The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-19


DR. HOLMES of Ma ssscbuses, delivered the fourth
of his course Of lectures upon British poets of the nine
teenh century, before the Mercantile Library Association,
Al Hope Chspel last evening The subject Keats
lie commenced with an eloquent apsstrophs to youth,
whcn ne called she first spns tide in the offe It.
was tne season OF love and music and poetry now
ever Mary young men write with only the feel
ing Of beauty ane without the power express IT, We
laugh at their repetions forgetting Perhaps
that repeats itself But how Rloriour ara tho
outbursts of him whom God has chosen to be q
poet, as the joyous song of Milton when but twenty
summers had glided his headi Manhood
comes, and the stern reality of life is laid bare.
Then he second and last song TO be sung No second
tide of life to the subject Of this lecture. The said
story of young poets s with its dsappointmsnts its
struggles and its end nowhere more ahectngy told
than the life and de ah of John Keats The lecturer
thought him superior in imagery Kike White who,
he ssd, owed his reputation to the religious world
Keats born in 1895 and apprenticed to surgeon,
which profession he did not follow. At twenty two ho
published :" Endym-on." The slashipg review OF Clifford
Is said to have caused the d ease which terminated h
life. The lecturer did not believe that he was killed by
the article Leigh Hunt, who knew Keats well, says he
had the seeds Of disease when he wrote End mon."
he continued to write, and in 1921 he published tho
eve of st. Agnes" and her poems. 1t is good
that Jeffrey published genial notice of these two
poea death w"na Oa ssnt At a
analysis OF Enc ymion the commonsr dongs eonld DO
easily a6slyzed, but there would be little remaining OF
original elements. The poem Endyn is full OF
element, and written in almost deliciousy romantic
style The tale OF Endymion worthy of the poets
Style it has all it Beauties and lacks Hnsh details.
1t is unfair to criticse him. There should be q
ship Of the ciesi young poets - game
wise Providence has called these latter Beings into exist
ence to keep down supefabundant growth of egosm,
and the great mouth Of criticism is always branching at
every green thing below certain mark. But the law
should protect Dung poets who true genius There
fore we will not have our laugh over Endymionn The
said that he had the daisies his
we will this les upon it, The lecturer proceeded
quote length from Keats aud said that there
similarity his espent lady and the Crstabel Of
CoeIidge The 'Eve at st Agues too good he leo
sad be talked about unless the critic could speak
in as beautiful prose as the poetry under
"Hyperion' Is fragment which received the
Greek tragedies. Shelley sad when asked how Keats
could like the Greeks in his poems, che Greek
and this resemblance be throughout Hyperion;
the story ends at most int resting portion The
his POEMS Keats would TO have drank of the HEM
lock in suchs quantity as to have given the imagna-
n un the IT. e. ns Ss Ss s
admiration for poetry not his own Keats was .
mannerist in writing, and he has many imitators
in America. His pecuiarities sometimes sprang,
no doubt from afectaton and he had many alterations
in pronunciation and construction He takes great hbsr
snatched up by his imts,ors He has great affection
for three four words and them continually These
faults lines the effect of his peculiarly fragile
physical organization 1t tue, as Leigh Hunt said,
that in other poet could be certain of opening
at any page finding much wealth of imagery.
Walter Savage Lander expressed the opinion Very
little wit is found in Keats poem though he is said to
have enjoyed jest well another No poet equaled
| him in luxuriancs of orItAent-
"A little nossless noise among the tree,,"
might be example Of his enchanting, playful way OF
treating negatives TO make beautiful smile. He was
often fantastic In his images, like his great pro.
otype Shakespeare. The Of Keats poems is full
Of gold AID silver fishes, ard it almost inn
quoted most literally from the poets creations Some
of these quotations may give idea of his style. He
seems to be the most Poetcal poet OF the century
most BEAUTIFUL should be the mightsst Spem or WAS
called the poet of poets and his mantle have fallen
upon Keats. He lived but half the life of Soanssr and
would certainly have excelled him in reputation His
body rests in Rome under the hadow of the pyramid Of
Sestes The lecturer closed with poetca tribute to the
memory of Keats. The audience small but highly
respectable in appearance and the lecture which was
pleasant affair." was listened to apparently with profound
attention