Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-12-08
HENRY TIMROD ....
(By t. Curry Merchant.)

Comparatively little is known OF our
Southern poets and authors by the
public in general. For this reason we
have thought it proper on this, the
eightIeth anniversary Of the birth Of
Henry TimrOd, to give brief ac-
count OF his life and works.
The poet was born December Sth,
1929, in Charleston, s. c., of an old
German family. After suitable prepa-
ration he entered the University of
Georgia, but left there before finish
ing his course. He then turned his
attention towards law, but coon aban-
doned this and engaged in teaching.
His first book Of poems appeared In
1860, and, had he been left free to
continue in his work, be would have
undoubtedly carved high name for
himself
AS It was, however, the Civil War
was Just bursting upon the country
and, true to his native State, Timrcd
entered the Confederate army. 1t was
about this time that he wrote a num-
Der of martial poems which consider
ably aroused his fellow-countrymen to
action. On account Of i'll health,
though, Timrod was forced to leave
the ranks Of the army, and thereupon
became a war correspondent.
In 1864 he became editor Of The
South Carollnian. but short time
thereafter, suffering from poverty and
grieving over the loss of his dearly
beloved son, he himself answered the
final summons and was laid to rest
in Trinity church yard in Columbia.
Thus Henry Timrod died at the
early age Of thirty-eight. Had he at
tanned to a ripe old age, and had cir
cumstances been more favorable,
there is no telling to what extent his
poetic genius would have expressed
itself AS 1t is, however, he has left
comparatively little work behind him,
and this. as Trent says, marred by
the effects which constant sickness
and poverty and the stress of war
necessarily had upon his GENUS; but
he has left a few singularly beautiful
poems, and one at least, the ode writ.
ten for the occasion of the decoration
Of the Confederate graves in Magnolia
cemetery, that approximates perfec-
tion. Among his other poems, mostly
pertaining to the great Civil War, are
Carolina" THE Cotton Boil" "a
Common Thought" "The Lily Conf
dante" "Ethnogenesis." Charleston, !"
THE Two Armies" "The Unknown
Dead" and others.
Gems From Tlmrod.
LAS 1t puppies in the zenith,
And 1t brightens on the lawn,
There's hush of death about me,
And a whisper, He is gone"
Loves the lovers only magic,
Truth the very subtlest art;
Love that feigns, and lips that hatter,
Win no modest heart"
Like the dewdrop In my bosom,
BE the guideless language, youth;
Falsehood buyeth falsehood only,
Truth must purchase truth"
we know not; In the temple Of the
Fates
God has inscribed her doom;
And, all untroubled In her faith. she
waits
The triumph or the tomb"
sleep sweetly In your humble graves,
Sleep, martyrs OF a fallen cause;
Though yet no marble column Graves
The pilgrim here to pause.
In seeds Of laurel in the earth
The blossom OF your fame is blown,
And somewhere. waiting for It's birth,
The shaft Is in the stonel
Meanwhile. behalf the tardy years
Which keep In trust your stored
tombs,
Behold, your sisters bring thei tears
And these memorial blooms
small tribute! but your shades will
smile
More proudly on these wreaths to
day.
THAN when some cannon moulded nlls