The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-28

1T NY EpJu lTlelN '. ..Ntp v-Hl laU
not come forward as -. ucAe4iaer,
shuold have RETAINED fli. further men
tion Of DIR. Thomas II ts - ivers. 1t
seemed 10 me that e. ad bpen
written by outside pali - .a provoke a
clearer expose from his kan: d, ar tu.a,
intimatc friends.
There is still n shadow oy,r F., rp.r-
lions with Edgar a. Poe. tney
were personal friends is proven. But as
to who preceded i'm that peculiar style Of
lyric poetry is not proven.
| nave letter from cultured old gen
tlpman Of College Park, Mr.. James =.
Graves, Father Of John Temple Graves,
who says that while a college boy on his
return horne 30 Washington, Wilkes cOun
ty. he visited DR.. Chivers and had
conversation with him. He says:
This conversation awakened in me
the lveIiest interest lie spoke Of an es-
say or criticism he had just written for
The Southern Literary Messenger, Of
Richmond. instituting "a comparison OF
the literary merits Of the poets Byron and
Shelley The impression made on me
was that it was a masterfu production.
He SPOKE OF his Lost Pleads and other
poems; said he had just received letter
from Poe. and ! think he read it TO me,
and ne mentioned correspondence with
other distinguished men Of the North
"The picture given Of him in the Constl-
tuition is most accurate. His complexion
was dark, especially 50 under the eyes
"The idea that Dr. Chivers inspired
THE Raven or in any way added to its
production was in that day not entertain
cd by any one, so far as / know.
Or Chivers' style OF talking was very
ornate. and he appeared familiar with
the arts and sciences, and to be a very
erudite scholar I used to wonder why
he was not more recognized by the learn
ed Of both sexes, but suppose it was be-
cause he was something Of a recluse, and
preferred to revel in his own dreamy and
poetical thoughts. There was no show Of
wealth about him, nor did he seem to care
for any Long after that ne moved to
Decatur, where he died and was buried.
Mrs. Chivers was a cultured and most
estimable lady. For further information,
] refer you to Or. +. r. Willis, of Rich
mond, Va. who was half brother to the
late Samuel Barnett of Washington, Ga.
and also TO Judge William Reece and
Rev. +. 7. Simpson, Of Washington
So II seems that if DIR. Chivers did not
h.mSelf bring charges of lagiariSm
against Poe, but remained his friend and
correspondent, the bill should be mol.
pressed" Mere especially is this so since
Mr. Graves, himself then a young man Of
classical culture and contemporary
never heard Of such a charge, and Poe's
biOgrapaer in Appleton makes mention
Of life or Poe yet TO be published that
was written by DIR. Chiyers
When / last wrote on this subject it
was my impression that Or. Chiyers was
Mr.. POe's senior not only in years, but in
poetical work. and as they were bosom
friends in New York, that Poe drew his
inspiration from the doctor; but more ma
ture reflection satisfies me that Wallace
Reed is right.
My wife says he is. She has but little
patience with people who seek to rob the
dead. or who destroy the idols of her
youth. Ever since she used to recite
william TELL" the hero of the lakes,
as her Friday evening speech at
school, she has been mad with the man
who first discovered that there was no
such hero. or If there was, he never shot
an apple from off mis- boys head.
Poe was certainly a gifted genius, for
his prose is as marvellous as his poetry
Both are artistic, ingenious, dreamy and
OF the borders Of fairyland. But they live
III lNt HIHiTdliOI more IMAM III ttlt 4AEti4 l.
For poems that charm our human nature
and Inger in the soil of memory, | would
rather read Goldsmith, Gray, COwper.
Coleridge, Burns and Tom Hood than any
others. Byron's are grand and stately in
their beauty, but do not melt down within
us and make us better, kinder and more
loving.
The most beautiful lyric poems ever
written is, / think, Coleridge's Gene
We've" When / was a young man ! read
it with supreme delight and it has nQt
vet lost it's charm Ny sympathy for
love and lovers is still alive and glowing
and my soul lis thrilled with ecstacy when
read how he won his "brightand beau
teous bride" That poem and Goldsmith's
Hermit / committed to memory more
than half a century ago and l dearly
love to recall them.
For solemn. serious meditation on the
vanity Of earthly things there is no poem
equal to Gray's "Elegy.'
For home and heart Burns leads all in
tenderness.
For exquisite pathos that appeals to
our charity and our pity there is nothing
in the English language so affecting as
Hoods "Song of the Shirt"
| On this side of the water we have some
few poets whose works have stood and
will continue to stand the test of time.
Marco Bozzaris is sublimity itself. In
thought and execution as a single poem
| it stands alone and unrivaled. | would
rather have composed it than to have
been Wellington at Waterloo.
Somehow / have no taste for poetry
! that has to strain for language or that
has to hunt the dictionary for unusual
or uncommon words, such as alden,
cleaning, sheen, etc. Nor for poetry that
has to strain for rhymes. 1t reminds me
of the freshman's first effort:
Daddy built well sweep,
| The wind blew it down--sheep."
! The rhyme should be as natural as the
sentiment.
| All of our best hymns have been handed
down to us from famous English authors
With but q few exceptions there have