Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 20.pdf/36

 ROYALL TYLER literature, while the poetical efforts exhibit considerable command of versification and facility in numbers. A liberal collection of these fugitive writings is embraced in a volume published at Walpole, in 1801, by Thomas & Thomas, entitled The Spirit of the Farmer's Museum and Lay Preacher's Gazette. Judge Tyler also published a series of papers entitled An Author's Evenings in the Port Folio of 1801, and subsequently published in Philadelphia by Joseph Dennie, formerly of Walpole. In 1806 he was a contributor to Buckingham's monthly periodical. The Polyanthus, of the papers entitled Trash, and a number of poetical pieces, and again on the revival of the publication, in 1812. In 1809 he printed The Yankee in London, purporting to be a series of letters written by an Ameri can youth in London. The author never crossed the Atlantic, his descriptions of London scenes being purely imaginary. Some of Judge Tyler's latest. productions appeared in the AVu' England Galaxy. The ubiquitous Duyckinck has this to say of Judge Tyler: "He was a wit, a poet, and a Chief Justice. His life certainly deserves to be narrated with more par ticularity than it has yet received. His writings, too, should be collected and placed

in an accessible form. American literature cannot be charged with poverty while it has such valuables uninvested in its for gotten repositories." Subjoined is a speci men of Judge Tyler's briefer poetical efforts. LOVE AND LIBERTY. IN briery dell or thicket brown, On mountain high, in lowly vale, Or where the thistle sheds its down, And sweet-fern scents the passing gale, There hop the birds from bush to tree; Love fills their throats, Love swells their notes. Their song is love and liberty. No parent birds their love direct; Each seeks his fair in plumy throng, Caught by the lustre of her neck, Or kindred softness of her song; They sing and bill from bush to tree; Love fills their throats. Love swells their notes, Their song is love and liberty. Some airy songster's feathered shape O! could my love and I assume — The ring-dove's glossy neck he take, And I the modest turtle's plume— O! Then we'd sing from bush to tree; Love fill our throats, Love swell our notes, Our song be love and liberty. BURLINGTON, VT., December, 1907.