The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-28
NEW BOOKS.

tho uttcranco of wild ibidinous longngs, and 'lko
ascivious regrets, IF frantic abuse Of oil that
mankind has agreed to consider, at least theoreti
cally rs holy, and good, and true,-the whole |
clothed in o wonderful brilancy of diction, and
adorned with almost unequallod mastery Of
rhythm, m,-if an this constitutes poet, then has |
this last volume Of MIR. SwNBURNE's unequivocally
established his claim to that proud title. Origin |
atty in high degree it certainly displays. 1t is
hardly too much to say, that there is not single
limo, from tho beginning to the end Of this extra
ordinary production, which can bo construed into
an endorsement Of the vulgar idea that truth and
purity at least to certain extent worthy Of tho
allegiance of humanity. Other poots have found
theme for their regrets in the fact that man had
fallen from his high estate, md have not thought
it unworthy tho dignity of their vocation to
Teach high thoughts and amiablc words,
And courtliness and tho desire of fame,
And lovo of truth and all TINT makes man. IlIl
but it has been reserved for MIR. Sw1NDURNE to add
now page to tho drawing-room literature of the
day, and to celebrate tho delights of the brotheln
sounding anapBsts, and the denominations OF name-
less lusts in melodous sapphics e.
A more practical homily on the text Evil, be
thou my Good" could scarcely have been penned
than tho pages of this book afford. The merit
of perfect consistency MIR. SwMBUnNE undoubt-
odly possesses. He props himself up with no
saving clauses; he indulges in no clap-trap express
sions of morality which his teachings belo,-his
regrets and his longings alike fearlessly
sistent. The hymn to Dolores, 30 wonderful in it's
gorgeous coloring, so fascinating in its melody,
may be regarded as embodying the cardinal points
of his creed:
Forcroeds that reflse and restraint
Come down and redeem us from virtue,
Our Lady of Pain.
Which agreeable result being obtained, we then,
according to MIR. SwNBURNE-
Shall see whether hell be not heaven.
Find out whether tares be not grain -
No doubt consummation dovoutly to be wished
It is almost impossible to convey just idea Of
many points in MIR. SwMBURNE's philosophy OF life
without quoting passages with which We would bo
unwilling to defile these columns. Some Of his
poems, wo are glad to think, will be utterly unin-
telgible to many of his readers for they deal with
subjects which, by the common consent OF man
kind, have long since been degraded to that region
OF foulness and filth with which few who read his
works, those of the last poet of the day,
likely to be familiar. Despite his really wonderful
power of rhythm, Nfr. SwNBURNE seems very often
to labor under great obscurity of expression,
which may veil very profound meaning, but which
certainly conveys the impression of very little real
mastery Of language. This obscurity was very ap-
paront In AtNdntd IN CdtyuOn.
The construction as we'll rs tho meaning of tho
following passage, from Atolanta IN Cdtyd0n, is
certainly not very evident:
Laughed, when dawn touches the sacred night,
Tho Sky sees laugh nnd redden and divide,
Hers, and the warm slow breasts of morning heave,
Fruitful, and flushed with hamo from lamplit hours.
And maiden undulation OF clear hair
Color tho clouds; so laughed sho from pure heart,
Lit with a low blush to the braided hair,
And rose.eolored and cold, hko very dawn.
Golden and godlike, chastey with chastc lips
faint grave laugh
The same involved and often obscure expression
is found in many of the poems in the present col
lection as for instance in tho opening sentence Of
the poem cat Eleusis.'
Men of Elcusis, ye that with long slaves
Bit in the market houses nnd speak words
Made sweet with wisdom as the raro wine is
Thfckened with honey; and ye sons of these
For pastime. or grave traffic or mere chance;
And all fair women having rings OF gold
On hands or hair; and chiefest over these
name you, daughters Of this man the King,
Who dipping deep smooth pitchers of pure brass
stopped with loose gurgie Of waters incoming,
Found me an old sick woman, famed and lean,
Whence multiplied thick song Of thick.pumed throats-
Also wet tears filled up my hollow hands
And pitied me; for as cold water ran
And washed the pitchers full from lip to lip,
Lol washed both eyes full the strong salt OF tears.
IL was 10 Dc expected tnaC poet VINO eV1Qently
puts 30 much faith in the power Of appeals to the
senses, should not dsdain capt alterations art
full aid and accordingly we have surfeit Of
such expressions as-@Intolerable interudes and
infinite ill'-''Memories shall mix and metaphors
Of me"-"Lilies and languor Of the Lesbian air.
Bathing the blossom by the bud"-"O lips full Of
lust and Of laughter" languid wet eyelids
and lashes, And laughs with Unsuitable ips"-and
| 80 forth, aG iryfnit,tn,
But indeed all the paraphernalia of Mr.. SWIM
BuRNEs poetry is open to this objection. There is
too much Of it. We are constantly hearing Of
"shuddering sensations" glowing ghosts, "fad-
ed fears 'heavenly hair, until are tempted to
wonder what Mr.. SwINBURNE would do If he hap
pened to wish to give expression to an idoa which
would not bend to this Procrustean ALTERATION
which seems to shape all his utterances. The follow
ing stanzas from Dolores well illustrates this
abuse of mechanical aid in the structure Of verse;
which is fast becoming mere curious verbal exer-
oise, in which certain amount Of what, in imita-
tion Of MIR. Sw1NBURNE, we may call melodious
monotony, is made to do duty for vigor or origin
atty Of idea
| Oh sands by tho storm never shaken,
| Nor wet rom the washing Of tdes;
| Nor by foam o the waves overtaken,
| Nor winds that tho thunder bestrides;
| But red from the print Of thy PAGES,
| Made amooth for the world and Its lords,
| hinged round with flame Of fair faces,