Influence of Names [pp. 549-552]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
549
And when the hour of twilight musings came
And thy fair mistress in the leafy bower,
Or by the curtained casement, lay entranced
In all the dreamy luxury of thought,
When the soft odors of the sleeping flowers
Stole forth on dewy wing to visit her,
And bathe her brow in sweetness-when she looked
To the far, quiet stars, that glanced abroad
In silent, glorious beauty-thou hast strayed
Carelessly throlugh tile long fair locks that lay
Like a sun-kindled cloud across her neck:
Lifting each half unconscious tress in pride,
Fondly and lingeringly entwining it,
As loth to quit thy lovely resting place.
And thou ait-aye, sweet shell-more favored far
To owe thy polish to her gentle touch,
Than the most honored worshipper who kneels
Before her shrine: than he who holds thee now
Betwixt a reverential thumb and finger,
Absorbed in admiration of thy worth.
New York, 1836.
INFLUENCE OF NAMES.
" What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other
name would smell as sweet."-Shakspeare.
Shakspeare was mistaken. There is a great dealthere is almost every thing in names. Their influence
is felt at all times, and under all circumstances. In war
and peace —in mnorals, literature and religion —in the
world of fashion —and above all, in politics, the despotism of names is all powerful, universal and irresistible.
Nay, Shakspeare himself is authority against Shakspeare. Does he not make the gentle Juliet say to her
lover, "'Tis but thy name that is my enemy"-that
fatal name which separated two devoted hearts —which
planted thick sorrows in their path, and finally shrouded thenm in one common sepulchre! Does he not put
into the mouth of one of Antony's captains, "I'll humbly signify what in his tame, that magical word of war,
we have effected." And again, speaking of the great
Pompey, "his name strikes more than could his war
resisted." Names indeed govern the wo rld; and it is
not among the least ingenious of all human contrivances
that the world should be so governed. I do not wish
to speak of the moral guilt and future accountability of
those who combine to delude the ignorant —whlo chain
mens' minds to some false idol, or enlist them in some
scheme of abomination, whose iniquities are artfully
veiled under the names of virtue, patriotism, and the
like. If the denunciations of the eloquent Hebrew
prophet against those who call evil good, and good
evil-who put darkness for light, and light for darkness-who call bitter sweet, and sweet bitter-are not
sufficient to alarm such delinquents, it would avail nothing for uninspired tongues and pens to attempt their
conviction and reform.
In literature, how remarkable and how injurious is the
influence of names, apart from any actual or intrinsic
merit. How common is it to estimate an opinion or
sentimnent, not by the wisdom of the one or the purity of
the olther, but by the authority of him who pronounces
VOL. II.-70
equal. Counting consciences, you would have ten tories for one whig. Howevcr, in 1832 the whig minority
forced' the tories to capitulate; and, since that time assisted by the pressure from without, it has more than
once dictated the law to its adversaries. But the period
is rapidly approaching when the true majority will attempt to break the yoke, perceiving that concessions
can no longer avail to secure its safety. It would be at
least as becoming to seize the sword, and fall ill defend
ing its ramparts, as to wait seated on its curule chairs
the political death which threatens it.
The rules and customs of the tw-o chambers in some
respects resemble, and in others differ from each other.
In the House of Lords the members remain covered
as in the Commons; and in the former chamber more
etiquette is preserved. It is more rare to see their Lordships convert their benches into beds, or imitate with
their legs the signs of a telegraph. The murmurs of
the House are more subdued and civilized, the disapprobations expressed with more courtesy; the arena of
discussion generally presents less animating and striking scenes; there is more concession, and iore unity.
You witness none of that strife of common-places which
exasperate to so great a degree the patience and the
politeness of the Lower House. There, for one eloquent harangue, you will have to submit to ten stupid
ones, which serve no other end than to lengthen and
injure the discussion. In the Lords able speakers are
not so common, and do not ablse to so great a degree
their right of speaking. It is true that the Peerage is
but a groupe, but a little intrenched garrison; and you
should not expect either reserve, or discretion, or discipline, in such a multitude as the Commnons; an impatient army bivouacing whole nights on the benches, and
where each soldier wishes to be a conqueror.
TO A TORTOISE-SHELL COMB.
BY MRS. E. F. ELLET.
Being an humble imitation of the style of some modern poets,
by the prism of whose fancy the most common objects are invested with the hues of poesy, even as the sunbeam turneth to
diamonds the dews which heedless night hathli flung over the
earth.
There is more in thy history than-meets
The eye of cold observance. Had'st thou words
To speak imprisoned secrets, how would all
Thy silent, chiselled labyrinths resound
With thought transcending eloquence! Deep thingsThe passionate breathings of a hidden voice,
And young and fond imaginings that swell
The fountains of a yet untroubled soul,
Ere to the world its flowings have gone forthThou hast been witness to. Thou least reposed,
Pressed by a pearly hatnd, upon a brow
Stainless and lofty; and thou hast been worn
When the full tide of youth and loveliness
Coursed wildly tihrough her heart, o'ealooking all
Her regal swatilike grace; moved when she mioved,
In blest obedience-perchance hast stooped
To watch the speakings of her mantling (heek,
And felt the hatghtiest tossings of a head
Whose classic beauty might a Plidias slihame.