PREFACE.

THE character of the poetry of a country has always been justly regarded as indicative of its general moral and intellectual progress.

The Editor, therefore, conceives that, in presenting to the British public, specimens of the poetry of a country united to us by the ties of kindred and language, and possessing many interesting resemblances, though, of course, modified by the differences of habit and circumstance, he is furnishing what is not only, in itself, highly valuable for intrinsic merit, but also relatively useful as a criterion by which we may be, in a considerable degree, assisted in forming a correct estimate of the general character of its manners and institutions.

But, in order to produce this desirable effect, the writings of the American authors should be perused;

and, before a judgment is formed of them, an impartial consideration should be given to their works. Let them not be estimated according to the biassed misrepresentation of employed political partizans, whose interest it has been to set them before us in an unfavourable light; or, of a weak and superficial woman, whose mortified vanity has led her to pour out the vial of her pert contumely upon “ America and the Americans."

It has been asserted that no American poet has, as yet, produced a continued poem, capable of arresting attention, and entitled to rank among the leading poetic efforts of other countries. This is, in some degree, true; but if we look into the peculiar circumstances of that country, we shall observe the true causes which have operated to produce this result. We shall perceive, from examining the situation of the American people, that it is less attributable to a dearth of poetic talent, than to a combination of circumstances prejudicial to its development; and we shall perhaps conclude, from an inspection of the specimens here collected, that American intellect is not incapable of producing poetry of a very high order; and of adapting its energies to the successful prosecution of even the