member Of the Senate. except Mr. Benton WHO Tor
thirty years represented the state of Missouri.
The poem written. its author tells I'm
while the music still ringing In the writer's ears
the dazzle OF the brilliant s'enc had hnrdlv passed
from before his eyes, Is full OF life and spirit and
must have afforded peculiar pleasure to those who
took part I'm the Festivities which Il describes. II
closes with tender strain. If the vanity Of vanity
of the wise VI old. hnd given sOnbre tingc 10
bright colOrs Of the he has been describing
Alas! Alas. this weekday. workdGy life
That all That's brightest, all that's nobl,st. best,
All that consoles for its weary strife
And all tha. gives time ltuo rest,
shouid be. at most. but foncy's transient beam.
Fade In a tableau vanish IN O dream.
j. c. sTOCKBHIDGE
AnrI