The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-09-29
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY


Life and Work of New Ravens Great Poet
Peculiar Character of the Poet and His
Habits of Life-subject of Next Meeting
At the meeting of the New Haven
Historical society last evening an ex-
ceedingly interesting and instructive
paper on New Ravens greatest poet,
James G. Percival, was read by Mr..
Frederick H. Cogswell.
Percival was born at Kensington,
Conn, September 49, 1895. AT fourteen
he composed a heroic poem and at six
teen entered Yale college, Here he
wrote many poems which he posted up
on the campus and then loitered near
by to hear what those who read them
would say He determined to issue
book of poems and showed them to
Noah Porter, who advised him to wait.
The poems which he proposed to pub
lish were for the most part limitations
of the poets Thompson and Bloomfield,
whom he much admired.
The refusal of publisher to take his
book completely crushed his youthful
ambition, and having aroused the ridi-
Guile of his fellow students, they made
it so warm for him that he finally left
college in his sophomore year.
He now taught school for q short sea-
son. but without warning he packed up
his books and closed up the school and
went to work on farm, whence he at
last returned to college, graduating in
the next class after the one IN which
he had formerly been enrolled. He
graduated at the head of his class, but
did not try for the valedictory because
of an impeachment in his speech. lie
felt hurt because he was not offered
tutorship and would undoubtedly have
been offered one had it not been for his
too well known instability of purpose.
He studied medicine for time in the
office of DR.. Ives but left 1t to go to
Hartford to enter society there. Being
keenly sensitive, he felt that his great
genius was not sufficiently recognized
in that place and left it in disgust and
wrote a sarcastic poem on the city,
called THE Inprecation.'
He now dipped into medicine again,
but soon left it to study law in Phila-
delphia. Here he fell in love, but be-
ing rejected by the lady and being by.
nature poorly balanced, he became
nearly insane and would rush with all
his might and dash his head into
stone wall or trees in the orchard. he
finally recovered and went on a lectur-
ing trip to South Carolina. where he
was stranded in Charleston, and open
ing an office wrote poems His poem
the Coral Grove" was well received
and gained for him a favorable reputa-
ton in the south
He again returned to New Haven,
where his southern fame had preceded
him, and he was more graciously re-
ceived. but not enough to satisfy his
idea as to what he was entitled to, ana
wrote letter almost as bad as the I'M
precation on Hartford
He consented to speak before the Phl
Beta Kappa siciety, but at the last mo-
ment refused to speak at all.
Throughout his whole life he drifted
from one profession or occupation to
another, never staying very long at
any one thing. He was state geolo-
gist, professor at West Point, doctor,
lawyer, editor, and at one time started
in to take orders in the Episcopal
church. He planned and gathered an
immense amount of material for his
tory Of the United States, which he
never published. He also planned a
trip to Europe, which he was to write
up, but this also was added to his un-
executed plans.
While living in New Haven he oecu-
pied three rooms in the hospital, which
no one was allowed to enter. If any,
one knocked he stuck his head out of
the window and said boo to them. The
poet Longfellow visited him. and Per-
cival, recognizing his caller, did not
say boo to him, but would
not let him enter his rooms
but entertained him in rooms be-
low. His rooms were always in the
floor being two inches thick, through
which there were paths to various parts
Of the room.
He had a peculiar way of getting his
books to people whom he wished to
read them. When he saw them pass
ing from his window he would rush
down, throw a book into the passer's
hand saying, Here, take this" and
then rush back again.
He assisted Webster in preparing the
proof sheets of his dictionary and took
great interest in his work
He went to Wisconsin, where he en-
gagged in geological work. and was
known as. "Old stone breaker
His figure became a familiar one
throughout the forests of Wisconsin
and though jeered at by some of the
boys he was almost universally loved
by the children.
He died May 2, 1856, in Wisconsin,
where he was buried at his own re-
quest.
He was one Of the best poets of the
time, some of his best poems being:
'Prometheus," Coral Reef and
''Clio." He was an entertaining con-
versationalist on Literary topics.
Judge Baldwin stated at the close of
the paper that assisted by the people
of New Haven a monument was erect
ed to his memory few years ago.
vote of thanks was given Mr..
Cogswell for his interesting paper
AT the next meeting of the society
paper will be read by Mr.. William
Henry Bishop of the university on
the subject of How to Hunt Ances-
tors in England"