The Recluse (Cook)/Vermont Poets and Poetry

by Walter John Coates

STUDY LIST
VERMONT POETS AND POETRY

Designed to facilitate the intelligent study of Vermont poetical development
and literature.

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WALTER J. COATES, North Montpelier, Vt.

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FIRST PERIOD: 1768—1812.

Covering the Revolutionary War epoch; the development of Vermont
as a separate Nation; and its first days under the Republic.
(References are to Hemenway’s “Vermont Historical Gazetteer” in 5 Vols.)

A: Colonial, or Pioneer Singers:

1: Thomas Rowley: 1721—1796.

Official bard “Green Mountain Boys”; later known as “The Shoreham Bard”.

Early life, Hebron, Conn.; pioneer, Danby., Vt. 1768; legislative activity; poetic improvisations; influence in western counties.

(Hen. Gaz., Vol. 3, pg. 644–5; also Vol. 1, pg. 99).

2. Nathaniel Niles: 1741—1827.

(a) Education; early career in Connecticut; as minister; as author of “The American Hero”.

(b) Ethical, Literary and political career at West Fairlee, Vt.

(Hem. Gaz., Vol. 2, pp. 907–12).

3: Josias Lyndon Arnold: 1765—1796.

Education; early life; removal to St. Johnsbury; death and posthumous issue of “Poems”, 1797. The first published volume of Vermont Poetry.

Hem. Gaz., Vol. 1, pg. 398).

4: Jabez Fitch: 1737—1812.

His Manuscript Diary and his Book of Manuscript Poems.

(Hem. Gaz., Vol. 2, pp. 783–96).

B: Formative Writers—

The “Golden Era of Vermont Song”.

Major Poets:

IRoyall Tyler: 1757—1826.

1. Early career in Massachusetts: 1757—90.

His family; college training; early associates; military experiences; first literary achievements; mental crisis.

2: Ten years in Guilford: 1790—1800.

Legal practice; literary activity; formation of a “school” of poets and prose writers; newspaper activity.

3: Later career in Brattleboro: 1800—1826.

Legal and judicial achievements; social and literary work; last years.

One of the “founders” of American literature.

Unpublished manuscripts.

LITERARY RESUME:

(a) Comedy Dramas:

“The Contrast,” 1789.

“May Day in Town,” 1789.

“The Georgia Spec, or Land in the Moon,” 1797.

(b) His Novel:

“The Algerine Captive” (Guilford period) 1797.

(c) Journalistic activity: (with Joseph Dennie)

Founding the Farmer’s Weekly Museum; or N. H. and Vermont Journal.

(d) Poetic expression: Founding “The Guilford School”.

(Reference: Hem. Gaz., Vol. 5; Brattleboro, pgs. 86–101; and Guilford, pgs. 42–3)

Query: In what sense, and to what extent can we call the Connecticut Valley
the “Cradle of American Literature”?

II Thomas Green Fessenden: 1771—1835.

(a) Early days at Walpole, N. H., at Dartmouth; at Rutland; contributions to the Weekly Museum, etc.—1795—1801.

(b) Experience in Engand; his satires.—1801—4.

“Terrible Tractoration”,—1804.

“Democracy Unveiled”, about 1805.

(c) Editorial career, New York: 1806—7; and in Philadelphia 1807—11, “Pills”.

“Original Poems”, 1804; their reception in England: 2nd edition, 1806.

(d) Legal, poetical and journalistic career in Vermont, at Bellows Falls and Brattleboro, 1812—22.

“The Ladies’ Monitor” (poems), 1818.

(e) Boston epoch: 1822—37.

The New England Farmer.

Fesenden’s Almanac and other works.

His place in American Literature:

(a) As the first noteworthy American satirist—“The American Butler”.

(b) As first American poet to paint New England manners and customs.

Secondary Poets:

1: Anthony Haswell: 1756—1816.

(a) The Vermont Gazette, Bennington, 1783, and its influence.

(b) Haswell as a Ballader.

2: Selleck Osborne: 1783—1826. “Poems”, 1823. His satires.

3: Refine Weeks: His Poetry: various books.

4: Selah Gridley: 1767—1826. “The Mill of the Muses”, 1827.

6: Almira Selden: Her “Effusions of the Heart” 1820.

5: The Guilford School:

James Elliott: 1775—1839.

Youth at Guilford; military and literary career; legal and political record.

“Poetical and Miscellaneous Works”, 1798.

Samuel Elliott: 1777—1845.

Legal, oratorical and poetical career. “An Humble Tribute to My Country”, 1842.

John Phelps: Lawyer and friend of Royall Tyler.

“New England”, a poem.

“Book of Rights and Duties”.

Political pamphlets and church hymns.

Almira Phelps:

Her “Botany”, 1833; “Chemistry”, 1834; “Familiar Lecturer”, 1838. 1838.

Poems: “Our Country in its Relation to Past, Present and Future”, 1864.

Stella Phelps: Poems.

John Shepardson: 1718—1813. Lawyer; Judge Supreme Court.

Elizabeth Peck: 1780—1824.

Early Poetical work; career smothered by marriage.

Henry Dennison: 1796—1819.

Early life, education; emigration to Georgia; starts literary journal; “Poems”, published posthumously in The Columbian Lyre, Glasgow, 1828. Bulk of his MSS. lost.

(Reference for above “School” Hem. Gaz., Vol. 5).