The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-12-21


If one has liking for patient re-
search and an unlimited amount OF
time to indulge in such a profitable
pastime, I know of no subject within
the range of ancient or modern litera-
ture that offers such boundless field
for exercise than tPoetry in South
Carolina. After wrestling with the
topic for several days, | am forced to
the conclusion that the limitless area
Of the aforesaid field is only exceeded
by its utter barrenness and sterility.
And to write an essay on poetry in
South Carolina is task similar in
! kind to preparing thesis on the
growth OF vegetation in the desert of
Sahara.
Poetry in South Cardinals coDspic-
nous by It's absence. Il need not be
inferred that the Palmetto State has
nothing to offer at the shrine OF the
Muses., for we have had poets and
even now We have few versitiers, but
when you garner and examine the
great, harvest Of rhyme which has
been handed down to US through the
centuries we must confess, if we
oriticise justly and sincerely, that
gouth Carolina is lamentably deficient
10 Imaginative composition. IL is an.
unpleasant truth, but fact neverthe-
less.
Macauly has said that as civiliza-
tion advances, poetry must necessarily
decline, aud there is a world Of conso-
lation in that for we practical con-im-
aginative South Carolinians. With
the learned and brilliant Macauly
sustaining US, we may take the posi-
tion that civilization in South Caro-
Ina has always been Of such high
order, SO advanced on the scale Of the
oenturies, that poetry paled in the
glare and dragged out q wilted exist
anee, without sympathy and without
appreciation. No doubt the critics
wonld laugh US to scorn for taking.
such a position, but we are in desper-
ate straits and there is no alternative.
left us but to play the role Of the five
persons told Of in Scripture, who we're
invited to the wedding feast And
they all with one accord began to make
sz excuses. We must de likewise.
Perhaps the only poets worthy Of
the name, whom South Carolina has
produced, are Henry Timrod and Paul
Hamilton Hayne. And if one desires
10 read life in which the bitter
largely pre- dominated OVER the sweet;
where the wailing discosd Of sorrow
and Disappointment sounds unceas-
iDgIy, one has only TO read the bio.
grapby Of these two unfortunate vic
inns Of genius unappreciated. I refer
more especially to Timrod than to
Hsyne. Ni said Of the former that
he died of starvation, but this state;
ment has been repeatedly denied.
Any way, he suffered as few men
have, and to one Of his refined, sensi-
tive nature the agony was intensified.
Think Of Timrod taking one Of his
treasured volumes Of verse to the
baker and exchanging it for bread;
yet it is said this incident actually
occurred. This sounds unpleasant,
and it may be charged that 1 am de-
parting from my subject, but do not
think it out Of place for me to intro
duce some facts to show why there
has been a dearth Of poetry in South
Carolina. The struggles Of the un-
appreciated genius are always pitiful
and never fail to excite compassion
when it is too late to render assist
aDce. We laud Timrod now and sing
his praises with loud acclaim, but We
let him die for the lack Of wholesome
sustsnance. Some years ago an effort
was made to raise a monument to his
memory, and an enthusiastic admirer
wrote to Sydney Lanier for fitting
epitaph to inscribe on it. This is
what Mr.. Lanier wrote: ''He asked
for bread aud ye gave him a stone"
That vas sufficient; the story Of poor
Timrod's life was told iu that brief
sentence, and bitter, biting reproach
breathed through every word. Tim
rod was prolific writer, and some of
his work gives evidence Of undue haste
and lack Of careful preparation.
Hunted down at all times by the wolf
Of poverty, ne could not afford to wait
FOR inspiration, but under the spur
and whip Of necessity his jaded imagi-
nation and weary brain were taxed
INCREASINGLY. But occasionally Tim
rod sounds deeper note and we are
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