The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-28

great sea, and that sprang into fire and van
ished as he passed.
''At once saw him far on the great sea,
In slver-shnng armor starry clear;
And DER his head the holy vessel hung,
Clothed in white samite or luminous cloud.
And with exceeding swiftness ran the boat,
III boat II were-1 saw not whence 10 came.
And when the heavens open'd and bazed again
Roaring, saw him like a silver star
And had he set the SAIL or had the boat
Become living creature clad with wings7
And Ger his head the holy vessel hung
Redder than any rose, JOY to me,
Then In a moment when they DlaZed again
Opening, saw the least Of little stars
Down on the waste, and straight beyond the star
/ saw the spiritual city and all her spires
And gateways in glory ike one pearl,
No larger, tho the goal OF all the saints,
Strike from the sea; and from the star there shot
rose-red sparkle to the city, and there
Dwelt, and knew it was the Holy Grail,
Which never eyes on earth again shall see."
''The Coming of Arthur" is even more
awkwardly told. Mr.. Tennyson here departs
very materially from Sir Thomas Mallory, and
either invents for himself or else follows
some version of the legend with which we are
not familiar.
The most symmetrical of the new poems is
'Pelleas and Ettarre," subject not alto
gether the most pleasant that might have
been chosen, but important as a specimen of
the style of more than one episode of the old
romance.
The best thing in the book by far,
however, is "The Passing of Arthur" the
larger portion of which is familiar to every
reader of Tennyson, and which he has never
surpassed by any subsequent effort. In this
the difference between his old and new style
is distinctly apparent, and the additions that
the poet has made, while they raise the cpl
sode out of the character of a mere frag-
ment, confer no additional beauty.
In looking over these poems it cannot
fail to strike any one familiar with the
old romance as singular that Mr..
Tennyson should have so completely
ignored the story of ''Tristram and Iseult."
Next to the ''Quest of the Holy Grail" this is
the most important and the most poetical of
the sArthurian legends. It is the one that
has attracted the attention of poets more
than any other, but with the exception of
Matthew Arnold no English writer has treated
it with marked success Mr.. ArnOld's ''Tristram
and Iseult' is an exquisite fragment, and
being q fragment it need not deter another
from taking it up. There is a rumor that
Mr.. Swinburne intends making an effort in
, this direction, but considering the delicate
nature of the subject and Swinburnes we'll
known proclivities, no admirer of that gentle
mans undoubted genius can anticipate such
a work from his pen with any feelings of
satisfaction. The powerful human interest
| of the story, however, and the genuine
poetical feeling that pervades it would make
| it eminently suitable for the treatment of a
poet of Mr.. Tennyson's refinement and deli
| cacy of feeling, and we cannot but regret
| that he has not forestalled his younger rival
| by undertaking it.
In addition to the four Arthurian episodes,
| the volume before us contains seven poems,
| as follows:-'The Northern Farmer" new
| style; '"The Victim" ''Wages," '"The Higher
| Pantheism, d" "Flowers in the Crannied Wall, -
'Lucretius, and 'The Golden Supper" The
last is one of Boccaccio's stories, and it is the
best of the four pieces not hitherto published.
| We are glad to see that Mr.. Tennyson has
had the good taste to omit the two silly maga-
zine efforts entitled ''The Spiteful Letter
and ''I stood on a Tower in the Wet" which
certainly did his reputation no good, and
which may well be allowed to pass into OBJ
livion.
The impression left by this volume is that
the poet laureate has passed the maturity OF
his powers, and that while his taste is more
refined, his poetical sensibilities are less
vivid, and that we have had the best that he
is able to give.
| We have received from the Central News
Company, No. sos Chestnut street, Old anC
NeaC, the first volume of new magazine pro
jected by Messrs. Hurd Il Houghton, an6
which appears to be intended to occupy the
field once monopolized by THE -4tLGnttt
Monthly. The articles are of more sole
character than are usual in the magazines o.
the present day, but with the superfuity Of
light literature now before the public there is
certainly room for such periodical as this
HE initial number of Old and Neao presents
an excellent array of well-written essays OF
subjects of value and interest by magazinistl
of ability, and if the policy indicated at the
commencement is fully carried out, there vii
certainly be an appreciative public who viii
make the venture pecuniary success.
The Central News Company also send u
"Oranges and Lemons, the Christmas nun
ber of Once-a- Week.: "Golden Arrows, tn
Christmas number of The queer; 'Beeton'
Christmas Annual;" The st. James Monthly
Temple Bar; and the latest numbers of PuRc
and Foa.
The RioerSide Magasine for January i
handsomely illustrated, and it is filed with in
teresting stories and sketches adapted to tn
} tastes of young people.