The Portland daily press., 1867-08-02
Recent Publications.

A STORY OF Doom and other Poems By Jean
Ineelow. Boston: Roberts Brothers.
The popularity of Miss Ingelow's writings
in this country is sufficiently attested by the
fact, announced by Messrs. ROBBERS Brothers,
that since the publication OF her first volume
in 1868, they have sold no less than q, 900 cop
les of her books. The present volume is likely
to greatly increase this favorable estimate, as
it shows that the authors powers, far from de-
teriorating, have been steadily growing. "The
Story of Doom" is an epic, dealing with the
closing days of the antedi luvian world, and
the personages it presents to us are Noah, his
wife Niloiya, his three sons, Amarant "a slave),
the 'impious Giants, and the Enemy of Man,
with his associates. t...s 4.t. n. p ll
These dramatis persona will naturally sug-
gest those Of Millions Paradise Lost, and the
reader will wonder that Miss Ingelow has dar-
ed to tread such ground. But examination
will show that there is no lack of genuine
originality here. The London Athen9um,
the first among English journals to recognize
the genius of Jean Ingelow, in its issue of
june %, said in reference to this poem:
We have noticed first Miss Ingelow's dealing
with her supernatural agents, because they OBJ
viously claim for their delineaton the highest
faculties OF he poet. To have presented them
as Miss Ingelow has done, with an individuali-
ty that keeps them distinct from previous rep
RESERVATIONS. almost accepted as models, and
yet to have made them consistent and impress
sive, is an achievement the mere naming of
which involves high praise.
And in another place: aa. a '.
Gu The touches by which she reveals to us her
Evil Powers are quite sufficient for indication;
while, with true poetic instinct they stop short
OF hard and positive definition, and feed the
sense of mystery with the obscure and the
conject tural. t..tt ,t..i Id al
For ourselves we confess that the shorter
pieces in the volume have the most tender and
delicate charm. The lyrics entitled "Songs on
the Voices of Birds" are especially beautiful;
and are remarkable as evidences of the writer's
power to interpret the various voices OF Nature
in accordance with the manifold phases of bu-
man feeling. We select single specimen:
~ THE wARBLING OF BLAcKBIRDs.
When hear the waters fretting, r.a
When see the chestnut letting
All her lovely blossoms falter down, think, "alas
Once. with magical sweet singing,
| Blackbiris set the woodland ringing
| That wakes no more while April hours wear them
| qs In our hearts fair hope lay smiling,
Sweet air and all beguiling;
And there hung mist OF bluebellson the slope and
| ~ a. down the dell. r. 4, Il- .I-IHa.
| 81 And we talked Of joy and splendor
| That the years unborn would render,
| And the blackbirds helped with the story, for
| soo They knew it well. ..h .4;r
Piping, futiug, "Bees are hnmming, ii1
l. April here, and summer coming; =,
| Don't forget us when you walk man with men, In
Z, Think DEiae on usi as IN alleys shady, ,. .
When You step graceful lacy;
/ L have lupG little girl anu
! "Iaugh and play, o lisping waters, .
/ t Iull our downy sons and daughters;
Come, o wind, and rock their leafy cradle in thy
| d When they wake, wen end the measure
9rl With a wild sweet cry OF pleasure,
AMI Hey down derry lets be merry! little giri
| q" and boyP"
poem full of the authors peculiar felicities OF
description. Take an instance or two; .
h. Thy kingdom come. ...........
| heard Seer cry,-"The wilderness,
Shall yet ae be gad oP PiSi linn, and He shall bless
| Crhy kingdom GOMEZ with His revealed face
.rbe forests: they shall drop their precious gum
| And shed for Hin their balm; and He shall Weld
The grandeur OF His speech to charm the field.
Then au The sooihed ,cinds shall drop TO listen.
| ~ (Tby kingdom GOMEZ iat llIsl .4I = a.f
Confvrfed eaters tcaren calm shall gIisfen
WEh 5asstlt trembiement beneath His smile
And echo ever the while Hi1-' l1-- rs' '-
Shall take, and in her awful Joy repeat l,.. ID
The laughter of His lips-(Thy kingdom come)
And hills that sit apart shall be no longer dumb;
No, they shall shout and shout,
Raining their lovely loyalty along the deny PLAN;
And valleys round about"
What vividness there is in this picture:
The quivering butterflies in companies,
i ld That slowly crept adown the sandy maze
Like living crocus beds, and also drank, II'.
% And rose an orange cloud;-
Or this:
And visions of the sky as OF a cup
HaiIing down light on pagan Pharaoh's sandy
And dank stone faces marueiovsly bland.
But we have not space to multiply extracts