New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-11


the comments on Mr. Lowell, from which we take
single paragraph:
The "Bigow Papers" a series Of metrical pamphlets,
OF the great social and political struggle OF the New
literature Previous TO the publication Of this work Mr.
James Russell Lowell was already known on bOth sues
OF the Atlantic the author OF extensive volume OF
miscellaneous verses Generally speaking, ms Garner
efforts are impetuOus than powerful Buoyant ana
vigorous but bearing everywhere the marks OF haste
they display more fancy than imaginaton LowelIs
genius everywhere appears in contrast to Bryant Ear
from shrinking into solitary places, he loves great cities
and their cries and sets them 10 rhyme with hearty good
will. When he goes into the country IL is 10 have his
blood faster through his veins by the Spring morning.
and not to dream among Autumn woods We may rfh h
side OF "ThanatOpsis"
And what Is day IN June,
Then i ever come perie.. dsy day; IT,.
Whether look, whether We hsten
rV wS G ss fes. %ai 9 of f night ia sn'''H'
An instinct within that reaches and towers,
Agdgr.aPiag SetgGy s,oc- 81 Il ,o s. tgAi
Or turn the page TO the picture of the grim old castle
legra,p or "The Fountain" or the L" Indian Summer
ReveIie;" the same jubilant energy or flush OF HE
Teryades them ALL ana Ie Sa9s e T1s o
and flashing" through long page before II comes 10 a
earlier STYLE is apt to be both verbose pathological
faults only half redeemed by its fuency and rchness
greatest art" aud, unchecked by any eyerences CON
tennis the dead disappearing Past" BiOhoiatTy, ana
the dOard ORIENT after the fashion IN when an Eli
gsh pOetaster since converted to Conservatism Was
used TO deal with "Od opinions, rags ana tdltcfs Inc
imagery in those poems, drawn direct from nature Is
generally true and suggestive showing Keen eye ana
fine of anaoges That drawn from history Is less
successful Few Americans know how to use the CLASSICS
with due TetiCence and Mr. Lowes pages are injected
with such schoolbOy commonplace as Phldlan JoVes
syracusan tyrans Dodona groves Olympus, Ganymedc,
Tyr@n harps and rafting shields at Marathon ana now
metaphysical His sempolitical and social verses are
noble and manly exhoratons never wanting III ne lines
and finer thoughts but many Of them are spo by mixed
metaphors and horticultural rhetoric" We read them
at first with glow Of enthusiasm but their IRE seems 70
fgu1
Net1.s on enf Csis earip the date isl5 are thick.
set with stirring wachwOrds few are more capable OF
being reced with effect ON platforms, but they VIII not
the product OF poetaster: his Irene" The Requiem
"The Token" 1.-THE Beggar Bard" and 1.-THE Growth OF
the Legend" are really fine pOems-but its weaker ana
more spasodic verses calculated TO encourage poet
His prevailing faults as grave writer are that
he frequently cOnfOunds aspiration with INSPIRATION ana
never knows when 20 stop. In the Fable for Crdics
which may be compared with Leigh Hunt ieasd ana
on the field where he has since found his richest harvest
The intrinsic merit Of TINS piece lies m It's eamaor anu inS
general excellence OF ITS criclsns IN the cose OF WHICH
the whole tuneul herd" OF American authors are re-
viewed with keen appreciation and good natnred banter
The cathoicity Of the authors taste ana MS isceriet
are conspicuous in his lines on Emerson, LongieHoW,
Hawthorne Cooper Irving Edgar Poe, and Judd the au
tLOf OF the stIIklns idlNi, Va .'
He perhaps overpraises Mr. Wills ana nndeTc1'iniate
to Wordsworth In several instances he shows himself
alive 10 the prevailing defects OF his counymen Whch
are also his own.
The article is remarkable not only as a liberal cri
tiQue on favorite American poets, but as an exam
pie of the change i'm public opinion concerning this
country since the close of the war Speaking OF the
misconceptions mutually entertained of each other
by Engishmen and Americans the writer says:
"Of the mistakes on both sides ludcrOus and grave
we have the larger share. Distance 10 doubt mag
nes in their eyes our Chartist demonstrations and
Fenian riots; but they have never so msconcievcd
British statesman a., four yearsago we misconceived
Mr. Lincoln gone far astray in regard TO any crisis
Il, 4 Tho
springs and results of their civil war" With regard
to the comparative progress Of literature in the diff
ferent parts of the United States the writer hardly
does Justice to the South, which in addition to Mr.
Calhoun can boast of William Gilmore Simms' Albert
g. Pike, and Madam Octavia Walton lie Vert With
these qualifications we quote his remarks:
The boosted culture Of the South has always been
limited in extent and in degree The rare holhouse fruit
OF wealth ana luxurious Leisure II mas Deen dlspa{ed IN
Northern schOOsschOOls which IL II impossible 30 over
praise In the world Of letters, at least the Southern
states have shown by reflected hight nor it too much
70 say that mainly by their connection with the North
the Carona have been saved from sinking 20 the level
OF Mexico and the Antilles Since the revolution days II
awaiting how few Of the thinkers Of America have been
born south OF Mason and Dixons line The almost soil
tary name OF Calhoun poor equivalent for those OF
Prescott, Motley, Bancroft webster Lowell, Bryant
belong the single State Of Massachusetts,. Whether
look TO India Louisiana 1t would that there IL
something in the fire Of tropical sun which takes all the
poetic fire out Of AngOSaXOn veins, ana the Incidence
Is ucSpOllSm
same benumbing effect Like the spartan marshaling |
his HelOts the planter lOungng among his slaves
made dead TO art by paIayzng sense OF his own SUI
periOriy. Some years ago a scheme to establish |
Southern University was abandoned because the cutie
uar arsOcracy refused 10 associate with the teachers
All genuine Transatlantic Literature IS inspired by the
spirit OF confidence in labor IL can only flourish In
soil and for all ITS vitality, all its ASPIRATIONS It's
scant performance and large promise, must turn TO
NewEngland. It's defects and merits are those OF the
national character developed in the Northern States
and we must explain It's pecalartes by reference the
physical and moral conditions by which they are en-
yrOned.
The remaining articles in this number are on |" A |
Dutch Political Novel; Modern Views of the Atone
mentp in which the theories of our distinguished |
countryman, the Rev. DR.. Bushnell, arc fayorably
discussed; Face tie,' showing examples of ancient
and foreign Jokes parallel with those that current
in English literature; Archbishop Sharp" IN. Pre-
giving an interesting sketch Of a
brilliant French journalist and Report on Scotch
AND REMARKS UPON BANCROFTs MS.
CHARACTER or MAJORGEEERAL PHILIP SCHUYLER By
GEORGE /. SCHUYLER 8yo. Do A. David g. Francis
in the Ninth Volume of his " History of the United
sates Mr. Bancroft refers TO the public opinion against
General Schuyler occasoned by the evacuation Of Tcon-
deroga He asserts that Schuyler owed his place his
social pOstOn,-nOt TO military talents. and that
anxious and suspected Of want of personal courage,
he found everything 90 i'll under his command" His
friends urged him TO silence the growing suspicion
The courage Of the commander being
gone, his officers aud his army became spiritess" Al
though Mr.. Bancroft, elsewhere IN the same volume
awards high praise to General Schuyler officer and
the author Of this pamphlet accuses the historian