Monthly Re-view of Literature, 



[JAN- 



What is genius ? Somebody says, patience. 

 Another answers, the strong perception of 

 truth truth of any, and every imaginable 

 kind, whether regarding the visible forms, or 

 the secret economy of nature the internal 

 heart, or the outward index of its emotions, 

 or the reciprocal influences of alL Aye, cried 

 a writer some time back it is the strong 

 perception of truth certainly, but it is the 

 truth of MADNESS meaning, perhaps a vivid 

 intuition upon certain points, or modes of 

 things, arising from affections warped out of 

 their natural proportion. We should like to 

 know what exactly is the proper proportion for 

 sanity. We know, beyond all doubt, what 

 is understood by the wrong proportion. For 

 instance, a lady poet will describe ye the 

 passage of a shadow over afield of the blood 

 over a cheek the exact key in which a last 

 adieu was spoken, &c with a nicety of repre- 

 sentation, that shall make us marvel at her 

 accuracy of ear and vision ; yet she shall 

 not see the hole in her own stocking. But to 

 our task. 



The poet speaks of himself as an observant 

 eye beholding many changes, but himself 

 operative upon none. The first vision with 

 wliich he is favoured, consists solely of the 

 sun, the sky, and the ocean, without one inch 

 of land. Suddenly he perceives upon the sur- 

 face of the deep, a sort of commotion, which, 

 on faither scrutiny, is found to proceed from 

 the growth of a coral reef effected, as it 

 proves, by the simultaneous activity of count- 

 less myriads of worms, of countless species of 

 every gradation of size down to the breadth of 

 a gossamer thread, which, from moment to 

 moment, are unremittingly employed in en- 

 Barging and elevating the structure, by a pro- 

 Cess equally curious with the formation of 

 bees -wax, spiders-webs, or the shells of fishes. 

 When the mass of coral has reached the 

 water's edge, so that the waves at high tide 

 cease to rest upon it, the animals cease their 

 operations on that portion, and descend anew 

 into the depths below, to commence fresh and 

 fresh layers of the same material, until island 

 after island rises on the bed of ocean, like 

 successive cauliflowers. 



Upon one of these reefs has Mr. Mont- 

 gomery fastened, as the scene of his ocular 

 experiences. After the labours of its founders 

 had for some time subsided, the solid mass of 

 rock thus raised, suffers the gradual accu- 

 mulation of weeds, and wrecks, and the depo- 

 sitions of the atmosphere ; and lying now 

 open to the solar influences, slowly becomes 

 productive undulates into hills and valleys 

 brisles into forests opens into lakes and 

 rivers, and puts forth the livery of universal 

 green. An Eden blooms around, but lacks 

 its human tenants. Various animals, the sole 

 population, are sketched with a graphic 

 strength of touch, that set our nerves a thril- 

 ling ; and so we might have said of some of 

 his marine exi.stences, in the first stage of the 

 visionary series. 



After a long period of quiet growth and 



beautiful existence, a sudden convulsion of 

 nature overwhelms to destruction the whole 

 superficies of the island, and for some ages 

 the germs of plants and animals lie unpro- 

 ductive, under tremendous and impenetrable 

 strata of ruins. They emerge, at length, and 

 the seasons recover their order, and the earth 

 its covering. The first coming of a pair of 

 pelicans to the spot, destined to be their future 

 dwelling place for ages, is striking 



The sun had sunk where sky and ocean meet, 

 And each might seem the other ; sky below, 

 With richest garniture of clouds inlaid ; 

 Ocean above with isles and continents, 

 Illumined from a source no longer seen : 

 Far in the east, through heaven's intenser blue, 

 Two brilliant sparks, like sudden stars, appeared ; 

 Not stars indeed, but birds of mighty wing, 

 Retorted neck, and javelin-pointed bill, 

 That made the air sigh as they cut it through. 

 They gained upon the eye, and as they came, 

 Enlarged, grew brighter, and displayed their 



forms 



Amidst the golden evening; pearly-white, 

 But ruby-tinctured. On the loftiest cliff 

 They settled, hovering ere they touched the 



ground, 



And uttering, in a language of their own, 

 Yet such as every ear might understand, 

 And every bosom answer, notes of joy, 

 And gratulation for that resting-place. 

 Stately and beautiful they stood, and clapt 

 Their van-broad pinions, streaked their ruffled 



plumes, 



And ever and anon broke off to gaze, 

 With yearning pleasure, told in gentle murmurs, 

 On that strange land, their destined home and 



country. 

 Night round them threw her brown transparent 



gloom, 



Through which their lovely images yet shone, 

 Like things unearthly, while they bowed their 



heads 



On their full bosoms, and reposed till morn. 

 1 knew the Pelican?, and cried " All hail ! 

 Ye future dwellers in the wilderness!" 



Nor is the following account of their con- 

 nubial state less so. We are charmed with 

 it. Goldsmith speaks of love, as " on earth 

 unseen, or only found to warm the turtle's 

 nest." Who can read the following lines of 

 Montgomery's, and not be inclined to say 

 "PELICAN'S nest?" 



Love found that lonely couple on their isle, 



And soon surrounded them with blithe companions. 



The noble birds, with skill spontaneous framed 



A nest of reeds among the giant-grass, 



That waved in lights and shadows o'er the soil. 



There, in sweet thraldom, yetunweening why, 



The patient dam, who ne'er till now had known 



Parental instinct, brooded o'er her eggs, 



Long ere she found the curious secret out, 



That life was hatching in their brittle shells. 



Then, from a wild rapacious bird of prey, 



Tamed ty the kindly process, she became 



That gentlest of all living things a mother ; 



Gentlest while yearning o'er her naked young, 



Fiercest when stirr'd by anger to defend them. 



