The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-18
The Poem. Of jaime. ryder nnna,,,.

The Poems nf James Ryder Randall,
! Edited by Matthew Page Andrews
/ President OF the Randall Literary and
Memorial Association. The Tandy-
Thomas Co., of New York s1o0 net.
! The name of Randall recalls at once
the inspiration of his great war poem
"Mrylandl My Maryland" This poem
was written by Randall immediately
after the Baltimore massacre on April
10, OF 1851. 1t was first published in
the New Orleans Delta on April % of
that year. and its effect was ma gicai.
In the Biographical! introduction
written by Mr.. Andrews to this book
of poems he says: 1T is difficult at the
time of Issuing this first complete col.
lection OF the poems of James Ryder
Randall to foretell what place will
be given him in American literature.
II has been said that Whenever a
true child of song strikes his harp,
we love to listen The fame of the
martial Maryland, My MARYLAND OBJ
scnred even the name of this most mod
est of American bards. and hid the fact
that he had written other verse de-
stined to delight the ear by its music.
and crafty the mind by originality of
thought Very few are those who have
never heard OF Maryland! Ny Mary
land yet how many there are who
have not known of the author."
Mr.. Andrews tells how the poem was
first sung by the beautiful Cary Sis
tiers OF Baltimore and explains how the
words and music of maryland, NV
Maryland were carried to the pub
fishers by Rebecca Lloyd Nicholson. Of
Baltimore, as her grandmother had
done with the words and music of "The
Star spangled Banner" nearly fifty
years before. The description by the
author OF how this war song was first
rendered on a Virginia battlefield is SO
truly inspiring that it Is given here-as
follows: "On July 4. 1861 the Misses
Cary. with their brother and friends.
ran the blockade to Orange Courthouse
Virginia. After their arrival at Or
ange and subsequent to the first battle
of Manassas, General Beauregard.
hearing of their labors on behalf of
the Marylanders invited them to pay
a visit to his headquarters near Fair
fax Courthouse, sending pass and an
escort. The party encamped in tents
prepared for them by klnsman, Cap
tain Sterrett. On the evening Of their
reaching the place appointed for them
they were serenaded by the famous
Washington Artillery, of New Orleans
Captain Sterrett expressed their thanks,
asking If there was any service that
might be rendered in return. The re-
ply was: Let us hear woman's |
voice" So standing in the tent door
Miss Jennie Cary sang Maryland, NV
The refrain was caught |
up and tossed back from hundreds OF |
rebel throats, History does not record
another such dramatic inception of
war song on the field Of battle"
The divisions OF the book are first
made with regard to Mr. Randall's !
earlier poems. There is facsimile Of
one OF the earliest Of these written to
Mary, MY Heart" the Mary mentioned
icing beautiful Mary Glrvin, the love
If his love, to whom the poet paid the
GLOWING beautiful tribute:
Mary. my heart. because my heart Is
Mary my love. because my loves not
mine!
Nary my hope because hope with
thee grew!
Mary my love, because my soul is
true!
Iary my world; ah! tell me thou wilt
be
Ieart. Love, Hope, Soul and Universe
to me!'
Poems of love and sentiment follow
hese youthful eftusions. Among tho
var lyrics, those on Pelham" the
great cannoneer, on Fort pillow.n
THE Lone Sentry" THE Cameo Brace
OF" Tho Unconquered Banner"
There's Llfo in the Old Land Yet" and
The Battle Cry OF tho South, rank
In the mind as second only to MARY
andl MY Maryland" Other miscel-
aneous poems and those or a memoir
Al ana religious tendency are vibrant