The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-09
One of Virginia s Poets.

Virginia has produced many wise
statesmen and many eloquent orators.
Thomas jefferson, James Madison
and James Monroe, who became pres
ideuts of the United States, were men
of such wisdom and such statesman
ship that they bestowed upon Nir-
ginia the title of Mother of states
and Statesmen, Patrick Henry and
John Randolph of Roanoke were
eloquent orators. who were but little
excelled in oratory by the famous
orators of Greece and Rome. Patrick
Henry's give mel liberty or give me-
death" speech in the African church
in Richmond was the alarm bell of
the Revolution, and fell but little be
low Cicero's Grafton against Catalina
or the Grafton of Dcmosthenes on the
Crown, which is considered he model
GRAFTON OF The world.
Macaulay said that Edmund Burke
was the superior Of amy orator, an
speech OF Edmund Burkcs that is
more eloquent than Patrick IIenry's
speech IN the African church IN Rich
mond.
But though Virginia has produced
many wise statesmen aud many elo-
quent orators. she has produced few
poets. With the exception of Edgar
! Allan Poe she has produced no first
! class poet. Poe was a tirst-ciass poet,
his poem, The Raven" being the
( finest lyrical poem ever written by
any one of the English speaking race
on either side OF the Atlantic. 1t has
been said that If Poe had written
nothing but The Raven" that bird
would have borne him on his sable
pinions across the gulf of oblivion TO
the eternal shores beyond.
But although Virginia has pro-
i ti5ecet S1flSr @sfe sirsf>&iafs' ,yspsst sire
has produced several minor poets.
several men who possessed the divine
elilatus
The light that never was on land or
The conservation and the poets
dream.
| Among tho minor poets whom Vir-
sinia has produced were phihp Pen
dlcton Cooke. the author of the poem
FLORENCE Nane''; Daniel t. Lucas
! the author of the poc,rs, In the tand
I Where We We're Dreaming and
/ BranSford Nawter. the author of the
poem, I'D Offer Thee This Hand of
/ Mine"
Bransford vawter is. but little
known rs he WAS of obscure parent
age and enjoyed but limited ctuca
tioual advantages. Although his edu-
! cational advantages were limited he
WAS genuine poet, for the poetic art
does not depend on education, the
! proverb "poeta nascitar nontit" be-
ing a true proverb. The poet is born
a poet and does not become poet
| by education or tho help of school or
/ college.
Bransford Vawfcr carly evinced a
love for literature, especially for
poetry, Few of his poems were pre-
served, but among them his best
known. I'D Offer Thee This Hand of
I Mine" 1t first appeared anonymously
In the Southern Literary Messenger.
of Richmond. II Was copied by other
magazines and was set to music and
sung throughout the United States.
and was translated into several for
Miss Ann Il. Norvell, beautiful
young lady of Lynchburg. We here
give the. plaintive and in1passioned
| poem for the benefit OF such persons
as may not be familiar with it. =
I'd offer thee this hand of mine
If ! could love thee less.
But hearts so warm, so fond as thine
Should never know distress
My fortune is too hard for thee,
'Twould chill thy dearest JOY.
I'd rather weep to see thee free
Than win thee TO destroy.
| leave thee In they happiness.
AS one too dear to love,
AS ono l think of but TO bless
AS wretchedly I rove.
But obs when sorrows cup ! drink
All bitter though it be,
How sweet twill he for mo to think
1t holds no drop for thee