Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-10-31
Bnyard TayEOr's " Picture of ST.
JOhn''

We have already announced the publication
Of this poem by Ticknor & Fields. The poem
Is q beautifully printed and bound volume of
22O pages. 1t consists OF poem, and four
books. The story Of the poem is thu. con-
densed by a writer in the Springfield Repub-
hcGn
In Tie Picture OF 81. John,'' we have
narrative, By painter, of the story of his lie,
He tells Of his early consciousness of some
thing in him different from tho-e around him
oi his Cutreaching towards the beautiful IN
ture and the impulse to embody this in art, Of
his leaving his early home for Italy, Of his
struggles there in the great work OF education
and expression, Of his love OF one above mis-
station, of fleeing with her and living in pGv-
erty, Of the birth Of his boy, of the death OF
the b0v 5 mother, of his return to Italy, of his
beginning the picture of the young St. John
with his boy as the model-a model for which
he had waited six years of the seizure OF the
boy by nis grandfa. her, the proud and titled
PEND !lo, Of his search for the child and his
finding t, Of the death of the boy ii his arms,
from a sab intended for himself, and at LAST, OF
ms working himself into the iight-into the
lul q passion and the peace OF heart which
come, from an apprehension of the divine de-
signs, and an obe4eit adaptation OF the life to
them.
TIE author SAYS, il lis INTRODUCED o. thai the
poem grew naturally out of certain develop
ments OF his own mid and toe story shaped
l..ef to suit the theuls. Ii is the work of
many years, and IS elaborated and finished
wch greet care. l, IS in itself work of art,
and : more t4ul,lesl in aILthe detail Of lis
cln 5leleness th-n any other American poem
II eq1sl .=ngtb. Iaieed, b yard Taylor has
aere gwen Us a specimen of the pOeticd 10
i= highest development, aud its most perfecs
l7lm. L. conscientious fidelity of execution
neither Longfellow nor Ten1yson have ever
s-rp4ssed the " Pic ure OF s.. John-" What
can be more 1oll--llly periec. in expression
than .e>e ver5.s describing the coming Of
sprng
~ dried 3D.. l;lI D-4-l's Shit= -hsdow passed
Prom -iz=d air and stoay earth, our fate
Then froIe -ae niiLeT cloud aad oos. ming b--st
U1,o lis summer hooks returning late,
Clme Iir- and lat his fJwsry fo3tpri1. stand,
setter -ll- wing Of dove, the ds al last
Kissed ~fere th=y slnots the * blue aud
tiAzd,
Aal .a .Le.r lisp rspls=d the fAylsu-d land
r5-a Gears Of gamlzy crystal wept tae pine,
Au- &C phantoHa plume the sea green arch
And z1rl.rs the meadow seemed 10 shine,
An d-y. ii blossoms crcsoo songs were sweet,
Aud sreet The pastoral music of the kline
Chm t-ousznc bells aloit, 10 meet
Td- l-sd=man's hsrn. n ,ouns lambs wandering
tleat.
Cn er the fy-e-.'- ltr- leaves sh=re slept
y darkness. but - balls. M .eatfing shade
Rsin-5 through sth .sa. the h1rryins waters made
Susie amid tie solitude, and sw-pt
Th--~ rci- .fI I-ur 4 t-- from AZ
Through sw=Iis Il sprou;iug leaf sid trape grass,
a thou and tints of forery bel and star,
To sing .h= years. ity ere It pass
TINS vo.vme glovys with the warmth OF the
Italian heart md me sky and sir and Iandsca pc
Of Italy, and in its in gerry and descriptions is
sometimes more sensuous than can De justified
to cur sev4rlr snd colder tastes, yet these. i
detects at all, are rare IN ths poem. No doubt
T4ylor's poetic genius sees not wholly through
spiritual eyes, and ITeaks tot exclusively the
ilBgu &c Of the world OF spirits. It is 3 warm
living genius, not dwelling apart from the
world Of beauty, but dwelling it and being
S part of il, and pouring over its creations the
rich col0ss and the warm light Of a tropical
imag;ns ion. He Is more like The painter than
the sculptor, ard gives not the cold hard
Io1M Ci TIE statue, OUT the hues lhat suSges'
the l;y.ug aad speaking original. Yet there is
nothing Byrolic in this characteristic Of his
verse, nothing, perhaps, which the highest and
mos sc1upulous poetic art would condemn.
The lesson r the poem is condensed into
this verse:
Whose f==t are hrn atho1gh his heart DC tost
wEo hold. his agony win ady hand
IuI lr be dumb, nd GaTcs his oIk remand,
Not weakly sacrifice, IS never lost.
The master he, whom Destiny obeys,
Though Sc ming first thwart the thing he planned
And whether forget coud mn, praise,
He the world, and lives immort.I days."
These publications I'll for sale by WILDER
II he FREEMAN Bookstore.