New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-23
NewOork DAILY Gribnate,
NEW PUBLICATIONS

LEhNfo VI pHhHo. W. W - "~'~ y
From We unique efhgies of the anonymous
author Of this volume which graces the frontis-
piece, We may infer that he belongs to the ex-
,pplary class of society sometimes irreverently
,tyled "losfers" He 10 therein represented ina
gsrb. half saior's half kman's, with no super
fuous sppendage Of coat or waistcoat " wide-
awake" perched jsuntily on bis head, one
hand in his pocket and the other on his hip,
with certain air Of mild defiance, and an ex-
preston Of peDsiye insolesce in his face which
seems to betoken a consciousness Of bis mission
as the looming man." This view ofthe author
is confirmed in the preface He vouehssfes,
before introducing us TO his poetry, to enlighten
our benigHted minds as 10 the true function Of
the American poet. Evidently the original,
which ia embodied in the most extraordinary
prose since the 'Sayings" Of the modern Or
pheus, was found in the "interOr conscious
mess" of the writer. Ofthe materials afforded
by this country for the operations of poetic art
we have a lucid account:
The Americans Of all nations at any time upon the
earth have probably the fullest poetic-l nature. Inc
United States themselves are essentially the greatest
poem In the history Of the earth hitherto the largest
and most stirring appear tame and orderly 10 iheir
a1opler arsenoss and stir. Here at last IS son eiig
in me doings Of man that corresponds with the broad
cast GOnes of tho day and night. Here IS not merely
nation but teemng nation OF nations Here 1. acuol
united from strings necessarily blind 10 particulars and
dotais mngniicenty moving in vast masses. Here -
@he hospitality which forever indicates heroes.
Here the rOuGhs and bearcs ana space ana rugged
ness and uonchalance that tue soul loves. Here me
performance cisdainirg the trivial unapprOached N
lie tremendous audacity Of ,s crowds aud groupings
and lie push offs perspective spreads win crGnpess
ard flowing breadth and showers IT. proc ana spen-
did exravae ance. One sees it must indeed own The
riches OF tie Summer ard inter, and need never be
bankrupt willie corn grows from the ground or the
orchards drop apples the bays contain hah or men
beget children upon women.
With veins full Of such pOetical stuff the
United States, as we are kindly informed, 'of
all nations most needs poets, and will doubtless
have the greatest ADD use them the greatest"
Here is iull.length figure of the true poes:
fall mankind the great poet is the equable man.
Not in him but OFF from him things are groiesque or
eccentric or fail of their sanity. Nothing out OF lts
place is good and nothing in IFS place is bad. He
bostows Oh every object quality lts TT proportions,
neither more nor less He is the arbter OF the diverse
ond he il the key. lie is the equalizer OF his age and
land he supplies what wants supplying and checks
what wants checking. If peace is the routine out OF
him speaks the spirit of peace large, nch, tnflity,
building vast and pOpuOus cities encouraging agTi-
culture and the arts and cOmmercehghung the study
cipa government marriage health, treerade, inter-
travel by land and nothing too close, n0t1lng
too lar the stars not too far OIL. In war nc IS
the most deadly force Of the war. Who recruits MN
recruits horse and foot he etches parks OF artillery
the beet that engineer ever knew. II the time be-
comes soihful and heavy he knows how to arouse 1t
- lie can make every word he speaks draw blood.
Whatever siagnates IN the fiat OF custom on obedience
or legislation, he stagna;os. Obedience docs not
master him, he masters IT.. High up out OF reach be
stands turning a concentrated llght-he turns inc
pivot with his finger he battles the swies runners
rs he stands and easily OVertakcs and cuvcOps them,
The time Starving toward infdelity and CONNECTIONS
and ptIslage he withh0lds by his steady faith he
ri reads out bis dishes. he offers tie sweet hr-
fhred meat that grows men and women. Ills BRAN IL
tie ultimate brain. tie IL no arguer IT, ne IL Ju'g-
meut He Judges not as thesJudge judges but as tue
sun falling around helpless thing. As he secs the
farhcst he has the most faith. He thoughts are the
bymns of the praise Of things. In the talk On the soul
and eternity and God of of his equal plane he Is sieai
He sees eternity less like play with prologue aud
denoutmont =. he sees eternity III men and women
he does not zee men and women as drea ms or dots.
OC the nature of poetry the writer discOurses
in a somewhat too oracular strain, especially as
he has been anticipated in his "utterdnces" by
Emerson, aud other modern prophets Of the
SOUP:
The poetic quelity is not marsbalel in rhyme or uni
fity or abstract addresses TO things nor IN nean.
choly conplanis good prcceps, but i the llle oil
4
rbylne is that il drops seeds of asweeteT and more lux
infant rvme and of uniformity that II conveys ilsei
into its own roots in the ground out OF slgai. Inc
rh yme and uniformity of perfect poems snow the Ire
Growth of motrcal laws and bud from them as uneE-
fir civ and loosely aCs roses on bus ana lake
shares as compact as the shapes OF chestnuts and
oranges and melons and pears and shed the perfume
npapable 10 FORM The u5ncy and ornaments oil
e finest poems or music oratOns or recltauons are
not independent but dependent. All beauty comes
from beautiful blood and beautiful brain. IL tae
ore atpesses ere i'm conjunction in man or woman II Is
enough. the fast will prevail through the universe
but The gaggery and gilt of million years viii not
rrovsil Who troubles himself about his ornaments
or fuercy lost. This is what You shall do: Love
the earth and SUI and the animals, despiSe riches, give
ms to every that asks, stand up for the stupid
and crayv. devote your income and labor to others,
hate tvras argue not concerning God have patience
and indulgence toward the people take OF your nat 70
nothing known unknown or to any man or number oil
men, 90 freely with powerful uneducated persons and
with he young and with the mothers OF families, read
these leaves in the open ar every season OF every year
of your life reexamine all You have been told At school
or church or in any book, dismiss whatever ms ats
yopr own soul and your very flesh shall be great
noem and have the rchos Iency not only IN It's words
but in the silent lines of Its lips aud face and between
the lashes of your eyes and in every motion ana JOINT
OF your body.
Such IL Il e poetic theory of cur Dameless bard
lie furnishes a severe standard for the estimate
of his own productions. His "Leaves ofGrass"
are doubtless intended as an Illustration of the
natural poet They are certainly original in
their external form, have been shaped on no
retxisteHt model out of she authors own brain.
Indeed, his ind pendenoe often becomes coarse
and defant. His language is too frequently
rsckl,ss and Indecent though this appears 10