that Murray Bradshaw
had a poet for his rival, to say nothing of the brother of a bosom
friend.

The qualities of a young poet are so exceptional, and such interesting
objects of study, that a narrative like this can well afford to linger
awhile in the delineation of this most envied of all the forms of
genius. And by contrasting the powers and limitations of two such young
persons as Gifted Hopkins and Cyprian Eveleth, we may better appreciate
the nature of that divine inspiration which gives to poetry the
superiority it claims over every other form of human expression.

Gifted Hopkins had shown an ear for rhythm, and for the simpler forms of
music, from his earliest childhood. He began beating with his heels
the accents of the psalm tunes sung at meeting at a very tender age,--a
habit, indeed, of which he had afterwards to correct himself, as,
though it shows a sensibility to rhythmical impulses like that which
is beautifully illustrated when a circle join hands and emphasize by
vigorous downward movements the leading syllables in the tune of Auld
Lang Syne, yet it is apt to be too expressive when a large number of
boots join in the performance. He showed a remarkable talent for playing
on one of the less complex musical instruments, too limited in compass
to satisfy exacting ears, but affording excellent discipline to those
who wish to write in the simpler metrical forms,--the same which summons
the hero from his repose and stirs his blood in battle.

By the time he was twelve years old he was struck with the pleasing
resemblance of certain vocal sounds which, without being the same,
yet had a curious relation which made them agree marvellously well
in couples; as eyes with skies; as heart with art, also with part and
smart; and so of numerous others, twenty or thirty pairs, perhaps, which
number he considerably increased as he grew older, until he may have had
fifty or more such pairs at his command.

The union of so extensive a catalogue of words which matched each other,
and of an ear so nice that it could tell if there were nine or eleven
syllables in an heroic line, instead of the legitimate ten, constituted
a rare combination of talents in the opinion of those upon whose
judgment he relied. He was naturally led to try his powers in the
expression of some just thought or natural sentiment in the shape of
verse, that wonderful medium of imparting thought and feeling to his
fellow-creatures which a bountiful