George Montgomery Davie, a verse-maker of cleverness and charm, was
born near Hopkinsville, Kentucky, March 16, 1848. He began his
collegiate career at Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, but he later
went to Princeton, from which institution he was graduated in 1868.
Two years later he established himself as a lawyer at Louisville.
Davie rose rapidly in his profession, and he was soon recognized as
one of the ablest lawyers in Kentucky. Though busy with his practice,
he found time to write verse and short prose papers for periodicals
that were appreciated by many persons. Davie was a Latinist of decided
ability, and he often employed himself in turning the odes of Horace
into English. His original work, however, is very charming and clever,
a smile being concealed in almost every line he wrote, though it is a
very quiet and dignified smile, never boisterous. He was one of the
founders of the now celebrated Filson Club, of Louisville. He died at
New York, February 22, 1900, but he sleeps to-day in Louisville's
beautiful Cave Hill cemetery. _Verses_ (Louisville, Kentucky, n. d.),
a broadside, contains Davie's best original poems and translations and
it is a very scarce item at this time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. _The Courier-Journal_ (February 23, 1900); _Kentucky
Eloquence_ (Louisville, 1907).
"FRATER, AVE ATQUE VALE!"
(Catullus, Car. CI.)
[From _Verses_ (Louisville, Kentucky, n. d.)]
Through many nations, over many seas,
Brother, I come to thy sad obsequies:
To bring the last gifts for the dead to thee,
And speak to thy mute ashes--left to me
By the hard fate, that on a cruel day,
From me, dear brother, called Thyself away.
Receive these gifts, wet with fraternal tears;
And the last rites, that custom old endears;
These fond memorials would my sorrow tell--
Brother! forever, hail thee--and farewell!