New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


movement this poem will no doubt long bear the palm
II is far more noteworthy than the great of trashy
ny sticism which purports to enanate from higher
sphere both account of the character OF the writer
or perhaps we should Say the medium through wnon
it WAS dctared-and of it's peculiar qualities as III
ersrv performance Mr.. Harris during the delivery of
the Epic was in state Of apparent trance similar 10
that of person in an ordinary magnetic sleep. Ii was
spoken in the course of iourteec consecutive days
from one hundred aud twenty-five to two hundred and
fifty lines being dictated at each session-occupying IN
the whole just twenty-sx hours and sixteen
minutes In the opinion OF Mr. Harris and his friends
be was in communion with the spirit of Dante duriog
the composition of the poem although it is not claimed
to have been produced from the immediate suggestion
of the great Forentne bard. OF the sincerity Of MI
Harris's pretensiOss no one who Is acquainted with
him csn doubt FOR moment No more earnest and
unselfsh enthusiast INDUCED in angelic visions
His favCre ideas have gained such mastery over his
mind, as almost to suspend the power OF conscious
yolition We do not hesitate to absolye him from all
suspicion of fraud or couson to the origin of the
poem. IL places no great tax our faith to believe
that it s the product that ecsatic state OF mind
in which the voluntary powers yield to inspiration
when words are put into the month as spirit gave
them uttera1ce-when the faculties quchened by a.
mysterious influence as surprising TO the subject as
to those who witness it-when what we call the
fash of genius" shines forth with light as sudden
and uDaccoHnabe the spendor IN the face OF Noses
as he came down from the mount of vision This is
the pc of the mental condition, of which Mr. Harms
presents an extraordinary example.
But we find nothing in the contents OF the Epic to
warrant tue inference that superior order OF spirits
assisted st its BIRTH II needs ghost TO tell us any
thing which it processes TO reveal We do not that
it utters aOy new truth, indeed any error It's
heavenly scenery is tumble of the Prophets, the
Apocalypse, SweGenbOrg, and the writer's own pure
and radiant Imagination. Tie composition is without
any plan-fTagmentary in the extreme-and even the
fragments often singulary ncoherent. The figures
of speech in which il prousely INDUCES, OF such
mixed order that many of them would professor
ofrhetorc die of spasms Ia like manner the dction
is often confused and slOvenly; the same words and
phrases made to do desperate service even fayOrte
sylabes like the prefix out, for instance are lugged
in frequently that obliged to hold our breath
In one place We have bit of TeDDysonian msgnif
cence-in another Alexander Smiths composite sx
pressons-then we are reminded of that poetic
fsgrati0n entitled " Festus"
With these drawbacks, to which cannot be blind
without wiiuy closing eyes are bound to admit
that large portion of the Epic spervaded bya vvidand
delicate beauty, by peculiar melody and grace Of ut
terance, and combines in common degree, re-
fined subety of thought with pure and lofty tone of
feeling No one but genuine poet could have written
such passages the following whether awake or
asleep:
"Mournful voices to me call
For strength love, pity, guidance, and relief,
As the Wild winds call to the autumn leaf,
And |, alas am poor and weak as they
Earth seemed burning wreck,
Rocking upon serpe mt swarining sea,
Despairing nations crowding on her deck,
Between the wo that is and wo that is TO be.
"There Spirit from the World of souls,
Like sunrise flashing Ger wintry sea"
Mountains, whose peaks in heavenly sunshine glow,
Cast equal shades upon the plain below
Within the shadow OF thy own high fate
Why sit foIlorn p
The soft air melts like mama my tongue"
Like morn in it's splendor
She dwells within her outer form serene"
For joy intense, above my nature power, flower"
Streamed through my heart like sunrise through .
Truth is the sky of the hearts deep ocean,
Order blossoms from the tree of love"
OF God and the Earth, the poet says:
+" lie holds il in his hand, as one might hold
dying dove, smoothing it's feathered gold,
Touching It's hlmy eyes and giving sight;
Touching its torpid brain and giving light"
Critic, can single sneer
Blot out the Summer from the yearl"'
"be trees through their flowers look up 10 the skies
OF the maDiac he says
The booming peals Of the dread thunder storm
OF madness, and the lightning bolts that strike
His quivering heart he ended, like
The end OF death-in life and joy serene
a slayeship is living tomb the poet declares,
And overhead, cold as the churchyard stones
The ieon trader sits
MI Harris finds the souls Of flowers in the spiritual
world and calls them Unconscious Loves" As 10
matter he asserts that ii it has positive existence,
then all spiritual being is subject to it, and
&" Its iron hand contracts, and all things cease
The sun itself is thought, and thoughts inner
suns, according to his philosophy. IAN matter ia
Gods tongue" and in connection with this announce
ment il quaint and beautiful description of the hu.
man tongue, worthy of old George Herbert himself
And here is something in the spirit of Sheney-tte
poet gees an Angelqueen, riding on white winged
eagle:
Her eagle, like spiritual throne
Moves at the 'yewless mandate of her will
Rapid es light, and a. its dawning still
And move with her through the ether
de comes TO central temple OF sun. like beauty,
having
Bright spires
Which typify the souls divine desires
And wind in spirals, lessenng till they end
In godcn flames that into ether blend"
And within the temple, is Presence
Whose burning light beams play
OeI tie great Pantheon, Ike day day
The great" Spn-Heavens' seem
Like Ely buds, whose golden amhers are
Sgns, and each petal a life blooming star"