The first volume of verse printed in Wisconsin and written by a
resident of that state, was long supposed to be a volume by Elizabeth
Farnsworth Mears entitled, _Voyage of Pere Marquette and the Romance
of Charles de Langlade, or the Magic Queen_. This book was published
at Fond du Lac in 1860.[60] Recently, however, three different books
of early Wisconsin verse have been discovered antedating Mrs. Mears’s
work, and since they are without doubt the earliest attempts at
versification made in the Badger State, it seems worth while to
describe them.
The earliest is a hitherto unknown edition of a book which is
humorously described by “Nym Krinkle” in his _Chronicles of
Milwaukee_. Two editions of this book were published in New York in
1848 and 1849, but the edition recently discovered was issued in
Milwaukee in 1846 and, though bearing no imprint, is without doubt the
production of a western press.[61] Its title is as follows: “The
History/ of/ Black Hawk,/ with which is interwoven/ a Description/ of
the/ Black Hawk War/ and other/ Scenes in the West/ by E. H. Smith/
Milwaukee/ 1848./ 12mo. pp. 6† 120.” This title is somewhat
shorter than those of the later editions and the text varies
considerably from that of the later issues. This edition has no
illustrations, but the New York editions have several. The only copy
that can be traced of this firstling of the “Wisconsin Muse” is in the
Harris Collection of American Poetry in the library of Brown
University, Providence, Rhode Island.
The next in point of time is a curious book, or pamphlet, with title
as follows: “The/ Poetical/ Geography, [cut of lyre]/ with the Rules
of Arithmetic in Verse, &c. &C./ By George Van Waters/ Published for
the Author by Sidney L. Rood,/ Bookseller,/ Milwaukee:/ Wilson &
King,/ 1848,”/ This is a duodecimo of ninety-six pages, with green
paper covers. The cover title is somewhat longer: “The/ Poetical
Geography,/ made to accompany any of the/ Common School Atlases;/ to
which is added/ The Rules of Arithmetic,/ and a sketch of English
History,/ in Verse./ by George Van Waters./ This work is sold by
subscription and cannot be obtained/ at any bookstore in the United
States./ Milwaukee:/ Wilson & King./ 1848./ Price 25 cents.”/
The end cover contains an advertisement of a line of stage coaches:
“To the Travelling Public/ Stage Routes from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.”/
Signed, “John Frink & Co., Proprietors,” The routes are to Galena,
Green Bay, Janesville, Madison, Fort Winnebago, Dixon, Chicago,
Sheboygan, and other places.
Mr. Legler informs me that he has another edition, which was published
at Cincinnati. Several of the poems contain local allusions to
Wisconsin.
The book begins with “Geographical Definitions,” and the first lines
describe geography:
The surface of the Earth, with all its tribes
Of sea and land Geography describes.
The divisions of water are next described, beginning with the
following couplet:
An ocean is a vast extent of brine,
Or salt sea water boundless and sublime.