Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/487

 WILLIAM W. FOSDICK. William Whiteman Fosdick was born in the citj of Cincinnati, on the twenty- eighth day of January, 1825. His father, Thomas R. Fosdick, was long known as a merchant and banker of that eity, and his mother, Juha Drake, as an actress of much merit. The boy Fosdick was first sent to school to Samuel Johnson of Cincinnati, afterward to the Cincinnati College. He was at this time more remarkable for bright- ness than application ; and, though frequently proving a puzzling case to the pedagogic mind, was known amongst his fellows as a generous and whole-souled youth, who scorned all meanness, and possessed a keen wit. Mr. Fosdick was graduated at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, and immediately went to Louisville to study law with Garnett Duncan, of that city. He afterward completed his studies with Judge Pryor, of that State. He began the prac- tice of the law in Covington, Kentucky, in partnership with James Southgate. Ere long he took up his residence in Cincinnati, where he practiced law in partnership with George C. AVilliamson. About this time Mr. Fosdick, still a youth, gained some dis- tinction as a poet by a dramatic effort, entitled " Tecuraseh," composed merely as a vehicle to histrionic fame for one of his friends. Yet his first real appearance in the literary world was as the author of '• Malmiztic, the Toltec ; and the Cavaliers of the Cross," a novel whose fault is over-ornamentation, whose virtue is a historic fidelity and knowledge which cannot be found outside of the old Spanish histories themselves. ]VL. Fosdick, in the years 1847-49, traveled in Mexico, and his scenery is, therefore, truthful and brilliant. "We trust that the author will one day prune and simplify this interesting romance, and that it may be reproduced. This work was published in tha year 1851. Soon afterward Mr. Fosdick went to reside in the city of New York, where he remained, in the practice of the law, for seven years. Here, in the year 1855, he published a collection of poems, entitled "Ariel, and other Poems." The work contains the last works of illustration from the pencil of the celebrated Dallas, and was in every way an elegant production. This work is a strange medley, and is characteristic of the mingled smiles and tears which make the inevitable storm and bow which blend in the poet's life : for life has been made a battle to him chiefly through the fraud of those who should have been most generous to him. The delicate sprite Ariel is taken up from the point where Shakspeare leaves him, and followed to the prison, more potent than that inflicted by Sycorax, of Llama, Flame. In other words, Ariel loves ; Air feeds Fire. Mr. Fosdick has resided in Cincinnati for the past three years, wdiere he has been ever regarded as the City Laureate. In nearly every festival, whether of pioneers, artists, or literati, he is the poet. He is every where regarded as a man generous to a fault. He is widely known as a lover of the drama, of music, and eveiy kind of art. (471)