"Dost thou remember," said an ancient man, Of life was heard while flew in dazzling light FROM THE MANIAC MOTHER. And here he stands in thy lone shieling-now Cease thy wild coronach and speak to him! Lo love seems hovering o'er his pallid brow, And his lips quiver and his eyeballs swim; Now raise thy voice and on the spirit callNow while his shadow rests upon the wall! Alas! communion with the dead is still As the dark halls of nature's spectre-king; The spirit's power the sorrowing heart may fill And the soul hear unearthly voices sing, But human tongue ne'er spake to-human ear Ne'er heard the speech of spirits that appear. Their reign is silent, shadowy, awful-none Then the awakened spirit gives to air All else is veiled from man's perception-fear They wake no more, though love stands weeping by, Their task is finished and their toil is done! And trust, as they have trusted, to their woe, The same sad scene of fruitless hopes and fears, Translation of Metastasio's Poem, entitled LA LIBERTA. To Nicè. Now, thanks to the gods, the just rulers above I have broken your chains, I have conquer'd your smiles, And the vision of freedom no longer beguiles. The flame is extinguish'd that glow'd in my breast; I dream-but my dreams are not always of you: 1 wake-but my thoughts other objects pursue; In your absence I care not to see you again, Your presence excites neither pleasure nor pain. Of your charms I can speak, and not feel my heart swell, On my wrongs with the coolest composure can dwell; Your beauty, once lov'd unembarass'd I view, I even can talk with my rival of you. Your looks may be proud, or your words may be kind : So candid I am that I still think you fair, When I wrench'd out the dart, and extinguish'd the flame, My heart almost broke, I confess it with shame; If once in the bird lime the linnet is caught, sound, Displays the hard fetters with which he was bound I call thee, I await thee, and I love thee. Though I be formed of clay, In me, which, though forbidden yet to shine, 1 feel was lighted at thy God's and thine. It may be hidden long: death and decay Our mother Eve bequeath'd us—but my heart I know not, nor would know; That secret rests with the Almighty giver Who folds in clouds the fonts of bliss and wo. With thee I can share all things, even immortal sorrow; For thou hast ventured to share life with me. And shall I shrink from thine eternity? No though the serpent's sting should pierce me thorough, And thou thyself wert like the serpent, coil And curse thee not; but hold As-but descend; and prove For an immortal. Men affect parrots, that disgrace human speech-and are fond of monkeys, that ridicule human action. New-York Literary Gazette. Ancient and Modern Poetry. DOES the great difference in the characters of ancient and modern verse, arise from a difference in the genius of the respective languages, or from a difference between ancient and modern taste? The ancient hexameter is a lofty and majestic verse, well fitted for a description of the sublimest objects in nature, and for the expression of high and imperious passions; yet this same verse when applied to our own language, gives a ludricous character to the ideas, which puts sublimity to flight, and throws taste into a fever. And yet the hexameter is quite as consistent with the nature of our language, as it is with that of the Greek or Roman. English words can be put together, in hexameter, they can be made to flow as melodiously and as majestically, so far as sound is concerned, as Greek or Roman hexameters, and at the same time they can convey ideas. The same remark will apply to the Pentameter, the Asclepiadean, the Alcaic, the Sapphic, the Anacreontic, and all the other varieties of ancient verse. The division of words into verse is entirely artificial; the English heroic consists of five feet, each of two syllables; the ancient hexameter consists of six feet, and contains a greater or less number of syllables according as dactyles or spondees predominate in the line. The component parts of languages, both ancient and modern, are the same-that is, the first principle in language is a letter, letters put together form a syllable, syllables form words, and words form sentences. A sentence in poetry is divided into a certain number of lines, these lines are divided into a certain number of syllables or feet, and as far as the nature of any language is concerned, there is no reason why these lines should not consist of seventeen syllables (the greatest possible number of hexameter) as well as of ten syllables, the regular number of English heroic verse, for the division in both cases is arbitrary and artificial. It may be objected that the ancient metre depends upon the quantity of syllables, whereas in reading English verse we are To this we reply, that guided by the ear. English words may be framed into hexameter and scanned in such a manner as to please the ear, which organ we admit to be This is one of the finest invocations of the as good a guide as the rules for determining splendid Ode from which it is taken-we quantity in Latin and Greek words. We will endeavour to translate it into English of quote for example, two lines from Southey's the same metre-our translation must nebexameterscessarily be very free. "So may America-prizing in-time the-worth she possesses Give to that-worth free-scope and-boast hereafter of Allston." Is this manner of reading less consistent with the nature of our language, than the alternate rise and fall of the voice in the modern style of reading verse? The most irregular stanza of the ancients is the Pindaric. Southey has attempted to adopt our language to this metre. We quote from memory "And up she raised her bright blue eyes, The magic thread he wound Now thy strength, oh warrior! try, A stronger than thee [thou] Oh, genial Sun! who bringest and who takest Ne'er may thy rays of more than golden splendour Mr. Walker, in his treatise on Greek and Latin accent, says, "Can any thing give us a more ludicrous idea than the practice of the ancients, in sometimes splitting a word at the end of the line, and commencing the next line with the latter part of the word?" And why is it ludicrous to us of modern times? Simply because we are unaccustomed to it, and for the same reason, were an ancient poet to revisit the earth and listen to modern rhymes, he would say, -"Can any thing be more ridiculous than the practice of these moderns in making the ends of their lines jingle together, like Southey has failed in his attempt to render the tollings of a bell?" The one practice this style popular, but his failure has not is as much or as little ridiculous, essentially been the result of any natural unfitness of or intrinsically, as the other-the ancient our language for this kind of metre, but it practice is ridiculous solely by comparison, arises from the revolution which taste or and because it is out of fashion. Language, fashion has made in poetry, as well as in like man, is derived from one great origievery thing else. One might as well at inal; as there was primarily but one man, tempt to introduce the black broth of the so there was primarily but one languageSpartans at a modern dinner party, or the both have their numerous progeny, and almarriage ceremonies of the Romans at a though the progeny of both have undergone modern wedding, as to revive the ancient various modifications, arising from climate, style in modern poetry. The black broth situation, and a thousand other causes; yet is repugnant to the taste of the modern man, all languages, as well as all men, partake but it is certainly as natural food as turtle- of one common nature, whatever may be soup-so the ancient style is unsuited to the their difference of form, feature, and taste. taste of modern ages, but not to the nature This practice, which Mr. Walker consiof modern languages. Whether our taste ders so ludricous, is frequent with the greatbe more or less refined than that of the an- est of all lyric poets, Pindar :—bas it cients, is a different question, which does not thrown a shade of ridicule on the sublime affect the subject under consideration. In expansion of "the pride and ample pinion” order to show this difference in the clearest of the "Theban eagle"? No. Can a lulight, we will quote some specimens of an- dicrous idea force itself amongst sublime cient metre, and translate them into the ideas without destroying the impression insame kind of metre in English. Some of the most exquisite Odes of Horace are writ-Yet Mr. Walker considers this practice as tended to be produced by the latter? No! ten in the Sapphic and Adonian metre, (of the Diocolon Tristrophon verse;) let us that John Walker, could he be brought face superlatively ludicrous, and we doubt not quote one of his stanzas Alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui Carmen Sæculare. to face with the old Theban, would say to him, in the language of Don Armado, "By virtue, thou enforcest laughter; thy silly thought, my spleen: the heaving of my lungs provokes me to ridiculous smiling." ture of the languages then that renders this John Walker has convicted the majestic metre so harsh and unmelodious, or is it the Pindar of a ludicrous practice.-Alas too, for difference between ancient and modern Sappho the all passionate, the all poetical, taste which extends alike to manners, dress, the more than mortal Sappho! For in ad- and language? miring the bright and burning and eternal gems of her poesy, we must occasionally relieve the intensity of our feelings with a laugh at her ludicrous practice of dividing a word between two lines, as Solomon was about to serve the child that had two mothers! What say ye now of your favourite lyrists, ye "laudatores carminis acti," for surely ye cannot be so foolhardy and audacious as to differ with this great standard of taste? For ourselves, we have far too much regard for our intellectual character, to be guilty of such presumption; so far from it, There is no measure more soft and melo- Anacreon. Eis Egura. We will try to translate this in the same we would bow before John Walker, "in verse (the Anacreontic Iambic) and to renthe undissembled homage of deferential hor-der the measure coincident with the English ror," and addressing him in the mingled tone of submission and admiration, we Let us take an example from Pindar- τα προτέρων, φθεγξομαι, -της τον ευνομώτατον Pind. Olymp. E. 6. We will endeavour to translate this into English, using the same metre, and making the first and third lines terminate, as it regards the division of words, like the origi nal— Son of Tantalus! I will de- -val, at Sipylus, when the Immortal guests sat down with thy father, The ball of Jove widely honoured. accent The Muses bound young Cupid · He doth not wish for freedom. Why is this measure more harsh than the octosyllabic or decasyllabic English verse? The sounds of the voice are similar in both languages, for the organs of speech, the teeth, tongue, lips, and palate are, we presume, the same with modern men as with men of old-at least there is no historical proof that the Greeks had more or less organs of speech than ourselves-we have never read of a man in Greece with two tongues, (the Greek dog, Cerberus, it is true had three) or three rows of teeth, or four palates; and we would ask a physiologist to inform the critics who have written on the Greek accent, whether similar organs of speech are more likely to produce dissimilar than similar sounds. Do not all these considerations lead to the establishment of our position, that the Now, in scanning Greek, we are governed great difference between ancient and moby quantity; in reading English, by accent dern measure, arises from the difference be-and is not the one as arbitrary as the oth-tween ancient and modern taste and fashion, er? Could not fashion, if she were so dis- and not from the nature and genius of the posed, reverse the distinction, and establish respective languages? certain rules of quantity by which English verse should be scanned? And if so, would Literary. "Elements of English Gram not the English Pindaric measure seem to mar deduced from science and practice, us quite as admirable as the English heroic now seems? Is it the difference in the na adapted to the capacity of learners." This work is in the press, and will shortly clain the attention of the literary world. Mr. | Four lines, most reverentially inscribed Cardell, the author, has already distinguish- to Robert Walsh, jun., high-editor of all the ed himself by his Essay on Language, in Americas, bonfire of wit, light-house of litwhich he boldly attacks the prevailing theo-erature, and sun of politics. "Here Walsh, take my horn," said the goddess of Fame, "Exalt thou the greatest American's name❞— Walsh puffed at the horn, waked its loftiest tone, And sounded, whose name?' stupid queristhis own.' It is supposed that Lord Byron heard this name while he was writing a particular passage of "English Bards," &c. and that by a mistake of the printer, the name of Amos Cottle was substituted for that of our distinguished countryman. We have no doubt that his lordship wrote the passage as follows: Robert Walsh, jun.! Phoebus what a name TIME'S SPECTACLES. This is a subject of the highest importance, and the author will command its investigation, for he is a man of talents, research, and perseverance. It will be considered, perhaps, as an act of great audacity in Mr. C. to startle the literati of all countries with the bold assertion, that the system of grammar which they have been taught to consider sacred, is incorrect and A society is forming in Indiana which has unfounded in all its leading principles. Mr. the following article in its constitution— C. has done this, and what is much more to " All members of the community, male and the purpose, he has satisfactorily demonstra-female, shall be considered as legal voters." ted the truth of his own system. He does If the ladies take to electioneering, good not make assertions and leave them unsup- by to political consistency in men. Who ported by arguments;-to every proposi- would be so unpolite as to refuse his support tion he attaches a chain of reasoning, and even to Benedict Arnold for the presidency, he reasons in such a manner that the esta- if his vote were solicited by a beautiful lip blished system must fall to the ground, un- and beaming eye!The papers are maless its upholders can support it by better king much ado about a man whose leg is arguments than any that they have hitherto thirty inches in circumference. It seems advanced. We do not fear, at this early this is a great wonder, and even the long period, in the prospect of a warm and spi- arms of the M.D's cannot reach the case. rited controversy that must inevitably suc- The man has probably had the gout in his ceed the publication of Mr. C.'s work, to foot, and it has made a jump upwards. predict the overthrow of the old system, A Reform newspaper proposes that poor paand the establishment of the new. We do rents be allowed to sell their children! Who not make this prediction on light grounds the deuce would buy?-A Boston hairand hastily conceived opinions, but on pa- dresser has raised a large hog! One would tient investigation and mature thought, suppose that a hair-dresser had more to do which have ended in conviction. with puppies than pigs.A quilt made of As soon as the new work is published, we down feathers has been exhibited in Newshall again advert to this subject, and con- Jersey; this quilt will be down upon the sider the Essay and the Grammar in con- first man that attempts to carry it.—The nexion. The new theory will undoubtedly castle of St. Juan d'Ulloa has at last been meet with opposition; this is to be expected, surrendered. We are no friends to Spain, and is by no means deprecated; one thing but we cannot help admiring the noble conhowever must be understood, it will not be stancy and firmness with which this garrienough for any scholar, whatever his stand-son held on, through disease, starvation, and ing or pretensions may be, to say that is dismay, till all hope was lost. The commanwrong,' that is sophistry,' or that is dant (Coppinger) is a hero, and it is a thing nonsense,' without proving the truth of to be regretted, that he should serve in so what he asserts. bad a cause.-- -Miss Francis Wright is |