The lines--
"One more unfortunate,
Rashly importunate
Gone to her death.
* * * * *
Take her up tenderly,
Fashioned so slenderly
Young and so fair."
were repeated times without number. Cranch's, Story's and Duganne's
poems were favorably criticised, the authors being friendly to the
Association, and the verses of our own members touched tender spots.
When Mr. Emerson's poems were published, there was quite a desire to
know what his sonnet to our friend William H. Channing was like. The
disappointment was great when, instead of a grand, glowing sonnet to a
great-souled man, it took up only an exceptional point of feeling in
his mind on the Abolition question, on which they were not quite
agreed. Quite a little discussion took place between two young persons
as to the propriety of the lines,
"What boots thy zeal, O glowing friend,
That would indignant rend
The Northland from the South?"
The one party contended that "boots" was entirely inadmissible in
poetic phrase. "What boots? Cowhides or patent leathers?" said he,
whilst the other contended that the whole scope of the meaning made the
poetry. But still the first stuck to his point, that a grand sentiment
needed grand words as well as grand ideas, and "boots" was a homely and
inadmissible word with which to express a high sentiment.
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