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JOEL BARLOW.

JOEL BARLOW, the author of "The time, he would visit the camp and Columbiad," a political writer of varied shoulder a musket, as a volunteer, by accomplishment, a participant in many the side of his brothers in the field. important affairs at home and abroad, He was present, it is said, and fought was one of the celebrities of the Revo- bravely in the action at White Plains. lutionary era, when all public men His friend Dwight, afterwards the were of interest. If his fame has been famous President of Yale, it will be somewhat obscured in later years, it is, remembered, served about this time as perhaps, as much owing to the want of chaplain in the army, and penned his an adequate biographical memoir as to song of Columbia, which was so great the changes in literary fashion which a favorite with our grandfathers: have thrown his writings into the background, for there is enough both in the man and his history which is worthy of attention.

"Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise,

The Queen of the world and child of the skies!"

They were the twin poets of Yale, He was born at Reading, Fairfield wonderful versifiers in that day, Dwight County, Connecticut, in 1755, the son already, while in college, planning his of a respectable farmer of the place, and somewhat cumbrous "Conquest of the youngest of ten children. The Canaan," and Barlow signalizing comfather died while the son was yet a mencement day, when he graduated, by boy at school, leaving him barely suf- the delivery of a poem entitled "The ficient to pay the expenses of his col- Prospect of Peace," which, together lege education. He was entered at with a second collegiate effort in verse, Dartmouth College in his nineteenth on taking his Master's degree, his year, thence he removed to Yale, where friend, the excellent and ingenious he formed an intimacy with Theodore Elihu H. Smith, of Connecticut, some Dwight, who was then just entering years afterwards, published in his ediupon his career of usefulness as tutor tion of "American Poems," the first in the College, shared with him his collection of the kind ever made. These patriotic aspirations and fondness for college poems by Barlow thus early the muse, and graduated with the indicated something of his future tastes highest distinction in 1778. During and ideas in literature and political the vacation intervals in this stirring morality.

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by the "General Association" of Connecticut, in the adaptation of Dr. Watts' version of the Psalms. The task, both of revision and addition, was performed with considerable boldness and unction, due provision being made to set the patriotic effusions of David to good American measures. We have a number of these variations before us in a well thumbed pocket-copy, dark and

After leaving college, the law next engaged his attention for a short time, when he made a sudden plunge into divinity. "Being urged," says Allen, "to qualify himself for the office of chaplain, he applied himself diligently to the study of theology, and at the end of six weeks was licensed to preach." It was a brief course of study, certainly, but it was probably sufficient for the army in those days. "As a preacher," greasy, bearing witness to the zealous says Allen, "he was much respected," perhaps as much for the patriotic songs which he wrote for the soldiers as his sermons. It was, after all, a fine healthy life, this of the camp, when not too much harassed by the enemy, and we may fancy the vivacious young Barlow strolling about within sound of the drum, enjoying the beauties of nature, in the picturesque progress of the detachment, and meditating-as he actually did the outline of his "Vision of Columbus," in which the glories of his country were to be greatly celebrated.

handling of a generation or two of pious New England melodists, with whom the book was a standard version till it was superseded by the devout labors of the venerable President of Yale, Timothy Dwight.

Barlow prided himself upon his ele gance in this adaptation, informing us in his preface that he had made some improvements in this way upon good Dr. Watts-the improved rules of grammar since the day of that old fashioned per sonage, having made it necessary. His reputation was, consequently, considerable, especially since he was, in his own When the war was ended, and the words, "employed, directed and supsoldiers had returned to their homes, ported by so respectable a body as the Barlow came back to Connecticut, whole clergy of the State." There is abandoned the pulpit, and resumed the an amusing anecdote, however, on study of the law. He made his resi- record, which shows that even a sacred dence at Hartford, and, having always poet laureate may be compelled to a passion for literature, turned his taste hear a dissentient voice. The criticism. to account in the publication of a was harmoniously administered in weekly newspaper "The American this way. There was a crooked Mercury" which was a means of witted personage in Connecticut, Oliadding to his income. In 1785, he ver Arnold, a cousin of the infamous was admitted to the bar, and, a flavor Benedict, who had a knack at versiof theology still lingering about him fying. Barlow, meeting him one day after his brief apprenticeship to the at a bookseller's, at New Haven, science, and being aided, moreover, by requested a specimen of his talent, his genius for poetry, he was employed whereupon the doggerel rhymester

sprung upon him the following personal the French war is vividly presented to

effusion:

"You've proved yourself a sinful cretur;

You've murdered Watts and spoilt the metre ;
You've tried the word of God to alter,
And for your pains deserve a halter."

This, of course, was but an idle jest. Barlow, in truth, performed his work in a careful pains-taking spirit, supplying several versions which Dr. Watts had omitted. One of these, of the one hundred and thirty-eighth Psalm, was much admired in its day.

Two years after the first publication of the Psalm Book, in 1787, Barlow gave to the world his "Vision of Columbus," which passed through several editions, and was afterwards modified and enlarged into "The Columbiad." The first sketch was more admired by his countrymen than the last. It is less elaborate, and on that account, spite of occasional blemishes, more pleasing.

his mind with the actions of Wolfe and
Abercrombie; the Revolution succeeds,
with its thrilling acts and glories of
Washington and his companions; the
French alliance is warmly celebrated,
and the whole is brought to a close
with an expanded view of the philo-
sophical and material improvements of
the race in religion, arts and sciences.
It was a well conceived poem, and
though belonging to a school out of
date, may still be read with pleasure
for its life and animation. The public
received it with favor.
It passed
through two editions at Hartford the
first year, was republished in England,
and a fifth, revised by the author, is
before us, dated Paris, 1793.

The law appears to have been too exacting a profession for the votary of the muses. "His elocution," says Allen, "was embarrassed, and his manners not familiar and conciliating, and his attention was also diverted from it by poetical and literary pursuits." He had a hand, at this time, in conjunction with Humphreys and Trumbull, in the composition of the " Anarchiad," a satirical

Columbus, in this poem, is represented in prison, lamenting the sorrows of his life, when an angel appears to him, leads him to a mount of vision, and discloses the prospect of the future. The grand natural features of the west-poem written for the Hartford and ern continent are outspread before him in a sumptuous panorama; the native inhabitants of Mexico and Peru, with their barbarian splendors, are then introduced upon the scene, with a glow ing tribute to the genius and institutions of Manco Capac, who is the subject of a prolonged epic story; Columbus is then entertained with a picture of the effects of his discovery upon Europe, and the sight of the progress

of settlement on his western shores;

New Haven newspapers, levelled at the state of disruption preceding the establishment of the Federal Constitution; and he also, in 1787, delivered a fourth of July oration at Hartford, in which he urged the adoption of a General Government. These pursuits, though useful to the public in his own time, and interesting to us at the present day, were not calculated to bring any revenue with them. Accordingly, we find Barlow somewhat hastily induced.

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