Smyrna times., 1894-03-14

mented by numerous selections from the works
of standard writer's tits believed that such a
course of reading, while primarily designed for
the pupils of the public schools may prove in
teresting to the general public.)
THE war of the Revolution and the
adoption Of the Constitution were two
OF the most mOmentous events in the
whole history of advancing civilization.
They marked double victory. The
Revolution secured the independence
of the States, the Constitution estab-
lished their interdependence. Nor
would the first have been of the least
avail to humanity without the second.
Liberty or Death" was a good war
cry, and it wrought independence; but
after independence was won, Franklin's
old motto, Join or Die" helped to ee-
cure that Interdependence which was
the only guarantee of freedom. The
glory of the men who carried through
the twO-fold struggle is not merely that
they freed themselves from England,
but that they bound themselves to one
another" February Century" DR..
Adams article On Lincoln's Place in
HistOry.) 1t is the effort to popularize
this movement toward federation that
marked the beginning of a national
age in our literature.
In October, 1887, Alexander Hamil.
ton, James Madison. and John Jay,
writing under the common pseudonym
of "Publius," published the first of a
series of eighty-fve articles in which
| they advocated the adoption of a
federal constitution. The "Federalist"
as these essays were collectively called,
while it served we'll the end for which
1t was designed, has far more than a
mere historical interest to the thought.
ful man of to-day. Embodying as it
does an authOritiye exposition of the
principles which form the basis of the
Constitution it is an indispensable COM
mentary upon that important docu-
ment, while its clear solution of gov
ernmental problems make it an in
valuable aid to the student of Civics.
In 1888 the Federalists realized their
patriotic hopes, aud the loose Con-
federation of Independent States, was
by the adoption of the Constitution
transformed into a nation. In 1896 the
time of Washington's Farewell Address
"a classical production which without
his voluminOus correspondence would
have given him place in our litera-
ture--the revolutionary age was present
emily in its effects.
AS the present series of articles is in
tended to serve merely as setting to
choice extracts from our standard
poetry and prose, it is with satisfaction
that we reach period whose literature
requires individual criticism rather
than historical illumination, because it
is one of which the present forms a
part. From the very hour that
America became a natien dates our
national literature. English it may be
truthfully called only in the sense that
our government itself is English. Just
as our legislation has had for its basis
the common law, has our literature
had its origin in English thought, but
for all that it is none the less distinct.
lively and emphatically American.
While no Tyrtaeus had urged the pa
triots on,their exploits were not all un-
sung. Francis HOpkinson in his
Battle of the Keys" had made all
America laugh at the British officers at
Philadelphia, who, alarmed at some
empty barrels floating down the Della
ware, had called the garrison to arms.
John Trumbull had written INC
Fingal, IA lengthier satire on the British
in much the style and with much the
force of Buffers Hudibras.
America, however, had produced no
poets until the beginning of the ma
tional age. Then the names of Drake
and Halleck were first written in our
literature. AS Halleck is perhaps best
known as the author of Marco Boz.
zaris," it has seemed wise to let him be
represented by a poem less widely
kuown-his splendid eulOgy on Robert
Burns.
FITz-GREENE HALLECK's TRIBUTE TO BURNS.
There have been loflier themes than his,i
And longer scrolls. and louder Tyres,
And lays lit up with POesy's
Purer and hoier fires:
/ Yet read the names that know not death;
Few nObler ones than Burns are there;
And few have won a greener wreath
| Than that which binds his hair.
His is that language of the heart
In which the answering heart would speak,
Thought, word, that bids the warm tear start,
Or the smile light the cheek.
And his that music to whose tone
The common pulse ofa man keeps time.
In cot or castles mirth or moan,
In cold or sunny cline.
And VINO hath heard bis song, nor kn9t
Before its spell with willing knee,
And listened, and believed, and felt.
The poets mastery
Ger the minds sea, in calm and storm,
Der the hearts sunshine and its showers.
Der PASSIONS moments, bright and warm,
! Der Reasons dark. cold hours
On fields where brave men "die or do"
In halls where rings the banouets mirth.
Where mourners weep, where lovers WOO
From throne to cottsge hearth9
What sweet tears dim the eyes unshed.
What wild VOWS fslter ON the tongue,
When "scots wha haO WI Wallsee bled,"
or"Auld Lang syne" is sung
Pure hopes, that liz the soul above,
Come with his "COtter's" hymn Of praise,
And dreams Of youth, and truth, and love
With "Logans" banlls and braes
And when he breathes his masterlay
OF fAlloway's witch h-haunted wall,
All passions in our frames OF clay
Come thronging at bis call.
Imagination's world Of air,
And our own world, Its gloora and glee
Wit, pathos, poetry, are there,
And deaths sublimi.y.
And Burns-though brief the race he ran.
Though rough and dark the path he trod-