Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/417

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POETS


PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE

[Paul Hamilton Hayne was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1830. His family belonged to the wealthy and aristocratic circle of that city.

PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE

After graduating from Charleston College, Hayne studied law, but his love of literature proved too strong for the practice of his profession. In 1857 he became editor of Russell's Magazine, which he made a decided success. Before the war Hayne had published three volumes of poetry, made up chiefly of pieces which he had contributed to various periodicals. At the outbreak of hostilities he became an aide on Governor Pickens's staff, but after a brief service he was forced to resign on account of ill health. Finding himself impoverished at the close of the war, he moved to the pine barrens of Georgia and about eighteen miles from Augusta built a very plain cottage, which he called "Copse Hill." Here he struggled bravely with poverty as best he could, through his contributions of poetry and other kinds of writing to the magazines. Gradually his genius gained recognition throughout the country at large and he came to have the title

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