pays him a very high compliment, and quotes his “Young Thoughts have Music in them,” from Fanny, and his lines to Drake.
Samuel Rogers, writing to Irving, in 1837, says: “With Mr. Halleck’s Poems I was already acquainted, particularly with the first two in the volume, and I cannot say how much I admired them always. They are better than any thing we can do, just now, on our side the Atlantic. I hope he will not he idle, but continue long to delight us. When he comes here again, he must not content himself with looking on the outside of my house, as I am told he did once, but knock and ring, and ask for me, as for an old acquaintance. I should say, indeed, if I am here to be found; for if he or you, my dear friend, delay your coming much longer, I shall have no hope of seeing either of you on this side the grave.”
Rogers always spoke of Halleck, whenever his name was mentioned, in terms of highest praise. In the Messrs. Duyckinck’s Cyclopædia of American Literature, there is a fine appreciative notice of him, which I would gladly quote if time would permit; and the article contributed by Mr. James Lawson, of this city, to the Southern Literary Messenger, November 25th, 1843, although written with great cordiality, does not award to Mr. Halleck as high a position as he deserves. It is not assuming too much to say, that Halleck, in his line, has not been approached yet by any one in this country, and that his line is a very noble one indeed.
There is one error in regard to Fanny, which should he corrected. It is generally said of it, that it
