Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-12-09
N E w BOOKS.
Under the Willows"

James Russell Lowell, just issued by Fields
OsgoOd & Co. 1t consists OF a collection Oh
the early and late verses written by Lowell,
and most Of the poems are old acquaintances-
The one which gives the title to this book
was published last summer IN the Atlantic as
a June Idyl " Few authors have achieved
=, wide and enviabIe a celebrity as Lowell
for he has equal and deservedIy high reputa-
ton for his humorous and as serious poe
try, and for his critical essays in prose The
Springfield Republican says of him:
This virtue hast thou-to have nobly dared
It is worth remembering that his first ap-
pcarance in literature WAS in verse. When
in college he was addicte to easy writing of
rhyme. and at the age Of eighteen was secre-
-ary Of 4 college society whose records are
kept in verse. A year later he was class
p1et (iust thirty wears since), and mis- verses
were printed They dealt, among other mat
ters. with the =. transcendental movement, p"
and the Young satirist made what were then
esteemed smart hits at Mr. Emerson and
his syInpathizers. Three years afterward, in
ISL he published Z volume Of poems which
shovel that hehad become, not only
transcendentaiist," but an abolitiOnist and
radical reiormer generally. From 1910 TO
1850 was his productive period in poetry !;
since when he has given precedence to prose,
and has developed that singular felicity as
a critic which makes all he writes go at
tractive.
It Is not as poet, to be sure, that Lowell
makes his prof shots, or, if so, 1t is ct the
Yankee tGrkey-matches, where Hosea Big
low blazes away with his shooting iron, and
not in those trials of the silver bow at which
divine Phoebus presides. He has added a
~ ned
from the huckleberry pastures Of the Yankee
dialect but it is humOr more than poesy
that makes it blossom as the rose. And yet,
like so many American poets, he just misses
the hight Of the singers art. Emerson,
BRYANT, Claiming, Longfeilow, Whittier,
approach but do not attain it. Lowell, in
certain ways, comes as near as any, but he
too fails, and his serious poems please US
rather attempts tha9 as successes.
We quote for our readers the piece that
appeared in the New York Tribune:
DARA.
When Persia-s sceptre trembled in hand
Wilted with harem heats, and all the land
Was huyered over 10y those vulture Ills
That snuff decay in2 empire from alar'
Then a. a nature balanced As star,
Dara arose Il shepherd OF the hills
lie who had governed heecy subjects well
Made his village by the sett>ame spell
Thrn. gathering, strength by slow and wise degrees,
Under i = sway. t. neIghbVr villages
oder returned, and faith anu justice old
Nov when it r,rtune,I that a King more wise
Endued the realm with brain and hands and eyes,
lie sought on every side men brave and just;
And bt,.'r.. beard our mountain shepherds praise,
How he relllled tie mould ef elder days,
To Dart gave a .tftpy III trust
so Dara -hepherIed a province wide,
Nor IN his vIceroy scepter took more PRIDE
Than in hi- crook before; but envy finds
And the frank of natures clear and rare
Breeds poisonous ioS7 IN lJF ana marIsh Ininds-
soon 1t was hi-zed into the royal ear.
That, though wise Dara's province year by year,
Iet, when ne squeezed 1t AT the kings behest,
yellow drops more rich than all the rest,
Went IL the Glllns Of his private cup
For proof, they said. that wheresoeer he went
! cie-t, beneath whose weight the camel bent,
5at 5ai MAJ w,'.' tea hen any l @ univ D45 own:
But, when . was opened, all hi- tent was known
IL glow and tighten with heaped jewels sheen
The king set forth for Dar..'s province straight;
There. iii. outside the cIty's gate,
The vIceruv met him with q stately train,
And there, .th trchers cIrcled close at hand,
4 camel with the chest seen 10 stand
The kings brow Redeemed, for the guilt was plain
Ope1 ne here he cried this treasurechesti' -
Twas done. and only worn shepherds vest
Was found therein. some blushed and hung the
~ot D.ra. open as tae ssg'= blue roof
iIe si.o,I. an '' - my lord. behold the proof
That wae faithful to iny trust he said
O. TO govern men, 10 al the spell had
Nv soul Ia these rude Yestments clad
-tIll to the uu-Tained past kept true the ieal,
still on these plains could breathe her mountain air
And fortunes heaviest 2lft- sincerely bear,
Which bend men from tlcir truth and make tneH
reel
FOR ruling Vgi-eiv 7 -nould have small -kil
We're / not lord of simple Dara -.iII;
That -cepter kept could not lose my way-H
-t-stnEe dew ROY a ewes grew round and bright,
And strained the thrObbng Ids; before { was night
Two added provinces blvst Dara's sway.
The poems are printed on tinted paper
and the appearance of the volume is nnex-
ceptiOna Die. For sale by WILDER.