The Poems of Sidney Lanier Part 37

To Our Mocking-Bird.

The history of this bird's life is given at length under the t.i.tle of "Bob", in 'The Independent' of August 3, 1882, and will show that he deserved to be immortal -- as we hope he is.

Ode to the Johns Hopkins University.

" . . . the soaring genius'd Sylvester That earlier loosed the knot great Newton tied,"

An algebraic theorem announced by Newton was demonstrated and extended by Sylvester. -- Sidney Lanier.

A Ballad of Trees and the Master.

'A Ballad of Trees and the Master' was conceived as an interlude of the latest 'Hymn of the Marshes', 'Sunrise', although written earlier.

In the author's first copy and first revision of that 'Hymn', the 'Ballad' was incorporated, following the invocation to the trees which closes with:

"And there, oh there As ye hang with your myriad palms upturned in the air, Pray me a myriad prayer."

In Mr. Lanier's final copy the 'Ballad' is omitted.

It was one of several interludes which he at first designed, but, for some reason, afterwards abandoned.

To My Cla.s.s: On Certain Fruits and Flowers Sent Me in Sickness.

A cla.s.s in English Literature, composed of young girls who had been studying with Mr. Lanier 'The Knighte's Tale' of Chaucer.

The sonnet 'On Violet's Wafers' was addressed to a member of the same cla.s.s, and is similarly conceived.

Under the Cedarcroft Chestnut.

"This chestnut-tree (at Cedarcroft, the estate of Mr. Bayard Taylor, in Pennsylvania), is estimated to be more than eight hundred years old."

-- Sidney Lanier, 1877.

Hard by stood its mate, apparently somewhat younger.

It is related in a letter of 1882, from Mrs. Taylor, that in 1880, a year after Mr. Taylor's death, one of these majestic trees gave the first signs of decay: while his comrade lingered two years longer -- to follow as closely the footsteps of Mr. Lanier: the two, faithful-hearted "to their master and to him who sang of them."

A Florida Ghost.

The incidents recorded of this storm are matter of history in and around Tampa.

"Nine from Eight".

The local expression "under the hack" is kindly explained by an authority in middle Georgia dialect, Richard Malcolm Johnston, author of 'The Dukesborough Tales' and other Georgia stories. He says:

"'Under the hack' is a well-known phrase among the country-people, and is applied, generally in a humorous sense, to those who have been cowed by any accident. A man who is overruled by his wife, I have often heard described as 'under the hack': 'She's got him under the hack.' So, when a man has lost spirit from any cause, he is said to be 'under the hack'. The phrase is possibly derived from 'hackle', an instrument used in the breaking of flax."

"Thar's more in the Man than thar is in the Land".

"Jones" designates Jones County, Ga., one of the counties adjoining Bibb County, in which Macon is located.

The Jacquerie. A Fragment.

Although 'The Jacquerie' remained a fragment for thirteen years Mr. Lanier's interest in the subject never abated. Far on in this interval he is found planning for leisure to work out in romance the story of that savage insurrection of the French peasantry, which the Chronicles of Froissart had impressed upon his boyish imagination.

To ----.

The era of verse-writing with Mr. Lanier reopens in this dream of the Virginia bay where poet's reveries and war's awakenings continually alternated.

He presents it for a friend's criticism -- at the age of twenty-one -- in these words: "I send you a little poem which sang itself through me the other day. 'Tis the first I've written in many years."

Night.

This poem was not published by the writer and the simile of the second verse was appropriated to 'An Evening Song'. This partial repet.i.tion -- like that of portions of 'The Tournament' and of 'A Dream of June', which occur in the 'Psalm of the West' -- will be pardoned as affording a favorable opportunity to observe Mr. Lanier's growth in artistic form.

The Centennial Cantata.

The Centennial Meditation of Columbia. 1776-1876. A Cantata.

From this hundred-terraced height, Sight more large with n.o.bler light Ranges down yon towering years.

Humbler smiles and lordlier tears s.h.i.+ne and fall, s.h.i.+ne and fall, While old voices rise and call Yonder where the to-and-fro Weltering of my Long-Ago Moves about the moveless base Far below my resting-place.

Mayflower, Mayflower, slowly hither flying, Trembling westward o'er yon balking sea, Hearts within 'Farewell dear England' sighing, Winds without 'But dear in vain' replying, Gray-lipp'd waves about thee shouted, crying "No! It shall not be!"