New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-06


TII1 y l. FRENEAC, THE PQET OF THE REV
0lslL4lN- A History q HIS Life and Times
~ Mary :, Austin Edited by Helen kearny
NTeeland. Great -Era1 daughter Of The Poet
tvo, ~. Al, - A. Vessels Company.
THAT rascal Freueau." as Washington called
him, is remembered more rs the journalist who
was the associate 4 not the tool q jefferson in
the campaign q abuse and diatribe which from
the vantage ground OF the State Department
they carried on against the administration in
which they served than IS a poet OF original
genius. These volumes are intended 10 Go JUS
tlCe 10 FreueaU's memory, and secure for him
appreciation not only as the singer who best
gave voice TO the Revolutionary spirit and helped
70 keep abl4ze the patriot passions. but as one
O. the earliest American poets whose work is
worthy 10 be cherished Tor its intrinsic value in
the field OF pure literature Philip Freneau,
the Poet Of the Reyolutor.~ is more than
biography. Il is a series Of Interesting chapters
o. Colonial families and customs the HuEue-
nots and The EIict Of Nantes. which find a
slender thread q unity ia Freueau and his near
or remote connections. Il is appropriately dedI-
Gated 10 the sons and daughters Of the Reyolu-
tlor, FOR considerable attention is devoted 10 the
families down 70 recent years Of persons men
toned. and the genealogical suggestion IS en-
Thasized by the index. which consists ex-
clusively OF family names Imagination is
allowed free swing in the biography, and many
a perhaps or 1t may De supposed" serves as a
PES on which 10 hang some pleasing conjecture
calculated 10 enhance the poets reputation.
Neyertheless, a lfeiike picture Of Freneau is
presented which commands sympathy and
aWakers the reader 10 a sense Of The substantial
debt that America owes to him as a poet and
pure minded, II violently partisan patriot
MI Pattee's sketch. as is 10 be expected OF
biographica Introduction 10 q collection OF
me
included in the present volume. is more critical
and more closely confined 10 the subject though
the poets history told in the fullest detail that
authentic Information permits 80 complete
edition Of Freneau's poems exists. The three
collections made il his lifetime were only par
tiaL and are now extremely rare while many Of
his verses were published In newspapers or
circulated III leaflets through the camps and
among the people. and are found now only II I
unique copies. M Pattee has done a service to I
American letters and 10 American history il I
collecting them and securing their preservation /
Philip Freneau " as the grandson q a Hugue- /
not refugee who settled in Neu-Yorl in 1907. /
lie was born in this city in 1852 When he was /
Sen years Ole his family removed TO Monmouth /
County, y J. whore with intervals OF Journalism
and seafaring, the poet made his home through
lie. lie was graduated from Princeton ia 171l, :
having been an intimate Of James Madison. and
one q the founders OF the American Wing So
c.ety. which stil exists as one Of the two great
student CrEanizat in that institution. For
30 many o. his earliest verses were written. and
some OF his schooIboy satires on student rivals
were afterward revised and turned against Brit
ISL foes After a short period OF school teach
ing Ia 1775 he appeared IN New-Yorlz as 2 con-
trlbUtor 70 The Constitutional Gazette OF
patriotic verses which were extremely popular.
At the end OF the year he went 10 the West
Indies and spent two years there writing the
three most significant OF his dozen non-political
poems santa Cruz" The Jamaica Funeral"
and The House OF Night" The last OF these Is
q highly imaginative piece fun OF weirdness
and mystery, which have suggested cOmparl-
sons with Poe; bu; Frenesu, with real creative
power. cid not have anything OF that hypnotic
witchery with which Poe could set nerves
tinglIng- Attempting 10 make q second trip 10
the West Indies IL 1870. be was captured by
the British and was confined in one OF the
prison ships IN New-YOrk Harbor. there ac-
curing AZ experience and q hatred which found
vivid expression IL some OF his later Revolu-
ticna-y verses. The next three years were en-
rloye5 In editing The Freeman's Journal" OF
Philadelphia and IN writing patriotic poems
Then for six years he was sea captain, but OF
his marriage. II 1870. be became Editor OF The
NeW-Eork Daily Advertiser, 20 and continued that
work until the next year. when he was Induced
by Jefferson 10 become a translating clerk in the
T1a~. in hfra1n1rhfa