INTRODUCTION. 163 



long be remembered as sweet minstrels, whose voices were hushed in an early- 

 grave. Since death disarms envy, we have spoken with freedom of these 

 departed votaries of the divine art ; but prudence, and a respect for contem- 

 poraneous opinion, exact more caution in our notice of living poets. Bryant, 

 to whom is assigned the palm in philosophic, descriptive and didactic verse ; 

 Halleck, the versatile author of " Alnwick Castle," " Fanny," and " Marco 

 Bozzaris ;" Paulding, whose " Backwoodsman " may be regarded as a national 

 poem ; Charles F. Hoffman, whose " Vigil of Faith " is the fruit of early culti- 

 vated genius, and who has thrown the charms of poetry, as well as of romance, 

 over our own almost unknown mountains and lakes ; Alfred B. Street, known as 

 the author of " Nature," " A Forest Walk," and " The Grey Forest Eagle ; " 

 Edward Sanford, author of the spirited " Address to Black Hawk ; " Peter H. 

 Myers, author of " Ensenore ; " George W. Doane and William Croswell, writers 

 of sacred lyrics ; Theodore S. Fay, John Inman and Park Benjamin, not unsuc- 

 cessful in poetry, though engaged in other fields of literature ; J ames O. Rock- 

 well, author of " The Lost at Sea ;" Samuel Woodworth, writer of a touching 

 effusion, " The Old Oaken Bucket," which our domestic affections will not permit 

 to lose a place in our literature ; Elizabeth F. Ellet, author of " The Daughter 

 of Herodias; " Mary E. Brooks and her sister, Mrs. Hall, known to our readers 

 as Noma and Hinda ; and Emma C. Embury, who has given us the chaste and 

 affecting verses entitled " Christ in the Tempest ; " all are writers whose fame is 

 cherished by the generous and refined portion of the American community.* 



The history of the fine arts in New- York, unfortunately, is scarcely more 

 than an account of a controversy concerning the manner of promoting them. 

 The American Academy of Fine Arts was established in the city of New- York 

 in 1800, and was incorporated in 1808, with liberal legislative patronage. 

 Among the founders of the institution, were Robert R. Livingston, John R. Mur- 

 ray, De Witt Clinton, Charles Wilkes, Fobert Fulton, William Cutting, Edward 

 Livingston, Rufus King, David Hosack, and James Fairlie. The object of the 



* Notes on Literature were received from Charles F. Hoffman, Esq., and Alfred B. Street, Esq. 



