THE POETS OF MAINE A COLLECTION OF SPECIMEN POEMS FROM OVER FOUR HUN- WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES COMPILED BY GEORGE BANCROFT GRIFFITH PORTLAND, MAINE ELWELL, PICKARD & COMPANY TO THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF MAINE AT HOME AND ABROAD THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED COPYRIGHT BY PREFACE. If it be hardly true that "there lives no being but has some pretence to that fine instinct called poetic sense," it is a fact that very many appreciate verse which contains the soul of imagination. We do not claim that all the poetry in this volume reaches that standard, but it is a home book, and, whatever its imperfections may be, we trust it will be received as a fair specimen of the poetical literature of the State. It is claimed that Maine's first poet was JOHN CROWNE, born about 1640, though heretofore Nova Scotia has held that he was her son. A Boston author declares that this rival of Dryden, and distinguished dramatist, was a native of our then Province, and at the age of twenty was living here. The Boston Public Library has his dramatic works and translations in verse, but we have not been able to secure one of his original poems. The Hallowell press, in 1797, issued the earliest bound book printed and published in Maine, a thin duodecimo, entitled "Female Friendships," and the first regular work in verse was Gov. Lincoln's volume, entitled "The Village," brought out in 1816. The only volumes similar in character to our own published thus far in Maine have been "The Bowdoin Poets," in 1840, and the "Native Poets of Maine," in 1854, copies of which are now rare. We have drawn from them much interesting matter not elsewhere accessible. We acknowledge our indebtedness also to several of the Town Histories for copies of published poems, and for personal favors from some of the historians themselves. Also to Harper & Bros., and the Century Co., of New York, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., and Ticknor & Co., of Boston, for poetical extracts from their publications of our native writers, and to the State press for kindly notices in advance. The compiler returns thanks to the many contributors for their generous response to his circular, and especially to the large number who have |