The Louisiana book: selections from the literature of the state

Preface

The singular fact that the literature of Louisiana speaks in both the French and English tongue has generally been unnoticed by historians of American letters ; and local scholars are no doubt justified in their complaint that the works of our writers, in French especially, do not enjoy that wide recognition which they deserve.

I would remain silent on this point did I not feel obliged to offer some explanation for having done very scant justice to the French portion, the oldest if not most deserving portion, of our literature. Two circumstances, indeed, have made it desirable, if not necessary, to limit the scope of the present book to productions by our English authors. In the first place, I was not able to procure, within the time which I assigned to myself for the completion of this volume, translations of passages from hundreds of worthy French productions ; and in the next place, I deemed it impracticable to make bilingual a work that is intended for general circulation in Louisiana : for while our Creoles (and by that term I mean native Louisianians of the Latin race) generally read with equal facility both English and their own maternal tongue, our people of Northern extractions know, as a rule, no language but their own ; and it is to them this book looks for its largest audience.

It affords me pleasure, for all that, to be able to give representation to a few of our best-known French authors. I have procured, for instance, a good translation of La Chambre cV 'Amour* by Albert Delpit, whom Louisiana, his mother State, claims as her greatest novelist, despite the fact that his fame was won in France. I also present in English dress, and for the first time, an episode j by Dr. Alfred Mercier, who has contributed with honor to every important department of literature except history. I must further call the reader's attention to an excellent translation of a short story % D y Edouard Dessommes, a bold literary colorist, to whose genius Auguste Yacquerie, the accomplished French poet, has paid a handsome tribute.

It should be borne in mind, however, that I have not included scores of our Anglo-Louisiana writers and orators who are quite as deserving as some on whom my choice has fallen. More-

* Vide p. 342. f Le Banquet, vide p. 373. \ Madeleine et Berthe, vide p. 400.

iv PREFACE.

over, I have classed as Louisianians many authors whom other States and countries might claim with equal, perhaps, in some instances, with more justice. It is, however, hard to decide ofttimes what must be the criterion in the decision between States or countries making such claims; though it would seem that the preference should be given to the place of one's birth. I have not merely considered whether the authors represented in this book generally regarded themselves as Louisianians, but also whether their reputation in literature was, in whole or in part, made during their residence in the State.

In the construction of my volume, I have been guided, on the whole, by the rules Lord Bacon lays down for the compilation of a book of " Institutions " of the law.* " Principally," he says, " it ought to have two properties — the one a perspicuous and clear order or method, and the other an universal latitude or comprehension, that the student may have a little prenotion of everything."

I have divided my subject into five parts, to wit : Historical Sketches, Specimens of Oratory, Essays, Fiction, and Poetry. In my endeavor, however, to make the divisions logical, I have encountered the main difficulties of a librarian who seeks to classify his books under special departments. True, I have found little or no difficulty in arranging selections under Part IY., denominated Fiction, and under Part Y., denominated Poetry, and subdivided into two sections, respectively styled Dramatic and Miscellaneous. But, on the other hand, some few selections which I have placed under Part II. and Part III. might, with some reason, be assigned to Part I. I have chosen, moreover, for Historical Sketches only such subjects as belong, directly or indirectly, to the history of Louisiana. Part I. and Part II. might also as reasonably, perhaps, be included with Part III., under the general heading Essays, if I limit the definition of that word to mean prose productions treating briefly of a given subject. Yet, though I cannot in general take an elastic view of the term, I have not scrupled to class as essays such passages by our writers as treat of a definite subject in one or many of its aspects. And I am responsible for the titles prefixed to such selections, as well as to many others that come under Part I. and Part II. Moreover, in subdividing Part III. into Essays— Controversial, and Essays — Mixed, I have not restricted the mixed essay to mean an intermediary between the didactic and the personal essay, a distinction on

* Proposal for Amending the Laws of England. Bacon's Works, Bonn's edition, vol. i. p. G69.

PREFACE. V

which Bulwer-Lytton insists ; * but I have considered the word in its more ordinary and popular sense. In general, whenever I was doubtful as to the character of a piece, I have not regarded abstract definitions so much as the style of each selection, and the expressed or apparent intent of its author.

Omissions in the original texts are in this volume noted by dots ; f and words introduced for the sake of continuit}^ are enclosed in brackets, \ as are also the biographical, critical, and explanatory notes added by me. On the other hand, the notes of the authors are all printed without brackets, and may be found in the original texts.

It remains for me to express my gratitude to Professor Kobert Sharp and Mr. John Dimitry, for having favored me with many suggestions that I have utilized to advantage in the preparation of this work. I wish also to acknowledge the courtesy of several publishing houses for having permitted me to include extracts from materials on which they respectively own the copyrights. My thanks are especially due to Messrs. Harper & Brothers, G. P. Putnam's Sons, Charles Scribner's Sons, Houghton, Mifflin, & Company, D. Appleton & Compan} r , Ticknor & Company, the J. B. Lippincott Company, and the D. Lothrop Company.

T. M'C.

New Orleans, April 10, 1894.

* Caxtoniana. Harper Bros., 1864, p. 146. t Thus, .... % Thus . [ ]•

Part I. Historical Sketches

PAGE

Louisiana and hee Laws Henry J. Leovy 1

The Tree of the Dead Charles Gayarre 12

A Sketch of the History of Acadia, from the Settlement of the Colony to the Dispersion of the Inhabitants Alcee Fortier 15 and its Consequences John R. Ficklen 23

The South's First Crop of Sugar Charles Gayarre 41

The Battle of New Orleans George W. Cable 43

The Festivity after the Victory . . . .Alexander Walker 51

The New Orleans Bench and Bar

in 1823 Charles Gayarre 54

The Oaks John Augustin 71

The Failure of the Confederate Government in its Diplomacy with Foreign Nations, especially with England and France Alfred Roman 88

The Battle of Shiloh, and the Part Played therein by Henry Watkins Allen, Ex-Governor of Louisiana Sarah A. Dorsey 93

The Battle of Chancellorsville Napier Bartlett 98

Yin CONTEXTS.

PAGE

The Disbandment of the Washington

Artillery in 1805 William Miller Owen 102

The Confederate Administration and

its Downfall Alfred Roman 107

Ulysses S. Grant and Radicalism. . . .Richard Taylor 110

Part II. Specimens Op Oratory

Against the Eligibility of a Citizen Born outside of the United States, to the Governorship or Lieutenant-Governorship of Louisiana John R. Grymes 115

The Sons of New England Seargent S. Prentiss 118

Appeal in Behalf of the Famine-stricken Irish Seargent S. Prentiss 121

Seargent S. Prentiss Henry A. Bullard 124

Virtue the Corner-Stone of Republican Government Judah P. Benjamin 128

The Court a Temple of Justice- Randell Hunt 135

Against the Policy of Impassiveness. Pierre Soule 137

The Highway of Nations Pierre Sonle 140

Important Public Services of Henry

Clay Theodore H. M'Caleb .... 114

Collegiate Education Christian Roselius 149

Effects of Ignorance among the

Masses Christian Roselins 152

On the Question of the Annexation

of Cuba to the United States . . .Judah P. Benjamin 154

Negroes as Property Judah P. Benjamin 150

The Confederate Seal Thomas J. Semmes 100 x CONTENTS.

PAGE

The Early Literature of Spain J. D. B. de Bow 239

Petrarch and Laura Richard Henry Wilde 244

Macbeth William Preston Johnston . 247

Cervantes and the Don Quixote . . . .Anguste d'Avezac 263

Le Sage and the Gil Blas Augnste d'Avezac 266

Bernardin's Paul and Virginia Anguste d'Avezac 268

La Fontaine Charles Gayarre 270

The Origin of Myth William Preston Johnston. 276

The Book-Men T. Wharton Collens 286

I) celling Etienne Maznreau 297

The Judiciary Franc, ois-Xavier Martin . . . 299

The Model Judge Gustavus Schmidt 301

Our Illusions William H. Holcombe .... 310

An Officer's Duties in Time of War. P. G. T. Beauregard 318

Magicians and Feather Dusters Julia K. Wetherill Baker . 320

Queen Anne Fronts and Mary Anne

Backs Martha R. Field 325

Part IV. Fiction

The Story of Izanachi and Izanani. Frank McGloin 333

Esther's Choice Lafcadio Hearn 338

The Mysterious Grotto Albert Delpit 342

Le Tombeau Blanc John Dimitry 347

The Banquet Alfred Mercier 373

The Devotion of Marcelite Grace King 376

On the Watch Charles Patton Dimitry . . . 389

A Morning-Glory M. E. M. Davis 393

Madeleine and Bertha Edward Dessommes 400

Lamentations of Jeremiah Johnson. .Ruth McEnery Stuart. .. . 406

CONTENTS. ix

PAGE

George Washington and Robert E.

Lee Benjamin M. Palmer 165

The End of Sectionalism E. John Ellis 168

Discovery of the Mississippi Valley. .Randall L. Gibson 169

Grace in Woman Benjamin M. Palmer 172

Chivalry Emmanuel de la Moriniere. 174

The Origins of Some of the Colonial

Families of Louisiana Charles Patton Dimitry . . . 180

PAET III.

ESSAYS.

SECTION I. CONTROVERSIAL. The Batture Case Edward Livingston 185

Secession and Coercion B. J. Sage 192

Mr. Cable's Freedman's Case in

Equity Charles Gayarre 198

Mr. Cable, the " Negrophilist " B — z 203

A Plea for the Modern Languages. .John R. Ficklen 206

PART III.

ESSAYS.

Section II. Mixed

The Humming-Bird John J. Audubon 215

The Wood Thrush John J. Audubon 218

The Mocking-Bird John J. Audubon 220

The Relation between the Literatures of Greece and Hindostan. .Alexander Dimitry 222

The Period of Childhood and Youth

among the Anglo-Saxons Robert Sharp 226

CONTENTS. x i

Part V. Poetry

SECTION I. DEAMATIC.

The Martyr Patriots; or, Louisiana

IK 1769 T. Wharton Collens 421

Parrhasius; or, Thriftless Ambition . Espy W. H. Williams .... 473

PART V.

POETRY.

SECTION II. MISCELLANEOUS.

My Life is like the Summer Rose . . .Richard Henry Wilde 491

The Poet's Lament Richard Henry Wilde 492

To the Mocking-Bird Richard Henry Wilde 493

Adieu to Innisfail Richard cFAlton Williams 494

Sister of Charity Richard d < Alton WilliamB m

The First and Second Birth James T. Smith 493

The Mother's Song James t. Smith 500

Mary Queen of Scots' Farewell William Preston Johnston. 502

Edgar Allan Poe j o]in Dimitry 504

The Exile to his Wife Joseph Brennan 505

Lord, Keep my Memory Green! Anna Peyre Dinnies 507

The Wife Anna Peyre Dinnies 509

Powers's Greek Slave Anna Peyre Dinnies 510

The Wild Lily and the Passion- Flower Adrien Rouquette 511

To Nature, my Mother Adrien Rouquette 513

To a Miniature John AY. Overall 511

The Bards John w Overall 516

At the Theatre Henry Lynden Flash 519 xii CONTENTS.

PAGE

What She Brought me Henry Lynden Flash 521

Who Can Tell ? Henry Lynden Flash 523

The Bonnie Blue Flag Harry McCarthy 524

My Maryland James E. Randall 526

John Pelham James E. Randall 529

In Memoriam John Dimitry 531

Zollicoffer Henry Lynden Flash 533

" Stonewall " Jackson Henry Lynden Flash 534

Lines to the Memory of Father Turgis.T. Wharton Collens 535

0, Tempora ! 0, Mores ! J. Dickson Brims 537

A Ehyme of Modern Venice Charles Patton Dimitry . . . 540

The Backwoodsman's Daughter Mary Ashley Townsend. . . 542

Creed Mary Ashley Townsend . . . 547

To One Beloved Mary Ashley Townsend . . . 549

Lake Pontchartrain Mary Ashley Townsend . . . 550

The Picture William H. Holcombe .... 551

Pere Dagobert M. E. M. Davis 552

Throwing the Wanga M. E. M. Davis 556

My Love went Sailing o'er the Sea.M. E. M. Davis 560

Silence M. E. M. Davis 561

Counsel M. E. M. Davis 562

For Thee, my Love, for Thee Mark F. Bigney 563

I've Kissed her in a Dream Mark F. Bigney 565

Hagar Eliza J. Nicholson 566

Waiting Eliza J. Nicholson 571

Only a Heart Eliza J. Nicholson 572

Dreams of the Past E. N. Ogden 574

The Light of Thine Eyes E. N. Ogden 577

The House Immortal Eichard Nixon 578

Sir William Thomson's Aerolith Eichard Nixon 579

Swinburne Eichard Nixon 580

When All is Said Julia K. Wetherill Baker . 581

INDEX OF AUTHORS.

WITH TITLES OF THE SELECTIONS FROM THEIR PRODUCTIONS.

Audubon, John J. • PAGE

The Humming-Bird, 215

The Wood Thrush, 218

The Mocking-Bird, 220

Augustin, John.

Baker, Julia K. Wetherill.

Magicians and Feather Dusters, 320

When All is Said, 581

Bartlett, Napier.

The Battle of Chancellorsville, 98

An Officer's Duties in Time of War, .... . . 318

Benjamin. Judah P.

Virtue the Corner-Stone of Republican Government, 128

On the Question of the Annexation of Cuba to the United States, . . 154

Negroes as Property, 156

Bigney, Mark F.

For Thee, my Love, for Thee, 56:J

Brennan, Joseph.

The Exile to his Wife, 505

Bruns, J. Dickson.

0, Terapora ! 0, Mores ! 537

Bullard, Henry A.

Seargent S. Prentiss, . 124

B z.

Mr. Cable, the "Negrophilist," 203

Cable, George W.

Collens, T. Wharton.

Lines to the Memory of Father Turgis, 535 xiv INDEX OF AUTHORS.

D'AVEZAC, AUGUSTE. PAGE

Cervantes and the Don Quixote, 263

Le Sage and the Gil Bias, 266

Bernardin's Paul and Virginia, 268

Davis, M. E. M.

Pere Dagobert, 552

Throwing the Wanga, 556

My Love went Sailing o'er the Sea, 560

Silence, 561

Counsel, 562

DeBow, J. D. B.

The Early Literature of Spain, ......... 239

De La Moriniere, Emmanuel.

Delpit, Albert.

The Mysterious Grotto, .342

Dessommes, Edward.

Dimitey, Alexander.

The Relation between the Literatures of Greece and Hindostan, . . 222

Dimitey, Charles Patton.

The Origins of Some of the Colonial Families of Louisiana, . . . 180

On the Watch, 389

A Rhyme of Modern Venice, 540

Dimitry, John.

Edgar Allan Poe, 504

Dinnies, Anna Peyre.

Lord, Keep my Memory Green ! 507

The Wife 509

Powers's Greek Slave, • • • • 510

Dorsey, Sarah A.

The Battle of Shiloh and the Part Played therein by Henry Watkins Allen,

Ex-Governor of Louisiana, 93

Ellis, E. John.

The End of Sectionalism, 168

Ficklen, John R.

The Revolution of 1768 in Louisiana, and its Consequences, ... 23

A Plea for the Modern Languages, 206

INDEX OF AUTHORS. xv

Field, Martha R. page

Queen Anne Fronts and Mary Anne Backs, 325

Flash, Henry Lynden.

At the Theatre, 519

What She Brought me, 521

Who Can Tell ? 523

" Stonewall " Jackson 534

FORTIER, ALCEE.

A Sketch of the History of Acadia, from the Settlement of the Colony to the Dispersion of the Inhabitants, 15

Gayarre, Charles.

The Tree of the Dead, 12

The South's First Crop of Sugar, 41

Mr. Cable's FreedmarCs Cam in Eqwity, 198

Gibson, Randall L.

Discovery of the Mississippi Valley, 169

Grymes, John R.

Against the Eligibility of a Citizen Born outside of the United States, to the

Governorship or Lieutenant-Governorship of Louisiana, ... 115

Hearn, Lafcadio.

Esther's Choice, 338

Holcombe, William H.

Hunt, Randell.

The Court a Temple of Justice, ' . . 135

Johnston, William Preston.

Mary Queen of Scots' Farewell, 502

King, Grace.

Leovy, Henry J.

Livingston, Edward.

The Batture Case, 185 xvi INDEX OF AUTHORS.

Martin, Francois-Xavier. page

The Judiciary, 299

Mazureau, FjTIENNE.

Duelling, 297

M'Caleb, Theodore H.

Important Public Services of Henry Clay, 144

McCarthy, Harry.

The Bonnie Blue Flag, 524

McGloin, Frank.

The Story of Izanachi and Izanani, 333

Mercier, Alfred.

The Banquet, 373

Nicholson, Eliza J.

Hagar, 566

Waiting, 571

Only a Heart, 572

Nixon, Richard.

The House Immortal, ........... 578

Sir William Thomson's Aerolith, 579

Swinburne, 580

Ogden, R. N.

Dreams of the Past, 574

The Light of Thine Eyes, 577

Overall, John W.

To a Miniature, 514

The Bards, • 516

Owen, William Miller.

The Disbandment of the Washington Artillery in 1865, .... 102

Palmer, Benjamin M.

George Washington and Robert E. Lee, 165

Grace in Woman, 17*

Prentiss, Seargent S.

The Sons of New England, 118

Appeal in Behalf of the Famine-stricken Irish, 121

Randall, James R.

My Maryland, 526

JohnPelham, 529

INDEX OF AUTHORS. xvn

Roman, Alfred. page The Failure of the Confederate Government in its Diplomacy with Foreign

Nations, especially with England and France, 88

The Confederate Administration and its Downfall, 107

Roselius, Christian.

Collegiate Education, 149

Effects of Ignorance among the Masses, 152

RoUQUETTE, ADRIEN.

The Wild Lily and the Passion-Flower, 511

To Nature, my Mother, 513

Sage, B. J.

Schmidt, Gustavus.

Semmes, Thomas J.

The Confederate Seal, 160

Sharp, Robert.

The Period of Childhood and Youth among the Anglo-Saxons, . . . 226

Smith, James T.

The First and Second Birth, 498

The Mother's Song, 500

Soule, Pierre.

Against the Policy of Impassiveness, 137

The Highway of Nations, 140

Stuart, Ruth McEnery.

Taylor, Richard.

Ulysses S. Grant and Radicalism, ........ 110

Townsend, Mary Ashley.

The Backwoodsman's Daughter, 542

Creed, 547

To One Beloved, 549

Lake Pontehartrain, . 550

Walker, Alexander.

The Festivity after the Victory, 51

Wilde, Richard Henry.

Petrarch and Laura, 244

My Life is like the Summer Rose, 491 xv iii INDEX OF AUTHORS.

PAGE

492 The Poet's Lament

493 To the Mocking-Bird,

Williams, Richard d'Alton.

Adieu to Innisfail

496 Sister of Charity,