Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/553

 JOHN GIBSON DUNN. JoBDsr Gibson Dunn was born in the town of Lawrenceburgh, Indiana, about the year 1826, and he died, in New Orleans, in the spring of 1858. He was the oldest son of George H. Dunn, who for many years occupied high official station in the State of Indiana. John G. Dunn was educated at College Hill, near Cincinnati, and at South Han- over, Indiana. He studied medicine, and received the degree of M.D., at Cin- cinnati. Soon after completing his course of study, he accepted the appointment of assistant surgeon to the Third Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, in the Mexican war. He discharged his duties in that capacity with distinguished ability, and, at the close of the war, was appointed assistant surgeon in the regular service of the United States army. This appointment he declined, and commenced the practice of medicine in his native town. Besides being a physician of rare attainments for one so young, Mr. Dunn was an artist as well as a poet. In his professional labors, and in his devotion to the kindred arts of poetry and painting, he displayed eminent abilities for, and high appreciation of, science and art. If he had been content with any one line of life — had his genius been steadily required to flow in one channel, or confined to a single aim, he would have accomplished memorable works ; but, like many men of uncommon natural gifts, he could not permanently direct his energies in any particular pursuit. He spent several years in New Orleans, and, while there, was a contributor to the Delta. He wrote his earliest poems for the Register and the Independent Press — papers published in his native town. His poems have never been collected. He was cai-eless of their fate. The accompanying pieces were found with difficulty : others of equal or supe- rior merit were produced by him. THE DEATH OF THE INEBRIATE.* Whose heart is broken now? None? None ! Yet Death hath clutched mto the tlu-ong- ing world And snatched away a soul. of an abandoned wretch, known in Lawrenceburgh, In- diana, as French John. •■ ( 537 ) The Earth hath gaped again ! Her clammy jaws Have closed in darkness on another form. The grave-worm whets his teeth ! His feast is there ! But oh, whose heart, whose heart is broken now? No eye hath rained its sorrows o'er that mound ; No loving hand hath clipped a single lock.
 * This poem was suggested by the death, from inebriety,