The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-28
LITERARY NOTICES.

LITERARY NOTICES.
poEvq By Alexander Smith Boston Ticknor,
Reed 4 Fields. For sale by Taylor Maury,
Washington, d. c.
And this is the book in praise of which the
critics, from the Westminster ReuieU down to
the lowliest of our penny prints have swept
through all change of liveliest utterance +"
Heaven help Criticism, and send us back the
sutOcratic sway of Jeffrey for sometimes
oyer.use of the lash were better than the other
eztreme-botter than the unqualified, unlimit-
ed cayesses which have greeted the entire Of
Mr.. Alexander Smith into literature.
We have read this volume with some care
and estimating it as promise, we recognise
in it qualities which may lift the author to an
eminent position among modern poets, if prop
erly trained and guarded. 1t shows an imagi-
nation strong,of wing, fervent, and generous
fancy that seems exhaustless of images and
conceits-some choice, some execrable; con-
siderable force of expression and large ca
pacity of language, added to vital ambition
to be a poet which last is probably the best
feature of the book. Valued as a performance,
we think it merits more searching and caus-
tic criticism than it has yet received. 1t is, in
fact simply joint imitation of Bailey and
Tennyson, and successful to the extent only Of
the brawling transcendentalism, fashy phrase
OOy and dlsontedness of Festus," and the
ObScurities and measure Of Locksley Hall"--
utterly lacking the beautifully balanced spheres
Of thought which often interrupt the general
chaos Of the first and the sublime inspiration
and glorious eoquence by which the thought
OF the latter is TRANSPORTED, as it were.
The plot or argument (so far az it possesses
one) Of the chief poem-"A Life Drama y
seems to consist in an cndeavor to give EXPIRES
son. via the hero, to that fomenting process
which young nature, afflicted with much
d'ahy, andergoes during the progress of that
nsmeleSs period Of Life when the sentimentality
oil bOyhocd has just merged into the mock mis-
anthrOpy Of junior manhood, and he feels tho
roughly convinced that God is but stupen-
dous Spectator, and the universe and humani.
gtaIures Our hero reaches that ne plus ultra
Oh wisdom, meditates suicide, and--writes a
pOem-the greater sin of the two. No one
would read the poem twice for what it utiers ;
all Its value lies in the utterance. This consists
0i chaotic mass Of metaphor, imagery and
smile among which are to be found many
beauties, many deiormities, and some most la
u''fouS excuses. He paints us nights of orr.
en'ai masnifcence, respondent with stars and
qucehed by beaut,fullest moons, but no God
VI thought thrObs through his stars, or beams
IRON the beauty of his moons he strews hi.
pas'S win sunset pictures by the score--soms
=, '"ei" haidly to be surpassed in gorgeousness
VI 'oiOrlng and splendor Of treatment-but they
arc only pictures, only mechanical effects-the
accessories, the appliances, Of poetry, rattle,
yuan poetry ITSELF possessed of but little
'0oOsht and that fragmentary, disjonted, and
IO' original. Ia short, 80 far as this yolum,
1eAesents Linn, Alexander Smith stands to DO
."y IN the relation Of the costumer Of q theatr,
The acting Of play he has furnished The
garments, land motley wardrobe they make I
tn ' u0uoiets, breeohes, hats and plumes bu,
a we Characters arrive to fill and WHY them
sN gu can be no play-till thoughts arrive Il
~. "Niiy the images and SMILES of our
NJ 'Nere can be no poem.
"' predict Cor the book q popularity more
H. a than that Of FestusD and not un.
scco,.. character; yet we have hope of it,
s.i, '", u 1t come ten or twelve years hence
II should not come before.
Or, LIVERY IN the BARBARY STATES By
Cl.v.Ls- GUNNER Boston John p Jewett A Co.
Fu' ohio Jewett, Proctor, Il Worthingtou.
D !" tho Office Of the National Era.
dinsn. does one find book of such limited
torv '''aA eniolding such wide reach Of his
CON-, :" Tie one before US. Mr.. Sumner hss
conn.,. SEQ In hundred and thirty-6vc pages
B.,b r''Aen''vs sketches Of the history Of the
yerv ~ ''l'es the origin and growth Of Sla-
psd, '' the organization Of the various ex-
enm." l' 70 eject its suppression, by the Gov
and Is,' o. Spain, England, France, Holland,
Oftbs. by the United States; the results
,ery i !, ana the final overthrow Of White Sla-
10 IsIs 'e narbary States by Lord Exmcuth,
hric o.. shile' to vary the monotony Of his
k.,u,. p'at'on, and to illustrate the various
Ap an.. VI tho system, numerous and interest
'0's' and nasrssivss Of individual en-