The success is exactly correspondent. The verses are tuneful, but
are secondary; and remind the ear so much of the model, as to show
that the noble aboriginal names were not suffered to make their own
measures in the poet's ear, but must modulate their wild beauty to a
foreign metre. They deserved better at the author's hands. We felt,
also, the objection that is apt to lie against poems on new subjects
by persons versed in old books, that the costume is exaggerated at
the expense of the man. The most Indian thing about the Indian is
surely not his moccasins, or his calumet, his wampum, or his stone
hatchet, but traits of character and sagacity, skill or passion;
which would be intelligible at Paris or at Pekin, and which Scipio or
Sidney, Lord Clive or Colonel Crockett would be as likely to exhibit
as Osceola and Black Hawk.
_Intelligence_
Exploring Expedition. The United States Corvette Vincennes,
Captain Charles Wilkes, the flag ship of the Exploring Expedition,
arrived at New York on Friday, June 10th, from a cruise of nearly
four years. The Brigs Porpoise and Oregon may shortly be expected.
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