Fresh water seas, by land surrounded;
As Lake Champlain, whose waves by land are bounded.
Couplets similar to these follow on straits, channels, sounds, rivers,
and other divisions of water. After explanation necessary to the use
of maps, there follows a poetical chapter on North America. Its capes
and rivers are poetically described and then, in turn, its towns, each
state being separately mentioned. The author begins with Maine and
ends with his own state, Wisconsin. A chapter on British America is
next in order and this in turn is followed by chapters on Mexico,
Guatamala, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The book ends with
rhymed delineations of islands, volcanoes, and “The Rules of
Arithmetic” and a sketch of English history. A number of notes are
interspersed throughout the work, and a prose preface follows the
title. A rhymed introduction is also introduced.
This book and also the following are in the fine collection of
Wisconsin poetry formed by Mr. Henry E. Legler, now in the possession
of Mr. Henry C. Sturges of New York.[62]
Probably the earliest specimen of German verse written in Wisconsin,
is that from the pen of one of the German immigrants of 1848. Its
title is: “Lieder/ aus/ Wisconsin/ von/ Adolf Schults./ Elberfeld und
Iserlohn./ Verlag von Julius Bädeker./ 1848.”/ This is a 16mo.
pamphlet of forty-one pages followed by an unnumbered page.
The copy I have seen has blue paper covers, with the title on the
cover the same as the foregoing. On the back cover are advertisements.
The pamphlet begins with a dedication to “Carl de Haas, Ph.D. The
friend of my youth, later schoolmaster in Wupperthal [the author’s
birthplace] and now farmer in Fond du Lac (Wis.).”
The first poem is entitled “Europa, alternde Königin.” The opening
verse follows:
Europa, alternde Königin,
Dein abend ist gekommen!
Der fröhliche Morgen ist dahin,
Der Mittagstrahl verglommen.
The fifth and last stanza runs:
Europa, sterbende Königin,
Er wird die Herrschaft erben!
Die Krone, die dunkt ihm kein Gewinn,
Die lasst er Dir im Sterben.
Another poem is on the “Thal der Wupper, Mein Heimathland.” The eighth
poem in the book is a stirring one on the Missouri River, “Missouri,
Missouri, der mächtiger Strom,” while another is addressed to the
author’s fatherland. In this he cries to the land of his birth, the
land from which he has been exiled. The book contains altogether
thirty-six different poems.
On the back cover is an advertisement of another book of verses by the
same writer, “Märzlieder,” which is advertised “to appear shortly.”
The publisher also advertises another book of interest to the
Wisconsin collector,--“Nordamerika Wisconsin. Winke für auswanderer
von Dr. Carl de Haas. Farmer in Wisconsin.” This is described as the
second edition, with three views and a map of Wisconsin. The statement
is made that the first edition of one thousand copies was sold within
four weeks. “Gedichte von Henriette Davidis, second edition,” is also
advertised. This book was printed by the Groteschen Buchdruckerei in
Arnsberg.
These three books are probably the earliest volumes of verse written
and published by Wisconsin poets. They are of interest not only
because of this fact but because each one relates in some way to
Wisconsin.