Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-09

simplicity IN the plot, appear to Us too
naked, while the father Of the English |
Drama, by his improper use Of metaphors
and his unrestricted violation Of the unities
Of aetion, time and place, has incurred much
criticism. And yet, as long as men read,
they will ever give their admiration to the
Ilisd, TO the PrOmstheus, and to Hamlet.
Poetry is the language Of passion
and enlivensd imagination, and As long IS
the poet moves the reader, and sxeitsS the
emotion Of pleasure, snd, while 50
doing, instructs, ne will retain his
hold upon the reading community
It will be = narrow snd pusrile criticism that
shall condemn = poem because perhaps here
and there may be found comparison not
quite 80 happy, or word not quite SO aPtly
chosen, while the chief end and design of
poetry may have been attained to the full
est extent. Subject therefore to tho test Of
a liberal and enlightened poetic judgment,
it is with pleasure and cOnhdsnes that We
would commend to the reader the collection
Of poems contained in the volume before Us.
Itmay be a species Of literary Saorilegs to
build up the reputation G one writer BY dis
parsging that Of another, but We think there
are poems in this collection that surpass in
poetic merit some of tiOse poems Of T. BAily
Aldrioh. which have received the wArmsst
praise. We might easily cite for iIlustra-
tion many lines of exquisite tenderness and
beauty; but we would prefer to sxhib-
Il the sdihcs as 3 whole, rather
than a few stones carried sS As
SAMPLES, In the command Of the different
varieties Of metre the author has shown
great skill and versatility, and We have been
ssDeeialIy struck with his facility and power
In the use Of the spenserian stsnEa, 80 elaborsts
and intricate in its structure, and whose ma
jsutio cadence is so difieult Of management
As we have before intimsted, good poetry
should, indirectly at least, instruct as vel
as please, and in this connection We may
observe, that good sense runs through the''
poems, which, according to the HOratisT
, rule, is the first principle and fountain o
t writing well. In "The Mystery Of Life" il
which there is nothing Of the dark with e1
sessive bright by attempting to say an inds
, Unable something which no one can under
stand, We are plainly, practically and sensi
. bly, taught to read the lessons Of nature, !
b we would choose the right,-learn to live
b and learn to:die. In the ancestral Por
J.. traits" We have humorous, quaint, sn
life like picture Of the family household il
q the good old times, which aWSksns home
, felt delight, and strengthens the ties Of do
d mestio attachment. The poem entitls
!. "Mount Vernon" inspires the sentiment {
!, patriotism so much needed in the preser
4 sharp and dark hour, and in calling up th
associations connected with the spot
"Where sleeps the great, the good, the wise
holds up for our imitation and encourage
:, msnt the lofty character of him for whom a
nations must increase their Vsneration .
I. they increase in virtue and wisdom. Indso'
:. in almost all the poems Of the collection
there is salient idsa and underlying mora
which cannot fail to reach and Impress II
a understanding and the heart.
n We most heartily welcome this new eontr
II button to our literature of the West. Frei
!, and original in style and in thOught-fr'
u from serviIs imitatiOn-this volume Of poem
,s will do much to show, that while new PEI
- pie may be busy in developing their mstsri
N resources, and in cOnqusring the rude fore
OF nature, they do not always forget to II
to a higher level, and intsrrOgats nature
:. the shrine Of Truth and Beauty.