JOHN BANIM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 62, 4 July 1874, Page 13

JOHN BANIM.

Fbom an admirably-written sketch of the Irish poet and novelist, John Banim, recently written by Dr Sigerson, we select the following passages descriptive of the closing days of the brilliant Iderateur — By the close of May, 1835, Jehn Banim reached London again, but, oh, how sadly altered in mind and body from the buoyant, hopeful youth of some thirteen year* before. The friend* of the happy days, now gone forever., gathered around him, but the happiness which their presence lent to his broken spirits, was only momentary, as there was no happiness for him now save that the native skies and airs and scenery around and above his boyhood's home could confer One of those friends, Thomas Haynes Bayley, the poet, who called to see him ♦n arriving from France, describes him thus in the following beautiful «tanzM which we quote : — " I saw him on his couch of pain, rAnd when I heard him speak, It was of hope long nursed in vain, And tears stole down his cheek. He spoke of honors early won, Which youth could rarely boast, Of high endeavors well begun, But prematurely lost " I saw him on a brighter day, Amongst the first spring flowers ; Despairing thoughts had passed away, He spoke of future hours ; He spoke of health, of spirits freed To take a noble aim ; Of efforts that were sure to lead To fortune aud to fame. " They bear him to a genial land, The cradle of the weak ; Oh ! may it nerve the feeble hand, And animate the cheek. Oh ! may he, when we meet again, Those flattering hopes recall, And smiling say — ' They were net vain, I've realized them all.' " In the July of 1834, John Banim left London forever. The friends and admirers of his genius gave him a hearty welcome on his arrival in Dublin. In order to mark their great appreciation of his merit* and services in the holy cause of his native land, a performance was held in the Theatre Eoyal for his benefit, and in ord#r to use the I

words of a very beautiful address spoken on the occasion by one of the performers :—: —

" This night to welcome to his native land, A ling lost brother — and to grasp his hand In friendly brotherhood as warm, as true, As erst a ' Damon ' or a ' Pythias ' knew." By the autumn he reached his native ciiy, accompanied by hi* brother, wife and daugther. His fellow-towsmen received him with every mark of esteem, and in order to render the feelings towards him the more impressive, a subscription was raised and presented to him along with a beautiful address, written by the late gifted Irjfh literateur and antiquarian, Dr Cane, which recounted the many services that his writings had rendered to hj« native land through those truthful delineations of the Irish peasantry, which he was the first to trace. In the spring of 1836 Banim got settled in a handsome cottagp outside Kilkenny, with a beautiful prospect of green fields, and the sparkling Nore flowing beneath it. In a little garden attached to this Banim spent a few hours of each day, if the weather permitted, in an arm-chair which was wheeled to and fro by an attendant, as his limt» were now useless (or walking. In this retired cottage Banim had visitors, who were drawn thither through admiration of his genius, and came to render homage and sympathy to him There, too, Gerald Griffin spent a few happy days in company with his irue ami starling friend, when friends and friendship were sorely needed. Here they talked over the old struggles and triumphs of their London life, and Banim gathered together all who could admire or appreciate genius to do honor to his guest ere fee left for his home at Pallaskenrv. From this home, to which Griffin retired for a time ere he bade the world and its wickedness a long farewell, we have him writing agaim one of those hearty letters to Banim in which he ei|>re-sed his fervent hopes that he might recover and take " his right pi ice at head of our national literature." Banim wrote very little during this period, as his infirmities enfeebled his mind very much. However, writing wa» not an imperative duty on him now, as he received a pension of £150 per annum, with a grant of £40 yearly to his only daughter, and this smoothed his already rugged pathway to the grive. Sijll the old love of literature wa« ever upon him, and he urged his brother to recommence the old tales- again. In accordance with his injunctions, his brother sketched out a> dhe re-wrote and revised t lie last, of the CKHara Tales, "Father Connell." Though not equal in power or passion to n ost of the O'Jlara Tales, yet it is very ten ter and displays fully the author's powers of describing character. ' Father Connell" was published in 1840, and with it Banim's literary labors ceased. Even the revision of this work helped his passage in the valley of death. He lingered on in the midst of racking pains till tne July of 1842, when his pure soul passed quietly from its eirthly prison-house. His last words to his faithful brother and fellow-l.iborer were to see that his coffin would be placed side by side with his beloved mother. In the following ycr his loved and gifted daught r followed him to hi* home with the Irish saints and martyrs beyond the stars.