THE VERSE WRITERS OF FITCHBURG,

PAST AND PRESENT.

Read at a meeting of the Society October 17, 1898.

BY HENRY A. GOODRICH.

At the solicitation of members of this society, the writer has undertaken the delicate task of collecting and transmitting specimen verses by Fitchburg writers, accompanied in some instances by a brief biographical sketch of the author.

It must be apparent to every one who gives the subject a moment's thought, that the first attempt at such a compilation must fall far short of completeness. It is like going into the fields in summer to gather flowers. However varied and comprehensive the selection, there will still be many choice specimens left undisturbed.

It is not unlikely that some authors of real merit, and that some "gem of purest ray serene," may yet remain undiscovered. If any such are known, the writer will be only too glad to revise this paper before its final publication. Valuable assistance has been rendered by your secretary, and by Miss Martha D. Tolman, as will appear later on.

As a matter of local history, it is well to recall even the little gems of thought which are liable to be lost or forgotten. We remember that Longfellow once asked a friend to read:

Not from the grand old Masters,

Not from the bards sublime,

Whose distant footsteps echo

Through the corridors of Time;

Read from some humbler poet,

Whose songs gush from his heart,

As showers from the clouds of summer,

Or tears from the eyelids start.

Previous to the establishment of the first printing office in Fitchburg, which was in 1830, there is no record of verse writing in this locality, save a few uncouth rhymes scattered here and there. Still, there may be in existence some original poems which have never been in type.

The first collection of local verse of any consequence was published in 1831, in a little magazine called The Album, devoted to original tales, selections and poetry. During its brief existence of less than one year, there appeared poems, presumably by local writers, although none of them signed their full names. Two were signed "Uncas," but who "Uncas" was we have not been able to determine.

The first was an ode to Baron De Kalb, an enthusiastic German, who espoused our cause at an early period of the American Revolution. He fell at the battle of Camden in 1780, receiving eleven bayonet wounds. Many years afterward Gen. Washington visited Camden and inquired for his grave, for there was then no monument to mark the spot.

After gazing in silence for a few moments, he exclaimed, "So there lies the brave Baron De Kalb-the generous stranger who came from a distant land to fight our battles, and to water with his blood the Tree of Liberty!"

The ode of "Uncas" consisted of seven stanzas, of which the following are the first and second:

Sleep on, thou bravest of the brave,
Who came from a foreign land to save
From stern oppression's grasp,

A few, that had risen in their might,

And were rushing on to the bloody fight

For sacred Liberty.

With fondness we remember yet,

The time when our patriot fathers met

And laid the tyrant low.

When freemen rose, and side by side
Withstood the rushing, stormy tide

That swept our happy shore.

Another selection from The Album has more of local interest at the present time. It was entitled "Lines written while standing on the shore of Uncheewalem," by "Auvin."

This was the old Indian name for what is now Whalom lake, and were the author living to-day he might quietly seat himself beneath the umbrage of Whalom park, instead of standing on the shore as he did when he penned these lines:

Silent lake, whose bland waters fret

And dash upon the pebbled shore,
As the ripple and the wave bear on

The light boat, that is dancing o'er
Thy bosom clear-nor starts the tribe
That on thy surface noiseless ride.

The fearless boy sits at the helm,

And onward guides his light, frail skiff,

Lightly dipping his little oar,

As he steers for the beetling cliff,

Where the fish-hawk, with piercing eye,

Sits and watches for the finny fry.

It is not altogether certain that the author stood all the time while writing this poem, for he says in the third verse:

I love to sit and gaze on thee,

And watch the light ripple and wave,
That's wafted by the rising breeze

To the deep-wooded banks, to lave
The rocky beach, as they did before

The white man knew thy peaceful shore.

Then follows "The Phantom Ship," by "P. T. Q.;" "The Days of Boyhood," by "Alberto;" "The Choice," by "Roscoe;" "A Dream," by "Rolla;" "Death," by "Illa." None of these last-named poems have any local or historic interest, and it is hardly worth while to reproduce them, especially as there is no clue to their true authorship.*

The last contribution to The Album was a clever specimen of magazine poetry by "T. H. B.," entitled "He Came at Morn." This is already published in full in the first volume of the Proceedings of this society.

Mary Lampson was one of the early verse writers. Born in Fitchburg, she early in life moved to Rutland, Vt. Returned to Fitchburg a short time before her death, which occurred May 11, 1832, aged twenty-five years.

Undoubtedly the most extensive writer of poetry who ever lived in Fitchburg was Augustine J. Hickey, afterwards known as Col. J. H. Duganne. He was born in 1823, came to Fitchburg during his boyhood, and was employed in the Sentinel printing office. At the age of fifteen he was a pupil at the Fitchburg academy, under the tutorship of Cragin and Waldo.

*In a bound volume of The Album, formerly owned by Dr. Otis Abercrombie of Lunenburg, and recently presented to this Society by his son, Otis P. Abercrombie, Esq., there are annotations in the handwriting of the former owner, giving the names of some of the contributors. J. E. Whitcomb, the editor, wrote under the assumed names of "Uncas," "Oscar," "Alberto," Roscoe," "Rolla," and others. I. Porter Putnam used the pseudonyms "Auvin," and "McIrvin." Mr. Putnam was a son of Isaiah and Hannah (Cowdin) Putnam of Fitchburg. He died in Havana, Cuba, Sept. 10, 1834, at the age of twentyfour years. J. F. D. G.

His poetic taste was very early developed; while yet a schoolboy he commenced to write verses, some of which are still remembered by his early schoolmates. His first publications were written for the Sentinel and signed "Julian," but were carefully copied by a friend before they reached the office, so that not even the publisher of the paper knew the real author.

The first of his poems to attract public attention was the following, published in 1839, at the age of sixteen:

Hark! hear ye the sound that is borne on the gale?
And wot ye what meaneth that wild, ringing wail?
'Tis the intellect's groan-'tis the wail of the mind,—
'Tis the clash of the chains that the soul has confined.

Then on to the rescue-its call is to thee,

Arise to its beckoning-arise and be free;

Let the mists of Ignorance fade from our land,

And Bigotry vanish at Freedom's command.

Let the sons of New England arise in their might;

Let them spread the glad tidings of new coming light;

And over each mountain and over each vale

Let the yeoman's cry be "Education all Hail!"

After leaving Fitchburg, Hickey went to Boston, hired an office and went into the business of proof-reading, in connection with his literary work. He soon after, in 1844, published a handbook of patriotic songs and poems. He subsequently went to New York and was at one time connected with the Tribune.

In 1855 a large volume of 400 pages of his poems was published by Parry & McMillan of Philadelphia. The first poem in this collection was entitled "The Mission of Intellect," and was somewhat lengthy, as were many of his publications. It opens with a reference to personal experience, as expressed in the following lines:

I was a student in the school of earth

I was a wrestler in the strife for gain