New-York tribune., 1867-06-20

MANY suggestions which will aid in forming an inn
partial estimate of the writings in question. There
is doubtless truth in the following passage, which
expresses some of Mr. Burroughs main points with
less dGuseness than is found in large part OF his
essay
The image Walt Whitman generally TO have In ms
mind is that Of the Earth, "roung, rollng' conp.GL
and he aims 10 produce effects analogous TO those pro
o1ntas or ideas of space or time address It not to
excite admiration by fine and minute eheets nut 10 leed
upon IT, Ike those made by Nature TO give 1t nc grasp
and whOlesomeness which come from contact "tn o
ties; TO yitaze it by bringing TO bear on ~ natal
FORMS and the width Of the globe, as the atlnophee
bears mon the blood through the ne gS wo
ing of the mind that reads or hears with the mnI that
podce as The female with the male careless OF mere
t Vel 1vsIlv achieving the effects OF highest art not
unnndful OF details yet subodnatlng every hhg 10 '
Yet no modern book of poems says little about Ma
ture on contains few compliments 10 her It's suOect
nom beginning to end Is MAN, ana Whatever ltr1s ~
or TOws of him the facts OF mechanics, the e OF
cities and farms and the various trades and occupations
What describe, therefore, must be sought IN l M
The poet not merely observer Of Nature, but Is nm
in her, and from thence turns his gaze upon peo
pie, npOn the age, and upon America hetstoore, @ W W.
have had Nature talked OF and discussed! these poems
approximate 10 direct uteIanee OF nature herie .h
this comes. in sense the male prlncple OF tDe
book, which gives that erect proud aggressive lehoo
character, the opposite OF daylng o. oa
pocuc sweetness, OF Ieclhhg ~ ctsepu ~Illcl LII
mans rude health and strength and goes forward WIN
snewy life and action From the same source aSO comes
that quality Oi the book when makes ~ on lIe
almost little literary recOndite as the rocks ana te
q Spring Yet caIeIul alall
shows that the author has certainly wrought with an
the OF literary composition al command In inc
tuec that the book Is great IN prmOrdai, aDo
HgAI SENSE u - great III go, th'Ln Lies - sOlI.h ~
rIiry sense. II touches aud includes both extremes nos
only Is the bottom here, hut the top also not only an
that science can give, but more beside NO DOUBT ts
fret greatly misicd the critics who failed to discriminate
between Wldncss and 'av0ecry, as waiting Tor sci
and culture, and that vital sympathy with nature
and freedom from conventional literary restraint, winch
comes only with the fullest science and culture, ana
which is one Of the distinguishing features OF our author
After becoming acquainted with Mr.. BurrOughs's
theory of poetry, which he sets forth by fits and
snatchcs of eucidation rather than by set formal
phrase the reader will be at loss to comprehend
the srcret of his enthusiasm for Walt Whitman.
lie has grown weary of the dainty pretinesses and
smooth decorations of which he finds many in
stances in modern verse; and turns for refeshmcnt
to the lusty healthfulbess and rugged charms OF
natural expression In his view the ancient repre-
sentation Of beauty riding on the back OF lion has
profound allegorcal significance that has been lost
sight of great degree by tho favorte poets Of the
day. The word Nature in their hands, suggests only
some flower bank, or Summer cloud, or picturesque
scene that appeals 10 the sentiments. But Nature
does nothing merely for beauty; it has an immense
ackuound Of vast energy, as Of earthquakes, and
ocean storms and cleft mountains; and when this
background IL wanting beauty ~ emascuatcd. aud
strurk with death IL never knew how beautiful
rcd-brd was I'll / saw one darting through the
rcces,cs OF q shaggy old hemlock wood. In like
manner the bird Of the naturalist never Interest
us like the thrush the farm boy heard singing in the
codas 40 twilight ~ he drove the To pasture OF
like the swallow that Jew gccfully in the air above
him as he picked the stones from the early May
meadow Poetry nowadays is an attempt to give
Us b,auty wihou; the lion 1t has the merit of form,
Of color Of jewels Of perfume, but Is without the
charm Of the aboriginal might which gave such sin
cvy strength to the Grecian bards Walt Whitman
iu the view Of tie author, stands alone in these
degenerate days as the poet Of pure, unduted, ma
jestic Nature He has the courage, the stamina, to
accept the facts in life. which all else ~ founded
He oorrocts the false and artificial idea Of Nature
which has made poetry ohcmiHatc and slckly. and
hence the author halls his appearance a. the most
important literary event OF our times. Alr. Bur
rougiss theory in fact repeats tho old apologize
for Michel Angelo IN comparison with Raphael, but
sc must think twice before admitting is application
10 Walk Whitman as against Tennyson and Brown
mF