, 1866-02-23
LITERARY.

An old Fashioned Snow Storm De-
: scrfbcd by New England PoeI
: Foremost both In time and wortliness of
the many books now preparing for the spring
tsadc, comes Whltticr's charming wlnteS idyl,
I"Snow Bound" announced for publication
by Mctsrs. Wcknor & Fields. This Is a slim
little book Of only 6f1y pages, containing a
descriptive narrative in rhymed verse Of one
Of those o]d.tashioned snow storms which
were the delight Of boThood and the terror OF
traveller during the first half Of the century,
D1t which, in New England at least, have
been omitted from the winters Of the last de-
cade. The price Of the volume Is forcible
reminder that the day Of cheap things has
dcparted-for although 50 small, aud Of \ size
that before the war would have been sold at
t]fty cents, It retails at dollar:and Il quarter.
It seems to me not only one Of the finest
productions Of Mr.. Whittier, but one Of the
most admirable things in the language, and
quite worthy to rank with Emerson's beauti
fnl description Of q Snow-Storm. The scene
is laid in the Rustic Quaker farmhouse at
Amesbury, where the poets boyhood was
passed, aud it is evidently a photo
graphic transcrip to from cmbered reality. AZ
tes psetusins the features Of The storm itself,
by which the happy household was q SNOW
bound" the poem depicts the individual
members Of the group which gathered around
The glowing fireplace, his father, mother,
sisters, the schoolmaster s'Loardlng round"
and other members Of the family, sketches
the contributions Of each In tale or sport for
the amusement Of The whole, and closes with
graphic sketch If the picturesque break
ing out the roads, and reference TO the
coming Of the local paper after the weeks
blockade
! cannot resist the temptation Of giving
your readers specimen Of the harmonious
whole, which, to say nothing Of the beauty
Of the passage, will indicate the manner aud
the metre adopted. sAt the risk that the
book Itself may be issued aud at your book
sellers 1efole the mail carrying this reaches
Chicago, select the brightest Of the quota
bic plums:
*.Aud when the eecond morning came,
We looked upon world unknown,
IN nothing We could cal! CTR own.
Around The gitkienfu2 wonder hent
The blue wills OF the fr1naucnt--
No cloud above. no ear.h below
A universe Of kky and enoH.
The Old familiar ichfs ol oErs
Took marvellous shapes: etrangc donea and .over1
Or rardeu Wsli. or 6e,t of wood;
A smooth, white mound the bru.b.p!te showed;
A tenoeleae path whers once uas road:
ns q no, o,d ~ m,H siss ts, s.
Tha vel curb had Chinere root;
And even The long sweep. high alool.
In its slant splendor. seemed 10 tel
OF Piss'e leaning miracle.
"A prompt, decisive nan, 20 hsesth
Or bother Haeted: tBoyt, PATH!
Well pleased tioE when e,d ta,met ooL
| Count encll a summons less lhso JoyN,
Oar buskinA on ouf 1ect VIC drew;
With mittened hands and cap= dra~n low
| To yunrd our nccks and ear. from enoRs
| We cut the # lid Whtrcness through.
| tunnel, walled and oyerlaid
| With dazyhuc crystals. We had resd
! OF rare Aladdine wondrous cave.
And 10 out ONE hi< tame We gave,
With many With The luck wire ours
| To test his lamps eupernal powers.
| We reached the barn with merry din,
AHd rpuRcd the pr1soptd bfutes within.
| The old hidss thrust his long head out,
And grave with wonder, cazed sboutf
The eock III busy greeting sa'd;
The oxen lashed then tails, and hooked,
! And with rtpnnach Of hunger looked;
! TIE horned patriarch of the sheep.
! Like Egypt'4 Amnn roosed from fleep-
| shook lbs sage head With rt-f~.rr. ,nnte.
And empna.ized s..s s'..a stamp Of boot"
-! . country family, showed In, gather by the
heafth.sidc and defy the storm:
1
Nc Fat the cesn.Elnted hearth about.
Content to let the noE1h wind rpat,
In bRfled rage al pane and door.
while the red logs before rs bext
Tue frott line back with tropic heat
And eTcr, when q louder blast
Shook beam ana raffer As It paesed,
| The mer71er up itt roaring hranght
The great throat OF tie chimney laughed"
The prisoners remain IN their SNOW embargo
many days, until. at last, the dove comes tc
their Ark in the shape Of a newspaper:
Al laet the noundcrtns cnuaer nore
The village papcr to our dnor
IQt broadening outward As VIC read,
\ To WARMER znres the horizon spread;
In panoramic length unroEled
We saw The InarTels that 1t lo1d.
Before nj passed the painted Greeks,
And daft McHrecor on his ralds
l In din Floridt1n everglades.
And mp Iayge;os winding slow
kode SpeilAnn's Matnote Greeks.
a Turks head at each Raddle.bowi
| Welcome to n Its week'old Dewr,
| lts corner Tor tue rnEtlE Mnte.
| Its monthly gauge ofsnow and rain.
| The veddjng kpeu and dltge Of death;
| jest, nEecdofe, nnd lorelorn tale,
! The latest culpdt sent to jail;
Its hue md cry Of stolen and lost,
| Its vendnc Ealee and goods 81 cott.
| Ant 1rnlic cal1in9 l0nd for gain.
| We felt the STIR Of hall md street,
| The pulse Of life that round us beafs
! The chill embargo Of tie enpx
Was melted In the gsrnal glow;
Wide kwung again ouf ice-locked door.
Il And MI the world Was ouzn once more!