The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-17
LITERATURE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

THE HE LIFE AND DEATH OF JASON. A Poem by
William Morris Boston: Roberts Brothers,
1857 Philadelphia Agent: Duffield Ashmead,
No. 724 Chestnut street.
Mr.. Morris, after giving to the public
number of tales in verse, founded chiefly on
the NEUROLOGICAL legends of Ancient Greece,
has at last ventured boldly into the broad
field of epic poetry, by the publication of his
Life and Death of Jason" The book has
been well received and heartily commended
by such fastidious English critics as the
Athenaum and the London ReUieD; while Mr..
Algernon Charles Swinburne has lauded Mr..
Morris achievement so highly in the Fort
nightly ReUieaC, that we fear he has somewhat
damaged the reputation of the author whose
cause he has espoused by the very fulsome-
ness of his praise. ''In all the noble
roll of our poets," says the enthusiastic
author of Claus Veneris," ''there has been
since Chaucer no second teller of tales, no
second rhapsOde comparable to the first, till
the advent of this one. For dramatic inven-
ton and vivid realism of the impossible,
which turns to fair and sensible truth the
widest dreams of legend, there has been no
guage of the London ReUie,o is more moderate
and, we think, more just. 1t says:-"We
have to repeat that this is a poem remarkable
for originality freshness, and vividness of de-
scription, and beauty and force of narration"
1t is quite possible for poem to possess all
these desirable qualities, and yet not to ap-
proach the quaint drollery and charming die
~ 1t a.
'Life and Death of Jason" however, we do
not hesitate to say that Mr.. Morris displays
the most perfect acquaintance with the man
ners, customs, and legends of the ancient
Greeks. In the attempt to seize the spirit and
language of the times in which his scenes are
laid he has likewise met with praiseworthy
success, although he has somewhat overdone
the matter, as in the following passage, taken
at random from the volume:-
But being now silent, at the last he saw
| A stir among those folk, who gan to draw
| Apart to right and left, leaving man
| Alone amidst them, unarmed, with wan
| And withered face, and black beard mixed with
That swept his girdle"
Mr.. Morris peculiarities of style will be seen
in the following account of the sailing of the
Argo, with which the Fourth Book of his
poem Opens:-
But through the town few eyes were sealed by
| sleep
When the sun rose; yea, and the upland sheep
Must guard themselves for that one morn a
Against the wolf; and wary doves may feast
Unscared that morning on the ripenng corn.
Nor did the milestone touch the scythe that
And ali unheeded did the mackerel shoal
Make green the blue waves, or the porpolse rol
! nI10h nha OF NO lio md uo Of has
"For 'twixt the thronging people solemnly
The heroes went afoot along the way
That led unto the haven of The bay.
And as they went the roses rained on them
From windows glorious with the we'll wrought
hem
OF many purple cloth; and all their spears
| Were tWlned with flowers that the fair earth
And round their ladies' tokens were there set
About their helmets, fiowery wreaths, still wet
With beaded dew of the scarce.vanished night
$50 as they passed. the young men at the sight
Shouted for JOY, and their hearts sweled with
But scarce the elders could behold dry-eyed
The glorious show, remembering well the days
When they were able too to win them praise.
And IN their hearts was hope of days to come.
Nor could the heroes leave their fathers home
Unwept of damsels, who henceforth must hold
| The empty air unto their bosoms cold,
| And make their sweet complaining to th'
That Needed not soft eyes and bosoms white,
! And many such an one was there that morn.
! | Who, with lips parted and grey eyes forlorn,
stood DV the WINDOW ana IOfBOG 10 cast
| Her gathered flowers as the heroes passed,
| But held them still within her garments hem,
| Though many q winged wish sue sent to them
| But on they went, and as the way they trod,
; | His swelling heart nigh made each man god;
While clashed their armor TO the minstresy
q | That went before them to the doubtful sea-
3 "And now, the streets being passed, they reaches
Where by the we'll. built quay long Argo lay.
! Glorious with gold, and SHINING in the sun,
D Then first they shouted, and each man begun
| Against his shield to try his brazen spear
I | And as along the quays they drew a'near,
7 Faster they strode and faster, till a cry
q Again burst from them, and right eagerly
r | into swift running did they break at last,
s ! Till as the wind-swept quay being overpast,
! They pressed across the gangway, and hlled u
The hollow ship as wine golden cup"
a Messrs. Roberts Brothers, of Boston, hav
a lust presented to the American public an ell,
K CANT reprint of the poem, which will doubles
. meet with large sale, as it is one of the fe
Il works of its character and pretensions whic
: even approaches mediocrity. The same fir
2 have also in preparation volume of NJ
v Morris shorter poems, entitled "The Earth
5 Paradise" /" in which he has wrought ont
), attractive style the story of Theseus, Cupidar
u Psyche, orpheus, PygmaliOn, Atalanta, BE
K lerophon, DOrothea and other charmil