Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-08

cadence has lulied the bookish world
into a dreamy state of esctatic bliss.
Mr.. Coogler is not the man TO let
others have a finger In his pie. MS
poems are not only entirely MS OWL
but what is more, they have oeen re-
yised, Illustrated, and printed by the
author. While Kipling and Riley ana
Stanton and Page well have reason 10
blush at the superiority OF this metricai
opponent Of theirs, candor compels me 10
say that the Cooglerian nlusttations'
while grand in their way, have not the
beauty Of Gibson's sketches nor yet the
touch Of nature that has brought fame 10
Frost. But why expect all things in one
man? Poets are born. not made, and
they can neither be turned out in job
lots nor put on the market without
blemish While Charles Dana Gibson
cannot sign his own sign-at least, not
legibly-he can, perhaps, beat Coogier
sketching, but where, Oh! where, Is the
Individual who would assume superiority
over Coogler as a poet? And yet even
this great man has had his detractors.
though truly the following Cooglerian
swipe is well calculated TO have rid the
earth OF their presence:
"Oh. you domestic critics, who always
quote.
But cannot cen compose a readable
letter.
defy you, with all your self-blown
wisdom.
To write decent line OF verse-or
make mine better"
Nature, woman, flowers, ana love are
mainly the themes OF this siren voice
from the palmetto groves, but at times
one hears a more didactic strain, and,
grasping the profound significance there
OF. resolves to lead better life-to do or
TO die. Carry the following always with
YOU. 0 gentle reader, "e'en" as you do
that horse-chestnut, which wards OFF
rheumatism:
"Oh, characterl thou ever art
An holy and an honord thing;
More valuable than life Itself,
More costly than a diamond ring"
When Coogler gets down to business
he saws what he thinks, and ne thinks
what he darn pleases. Coogler calls
spade a spade-he does-and when ne
wishes to point q moral or adorn a laie
he doesn't 20 searching through dictiona-
ries for paddings and frills 80 as 10 MAKE
the blow hit easy. Not Coogler; he hlts
straight from the shoulder. Marx TINS
warning that he sounds:
"You may as well try to change the
course
or yonder sun
To North and South,
As to try TO subdue by criticism
This heart of verse,
Or close this mouth.
Cav Iotharlos should likewise note the
following and shudder:
4" All Heaven has no water soft enough.
Nor earth no cleansing soap.
THAT can wash the crimson from the
heart
That destroys a woman's hope"
Success makes a fool Of many man,
ana the poet Horace, IN concluding MS
works. even went so far as to state tnat
Inv his skill he had erected n monument
more lasting than bronze, which neither
the digit of ages nor the tooth or time
could destroy. But not so with our own
Gordon Coogler "Een" though the
lourels are his. and his brows are wreath
ed with IVY, we may say, In the language
Of the baseball umpire, that success mas
never touched him." But witness inc
poets own statement along this line. On
being asked by young lady Just alter
n renowned northern journal had gwen
his works a complimentary review, IL ms
hat was not too small for ms heau,
the song bird of the Palmetto State burst
into the following melody. which VIII
ring in the ears OF posterity long after
,,at unhorn generations OF canarieS nave
turned up their little toes ana died'
you'll never see this head too large Tor
my hat,
You may watch It and feel It as OFT as
you choose;
But you'll learn. as millions OF people
have learned,
or my character and name thro' my
innocent muse.
you'll never see this form clad In gauay
apparel,
Nor these feet playing the dude IN
patent-leather shoes;
Yut your children's children VIII some
day read
Some pleasant quotations from my limo
cent muse"
Would that I could place my mana III
that OF the immortal Coogler ana 1ollo"
| him through the green pastures ana ira
grant fields which he so feehngly oe-
scribes But there is a limit on human
happiness, and must lay the little green
book aside. Should the eagle eye OK the
great bard fall on this feeble, nlckerihs
effort. I beg that he will accept II as an
humble offering from an ardent adtnlret'
THE IDLE REPORTER.