\jM^ myi W^ " v ^v-^^ g ^^y* iyw 1 : ^ .- . wvi » '^ 'MmWW ^Ky/^w,wwW* LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. «^£^r L^^l&ll UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. * ►at yvvyuu ■$yv@ iKJWW* ilm^MMMJ^*: ' •vvvyyyvvyy. Vj ^yTOpepw^ u u v V A&W Mjyv WW ™ yy^vuyvw^M^ ^WfWv^WWwwv^ wWvV ymYTOi »toi /VWU vyy v v 'vvv ' Jv sj y \J\j W jf Wv * v ^ v 'W,v\M 'Vl Wwt„'"v v »WV ■m^'^^^m WWA -uVWV ^Ww^V y WVi% *S^M^^'^ v. ^Vl NfMMwW™.. ■'wvU- * v re^vM rmJw^W^M W jlyV^ vu ^ v ^ 'WVu VVwV THE AGE OF TINSEL. THE AGE OF TINSEL : A SATIRE. d^'fi-U-^jL^ " An incongruous mixture up of thought. " w You know,- or don't know, that great Bacon saith — 'Fling up a straw, 'twill show the way the wind blows ;* And such a straw, borne on by human breath, Is poesy, according as the mind glows ; A paper kite which flies 'twixt life and death, A shadow which the onward soul behind throws. And mine's a bubble not blown up for praise, But just to play with, as an infant plays." Byron. NEW-YOEK; PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR SAMUEL COL MAN. 1843. t 3 ft ^ Entered according to Act of Congress, by John Douglas, in the office of the Clerk of the Southern District of New-York. • ( John Douglas, Printer, 71 Gold St. THE AGE OF TINSEL. I. Oh ! for the genius of a lawless Byron, To revel wildly in disjointed verse — To do full justice to the scene I look on Now with my mind's eye : to describe it terse,,- To paint its colours in their mingling— t' form It in one bold picture of description ; fierce And mild in style, just as the subject borne On fancy's wings would grave or gaily turn. A THE AGE OF TINSEL I n. The theme of satire is not yet exhausted — Never will be, so long as men, and women, Too, in their respective fields, their boasted Charms and vaunted powers display ; and when One poet by folly's reign is hoisted Into satire's throne, and resigns, — again, Another in due time assumes the seat, And to his subjects their due deserts mete. III. But some may say that I am an usurper, And have to what I claim no valid right ; That I am to this throne but a pretender — Can show no title which will please the sight Of subjects, who are readers ; and to fight My way would be but to surrender All my claims to their esteem. I '11 therefore see What I can do by acting modestly. A SATIRE. IV. Were I a poet born for this high chair, Wherefore my title would be genius, wit, A knowledge deep of men, of books as rare, Which would me for its vacancy befit, I fear I'd be a tyrant, or my laws would bear No bending— which would lead some to forget My mercy in my justice ; and to others I Would yield the praise which envy passes by. I'd have no courtiers — therefore no minions Around my throne to seek unworthy rank ; No breath of mine should make them easy pinions To fly into the public sky, and prank In all the littleness of great pretensions. Nor would I keep my honest power blank, To be fill'd up by fawning middling scribes, Who purchase fulsome praise for nameless bribes. THE AGE OF TINSEL! VI. Although king of letters, my laws should be Republican ; a fixed equality Of these should rule the learned realm ; and he Who would expect to find immunity From them, would in himself example see The concord of impartiality, Which would bestow, in one harmonious strain, The praise or censure which deserved the same. vn. But I find me wandering from the theme I first set out with — my object is to pen A light description of a varied scene Of women fair and literary men ; All mingling in one splendid show. I mean To be their faithful showman ; and when They place themselves before us in this light, We '11 both their virtues and their vices cite. A SATIRE. VHL I see before my mind a group assembling, The rich in beauty and the great in name ! Some their homage paying — others making Their obeisance to respect ; the ardent strain Of music's voice chimes in, sweetly blending Its notes with milder ones ; a living vein Of deep hid joy is midst the circle breaking, And through its stream of life in beauty gushing, IX. Poets of every grade are mingled here — Of orators the mixture is as great ; Novelists, whose claims are middling fair, And authors who have met an early fate In their career of brilliancy ; others rare In their inventive genius, and some who sate In judgment upon these, are also here, With other men whose deeds ne'er reach'd my ear. a2 THE AGE OF TINSEL ! X. But first of all, who is he in the corner, Who looks so placid and serene of eye ? Who hath an air of melancholy stupor, And seems to gaze on nought but vacancy ? It is, in truth, no one but Mr. Dreamer, As usual, absorbed in revery. But " many are poets (sure) who never pen/ 5 And I've no doubt but he is one of them. XL And there is Mr. Ballad, who has some Reputation for his tame effusions, Alternately in prose and verse, upon Love and beauty, and the " starry heavens j" All which he writes to kill. He hath won Many smiles from flattered lips ; his writings, When I last perused — or rather saw them, had The modest title of G. Philelphus Ballad. A. SATIRE. XII. But let us, " gentle reader/' mark the coming Up of Mr. Albert Foreign, who has been Recently abroad. He is advancing Towards a group of attaches ; and doth seem To be bound up in ecstasies at having An opportunity to thinly screen His vulgar tongue beneath their foreign cloak Of native language which he badly spoke. XIII. Nevertheless, he always doth avail Himself of such occasions to relate Whatever he has to, in't ; and if he fail To speak it right — if the unhappy fate Of the poor language be compelled to snail Itself along the bungled tongue, its gait (As in his case) stopped by an intruding word Of English sound— is not th' effect absurd % THE AGE OF TINSEL : XIV. As in the case of Mr. Such-a-one — (A name somewhat more common than the Browns,) When he attempts to ask in French a question, He mixes up French verbs with English nouns, And in hunting for the meaning, often The Frenchman is perplexed to find its bounds ; Which as often makes him to reply Je vous Comprends, Monsieur, to what he never knew. XV. To kill a living language is a sin, To mangle up a dead one is as bad ; But some delight to show their prowess in This kind of slaughter. If I my way had With these self-same hackers, who deem they win A learned reputation by their sad Treatment to such an unprotected thing, I 'd make their punishment the worst of strangling. A SATIRE. XVI. But wherefore do I wander from ray theme, Into a dissertation of this kind ? I doubtless very impolite have been In leaving Mr. Foreign thus behind : But I have just set out, as Sterne said, in My travelling ; and I hope to find Much better manners ere I leave this strain — So, therefore, Mr. Foreign, come again. xvn. I left him to a foreign group advancing, With whom he doubtless was much entertained, And round the brilliant circle was surveying What it congenial to his taste contained. And then anon familiarly was calling O'er lords and ladies, all which he named As flippantly as if he never had been Within the presence of a vulgar plebeian. 10 THE AGE OF TINSEL I XVIII. His conversation is all diplomatique, Whene'er he deigns to talk at all of home ; And then it is exceedingly erratic, And ne'er confined to what the subject's on Of home affairs — he 's a better critique In all foreign things and nations, and shone Tenfold more brilliantly in a conversation Whene'er the subject was a foreign nation. XIX. Of literature, he knows a little — That is, of foreign ; and whate'er of native He deems insipid, and to entitle It a moment's rank above creative Things of half-way excellence, is to settle A thing that is entirely decisive With English potentates in literature, Who rule the realm of letters as of war. A SATIRE. U XX. Our country, it is true, is young as yet In Arts and Science, and in Poetry ; We have not grown to such a sudden height Of literary splendour, as to vie With other nations, who are shedding light That hath been burning in full brilliancy For centuries, and yet remains to shine To blaze their glory throughout endless time. XXI. Our brief history does not yet present A list of countless names of genius splendid. Some there are, 'tis true, whose pens have lent Their country honor, which hath well repaid Them in some few instances : as when it sent To Spain's dominion, one of noble grade In literature, who's foremost in our mind's advance In graceful diction, beauty, and romance. 12 THE AGE OF TINSEL : XXII. But there has suddenly a splendor gone* From out our mind's circle : our constellation Of few stars have been bereft of one Whose brilliancy was not confined to nation In its light. It pierced all earth — it shone In all the light of mind ; the first station In reason's world was it's ; and though fled its day, The light it shed will never pass away. XXIII. Through error's labyrinth its rays will lead The road to truth : or a beacon on the shore Of the mind's dark sea, to for ever shed A deep flood of light upon it — to pour It in one sure channel, that those who tread Its doubtful surface may be safely o'er Its billows borne. His spirit, gone to heaven, Hath to the world its pure example given. * Dr. Charming. A SATIRE. 13 XXIV. In bold description of wild Indian life, And the forest and the mountain, and the Warriors of these red men— their bloody strife Of war and love— and of the glorious sea, One excels, who late hath made a knife One would think to cut up by the roots his tree Of fame, at which he has been deeply cutting With fearless fury without once abating. XXV. I wonder some men will so far forget The duty which they owe themselves and the Public — those who have attained deserved respect For talents rare or virtues — as to be Eternally at war with those who '11 not permit Them to enjoy their honours quietly : For envy will be envy — why, then, let Our minds become by its vile ends upset. B 14 THE AGE OF TINSEL: XXVI. Let it wax faint with rage : to battle it Is but to add a fearful implement To its destructive means. Let it spit Its venom, till its dying breath hath sent Its last faint effort ; thus when its jealous fit Hath gone off of itself, — when it hath spent Its violence in useless fury, doubtless Our virtues will be deemed entirely stormless. XXVII. There are some rogues of character, who steal The honor of existence, like rogues of lesser crime, Without knowing its true value. They feel Its want, although they never knew it. The time They spent in villainy, hath been a peal Of trumpet-tongue damnation ; and its chime With others' praise, is to their jealous ears A source of pain which costs them endless tears. A SATIRE. 15 XXVIII. These are the smaller pilferers of society's Best treasure : there are some tenfold larger, And like all great rogues, among varieties They stand the first in point of character To the lesser. They steal to make disparities In others' wealth of honesty and virtue : So with what of these they take in secret stealth From others' store, may add to their own wealth. XXIX. But enough of this : let 's have a specimen Of poets — I give but specimens in this My computation of those who pen ; And if in hurry or in haste I miss To give a passing glance at some great man, Who stand full high in literary bliss, It is not from a wish to do injustice — The lines I wrote above will clearly prove this. 16 THE AGE OF TINSEL I XXX. Nor is the order in which I place my Opinion of others, a criterion Of their respective merits, even by My own mind's standard, by which I form A verdict of their cases in this my Literary court. I take them from My memory's docket, just as I them find — The first is tried whose case is first in mind. XXXL Chaste diction and pure thought hath found in one Among us, if not more, a worshipper, With enough of fancy and imagination To breathe a soul-enchanting pray'r To Apollo's altar. A creation Of brighter gems ne'er sparkled, nor the ear Ne'er heard sweeter music than is warbled in The bright flowing numbers of The Fountain. A SATIRE. 17 XXXII. But this is not his fame, for Liberty- Finds a new lineage of her birthright In his pure symbol of her sanctity, And Thanatopsis pictures many bright And glowing images. But I will not cite More of his beauties ; and the rarity Of his little faults are not worth citing, I '11 therefore leave them, to his taste submitting. XXXHI. Some one has said, though I think with error, That Campbell's ode on Hohenlinden Almost repaid for the bloody slaughter Of that glorious fight ; but surely pen, As intimated, ne'er wrote a sentence faultier. But it may be said with truth, the ode that's written Upon Bozzaris' death (w T ith all his martial fame), Will add as much to his undying name. b2 18 THE AGE OF TINSEL : XXXIV. And many other things, of equal merit, Have issued from the same familiar pen : It hath infused its light and gentle spirit In Fanny's Poem — " what's in a name" — when A thing breathing wit and beauty in it, Bears such an unpretending title, blen- Ding all these sweetly. But I have known some Other Fannys (out of books) as handsome. XXXV. Who sails along my mind now ? The Buccaneer. He ploughs the sea of verse in curbless style ; He flings the spray about him without the fear Of losing his sure rudder ; awhile Lofty waves in passion's sea, in grandeur Rise above him, and anon a smile Of light gleams o'er his prow, intermingling Its milder hues with fiercer strokes of lightning. A. SATIRE. 19 XXXVI. A bold and vivid picture of dark life Is here pourtrayed — the heart it's canvas j Painting the pangs of conscience in its strife With dismal thoughts of blood, that trespass Themselves upon the wicked mind, that cut 's a knife Heated in molten fire, whose edges pass In fiery torture o'er the guilty heart, Cutting its hardened strings in flames apart. XXXVII. Notes of wild music flow in melody From the Voices of the Night. But I must cease This elaboration : it is a duty I find too irksome to my mind, whose peace May be somewhat disturbed by lengthy Criticisms. I will therefore release It from its burthen, and speak at random Of other authors which my eye may light on- 20 THE AGE OF TINSEL I XXXVIII. I cannot linger long at Arnold's grave, Where oft I've shed some tears, nor stop to sport With merry children at their play — I gave Some hours to these before ; and the short Time I have to ramble o'er this field, will leave Me not a moment to glance at the forte Of many other sterling things of his — I mean, of course, the things of N. P. W****s. XXXIX. Nor can I wander in the sonnet Park, Where oft I've wiled away an hour of pleasure ; That is the fullest flower in that walk, Though there are others equally of treasure. I might some of them in this ramble mark, But, as I said before, I have not leisure ; I '11 therefore cull but one, and that will be " Enough that thou art cold, and I am free." A SATIRE. 21 XL. Nor can I bend me but a moment o'er The grave of her whose death the son laments : I 've shed with him, in filial love, a tear, For which, alas I nor sigh nor tear prevents. A monument of nobler kind was ne'er Erected o'er a loved one, which cements Stronger in death the living love. Would that my Unliving notes could breathe such melody.* XLI. Nor shall the notes that issue from the lyre Of sweet Amelia lure me from my task. I cannot offer to the kindling fire Of her bright genius but one spark of praise. To bask In Sigourney's splendor I would aspire. But such a priceless boon I cannot ask. The Hemans of the country some do deem her,. But — I have no decision in the matter. * G. D. Prentice.. 22 THE AGE OF TINSEL I XLIL Nor shall the notes of Morris — I '11 not stay My pen to listen to his swelling lyre ; I have a love for it, as well I may, Revere the tones which melt the heart to fire. I might be urged by some, 'tis true, to lay It aside, as unworthy to admire ; But what I write is but my own opinion, Entirely free from other folks' dominion. XLIII. Who would extend the empire of their thought To every other mind — who would not, if they could, Allow another man's to be considered aught Until their own tyrannic compact should Be observed — who would enslave, in short, All freedom of opinion, and who would Wield their sceptre with despotic sway, O'er all who dared their mandates disobey. A SATIRE. 23 XLIV. Nor can I wander with Ahasuerus Throughout his last perambulation ; Although I have no doubt his journey is As pleasant in this democratic nation, As any he has traversed o'er. Exception Certainly cannot be taken to his Present princely leader, who has given us An evidence of high poetic genius. XLV. Nor can I wander forth with Howard Pinckney, Nor Clinton Bradshaw, in their adventures. I doubtless would derive from both a plenty Of light amusement, and would find some censures Upon some things ; the author has variety In his pages, and but rarely ventures Aught but what he does with great precision — He hath, I ween, for character a vision. 24 THE AGE OF TINSEL XLVL But ere I leave this theme, let me recall* To sadden'd recollection one whose name Should be deep cherish'd in the breast of all Who feel the warmth of the all-hallowed flame Of genius glowing in them — the pall Of death too soon o'ercast him : his early fame As breathed in notes of mournful song, will be Remembered for their touching melody. XLVIL Too soon he followed her w T hose early doom Shed o'er his after days a funeral pall ! The only sound of joy that reach'd the tomb Of his sad feelings, where was buried all His happiness on earth — which dispelled its gloom, Broke from the swellings of his lyre, that fall In mingled harmony upon the ear, Like sounds of sadden'd music from afar. * The lamented Willis Gaylord Clark. A SATIRE. 25 XLVIII. XLIX. Let 's for* a moment glance at Fashion's queen, Who now in triumph trails before my sight ; We 've had enough of literature, I ween, As much, at least, as I 'm disposed to write. You doubtless oft her retinue have seen Of handmaids, ministers, courtiers, and the like, All which doth bend in homage to her throne — The greatest despot which the world hath known. 26 THE AGE OF TINSEL I L. Every city has its queen of fashion- — I '11 not say king, because that title is Not so expressive of its dominion ; Besides, a woman very often is Selected for the very personation Of tyranny ; and when her nature is Converted from its mild and placid state, 'Tis said man's passions are not half so great. LI. She has her handmaids, as I said before — She has, also, her ministers of state ; She has her courtiers, and she has her more Than fawning sycophants; the galling weight Of social chains she throws in terror o'er Her slaves, are heavier than a serf's — his are light In his unconsciousness of aught but thraldom, But they wear chains, and yet aspire to freedom. A SATIRE. 27 LII. She has her ministers, who enact her laws, Of silly customs and fantastic tricks, Who well assert these trappings of her cause In their own persons. Her courtier sticks The most devoutly to them — but let me pause, Else I may with some wrath my feelings mix In this description. I will rest me, then, Ere I release this vermin from my pen. LIIL He's generally nought professional, (Or if he is, 'tis only as profess'd ;) His calling is a little questionable, Or stands but very narrowly confess'd. He is a stickler for all that's fashionable In manners, customs, and conceives him blessed If once he can, by dint of hard exertion, Beplace him by the side of wealth or station. 28 THE AGE OF TINSEL: LIV. His conversation is confined entirely To men and women who are of the ton : He never deigns to speak but very slightly To any but of that familiar throng ; And when he walks the street or ball-room nimbly. You '11 surely find him arm in arm along With some one who will meet this last description. — This is the tree this butterfly doth light on. LV. I do not like to speak of fashion's train — I mean her train of handmaids — my gallant pen Would be, I fear, subjected to some pain, Were I to speak as unreserved of them As I have of their partners. Besides, the pain I meant to give some of her mawkish men, Would, if transferred to their more gentle sex, (I'll not say weaker,) a bad feeling vex. A SATIRE. 29 LVI. Therefore, adieu to them — and adieu to All of " fashion's fools" — but ere I leave this scene Let me attempt to mark the forte of who I now behold approaching me — I mean An orator — one somewhat famous, too ; Whose fame, at least, is balancing between That doubtful point, when some are loudly praising, And when some others are as loud denouncing. LVII. That same time when there is some small proof Of merit in us — else why this bustle About our character, and all, forsooth ? It is, indeed, a strange and foolish tussle That 's carried on about us, when, in truth, We are not worth it ! Why,' then, this jostle Between our friends and foes % why this fuss ? It must, indeed, be caused by something in us. 30 THE AGE OF TINSEL ! LVIII. I 've heard him speak upon some light occasion, When debate had nigh assumed a dull And languid air ; and then I've heard him in oration When there did stillness reign throughout the full, Deep auditory, which his mild persuasion Asserted o'er it. And then I Ve known him lull The fiercest sea of passion into rest, Such was the power his eloquence possess'd. LIX. 'T was the voice of reason, thro' impressive Words — no extravagance of rhetoric dress Deform'd its natural beauty, in expletive Tropes and figures carried to excess. Nor was it dull and unimaginative, But of that kind when thoughts that burn doth press Themselves upon the mind, and there remain Until the kindling lips receive the flame. A SATIRE. 31 LX. Here must end my theme — or so much of it As F m disposed to write about to-night ; But e'er I take a final leave of if, Let me premise a word or so at sight : The age of Gold has gone — Bronze followed it, Which was a shade below the other's light ; This may be called the age of Brass, or Tinsel, Either of which will suit its nature well. THE END. wr> w^vw MAM WUIW wyy ■v,n: v - v iw y .vu ^v y vv .i vfuUV y y . ; * v . V Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Oct. 2009 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 111 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 ' w i \J v C/ ' v \? M ^ vWu oM^ m\i\ km fj\jw\j v^%^y^^P^gw WYW ^m-WSJWw V MVUUU^ ;^v^^V^^W^W^W^^ v V^^wv , ;««fvy\ ^.Wv wAM/i v 3 ^vywwiAy