Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851.Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
In due time the equipment is complete, and the ship having received on
board its burden of costly cargo and valuable lives, moves away from
the shore, with a certain expression of calm and quiet dignity in her
appearance and demeanor, which almost seems to denote a consciousness on
her part of the vast responsibilities which she is assuming, and of the
abundant power which she possesses fully to sustain them all.
CHARLES WOLFE.
It is probable that to many of our readers the name which stands at the
head of this sketch is unknown, and that those who recognize it will
only know it as that of the author of the well-known lines upon the
death of Sir John Moore--a lyric of such surpassing beauty, that so
high a judge as Lord Byron considered it the perfection of English
lyrical poetry, preferring it before Coleridge's lines on
Switzerland--Campbell's Hohenlinden--and the finest of Moore's Irish
melodies, which were instanced by Shelley and others. Yet, unknown as
the Rev. Charles Wolfe is, it is unquestionable that he was a man
possessing the highest powers of imagination, and a powerful intellect,
cultivated to a very high point of perfection, and fitting him to become
one of the brightest stars of the world of literature. Why he is unknown
is then probably a question which will suggest itself to the minds of
many, and the answer must be, because he _did_ so little for the world
to remember him by. The whole of his literary remains, including his
sermons, and a biographical sketch, which fills one half of the book, is
contained in a moderate sized octavo volume, published after his death
by the Rev. J. A. Russell, Archdeacon of Clogher, whose affection for
the memory of Mr. Wolfe prompted him to edit and give to the world the
fragmentary manuscripts, which are the only lasting and appreciable
records of the residence of a great spirit among us. But it may be asked
why, with such capabilities and powers as we have stated Mr. Wolfe to
possess, he did so little? and to that interrogation many replies may be
given. Mr. Wolfe died at the early age of 32, just when the powers are
in their full vigor--and in the later years of his life he had devoted
himself enthusiastically to the duties which devolved upon him as the
curate of a large and populous parish in the north of Ireland. Neither
of these reasons, however, is sufficient, for we know that the poetic
intellect is precocious, and brings forth fruit early. Shelley, who died
younger, left productions behind him, which will hand his name down to
the latest posterity; and the comparatively voluminous writings of the
witty dean, Sidney Smith, prove that a man may bear the weight of the
clerical office, and take an active part in politics in addition, and
yet leave enough behind him to keep his name green in the memory of the
world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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