The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-12-16
LITERATURE OF THE REVOLUTION
Mr. Atkinson Tells the HANDLERS
About 1t.

The Ramblers met yesterday in Has
brouck Institute and listened to a most m
teresting address by Mr.. William r. At
k;nson ON ssThe Literature of the Ameri-
can Revolutionary Period" He said
american Literature divides itself into
two periods: that previous to the antagon-
ism to England and that after it began.
There was little literature in the first pc
cause the people were solving practicab
mainly physical, problems. There was hit
tie in the second because they were solving
political questions. Writing there was in
each, but little real literature. Why,
then. do we consider the literature of this
period? Or why do we expect any to ex-
ist at all? DO we expect literature from
the Congo Free State? There are several
reasons for the consideration. First, De
cause SO much has been said about TINS
era with a mouth filling name; because
that there was a genuine literature at tnat
time is so much taken as a matter or
course; and, finally, because there actual
" were some productions worthy of our
study. There are sermons, quasi-scientL
fc treatises. political writings, attempts
at history, theological discussions, even
rhmyes and compositions in the dramatlc
form, but no literature with a very few
exceptions. Small indeed does the list of
five names appear of the writers who be-
longed wholly within the period. The five
are John Trumbull, Philip Fireman., Joel
Barlow. Royal Tyler and Charles Brock
den Brown. This has nothing to do with
the orators and statesmen. Hamilton and
Jefferson are without our list"
Mr.. Atkinson gave short sketches OF the
lives of the five men and their works.
7 G a n - aT,r11 m hl111 is 10 be SERIOUSLY
reckoned with as one of our earliest men
of letters and as an influence. put ms
writings are not intrlnslcaliy OF great
value. The next name, Fireman., is that
of the greatest writer of the day and
though his career was ruined, poetry was
his true vocation. He turned to satire
Dartly because his nature was coInbatlVe
and partly because of the times. The
next author is decidedly OF lesser note;
Joel Barlow is said to have raised
nediocrity to colossal proportions. MS
early poem, "Hasty Pudding" is q mock
heroic poem, which was very popular at
the time. 1t is clever and abounds in
American humor. He was guilty OF the
.~CoIumbiad." an interminable epic and a
great failure. Tyler deserves considera-
lion because he was the author OF the HIST
American play ever acted in the United
States by professional actors. me
and imperfect but bright and witty IN
narts. Brown edited several magazines,
wrote pamphlets and books ana was a
Inferior workmanship, he is valuable for
his genuineness. and for his being the
real Beginning of American fiction; Five
1aaderately long productions that may
i've and four Short poems which deserve
to live in semi-seclusion Indicates com
parative barrenness. There was no inter-
ary class in America nor a literary at
nn9snhere. These p~resuppose culture
and that had not yet come. The great
nation was still in process OF mouiolng.
- L7noffCh- lfpTl T11rP
o,.Iy in name. Small wonder then that
america, from 1850 to 1914, produced but
the f~ainfest echo Of literature. The Won
" ~ ,a3tars so soon, p~resaging the early
appearance of the grand succession begin
ming with rving