The New York herald., 1869-03-22
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LITERATURE.

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Reviews or New Books.
The BLAMELEss PRINoE, and other Poems. By Ed.
4 Co.
The initial and most pretentious poem in this COL
lection Is the least worthy OF Mr.. Stedman's pen.
His error evidently has been In overratng his
powers-a not uncommon falling OF poets In gene
ral-and in presenting to the public 2ls stanzas
OF as weak 1--WE almost wrote as trashy poetry as
any writer OF ability has published during the past
half century. The story OF '.The Blameless Prince"
rendered into prose is this:-A maiden queen OF o
great empire, possessed OF beauty allied to the
rarest virtues and accomplishments Is urged by her
councillors to marry. She REJECTS all suitors, among
them
In strength rs equal, but continuing
Its dearest foe through many u martial reign.
She 1nallY selects, US her choice. young prince,
whom she had met in youth, the son OF the
ruler OF small principality. He, while on his
journey to the capital OF his bride elect 'reaches
country seat that borders near the capital" where
"he was to rest from travel" The "gray-haired
noble" who dwells here has o young and lovely
wife-sa peerless woman" The prince ana this
woman instantly fall In love with each other, but
she strange reasoning y does not dshonor her hus-
picture BY q chain about her neck,n leaves
her, marries the queen, and determines 10
gathers an army and ID declares war 1 against the
queen. She sends her forces against him, her hus
band being second in command. The general-in-
chief is Killed ut the most critical moment OF the
battie the prince assumes CONTROL wins great VIC
tory, kills the king and is forever endeared to his
wlfe'a subjects. Previous TO this, however, he Is
such o model OF conjugal propriety that he Is
watched by env0us courtiers, who wish TO fnd MN
sus q s ss a a naos n des .e
and his peerless wife, after long secluslon goes to
court for the purpose or meeting the prince. She
has become lovelier than ever In the words OF the
poem,
She saw her beauty grow great,
Ripened as II . summer ield wero rife
With grain the harvester neclectfll, since
Hers was no mean desire thai sought prince
She meets him, the lamp Of love is reknded, the
'blameless prnce falls and she becomes his para
mour. For years their Illicit intercourse continues.
One day remorse suddenly seizes the prince and he
to ner that the present Is their last meet
while on hls way home o storm arises, and as on
horseback he galops nomeward an oak falls upon
sensDle Is taken to the palace fingers for while and
then desto the deep grief OF his wife and her sub
jects. HIS paranour is fied with anguish, believing
herself the cause Of his death. she reires to num-
nery and after time, being on the point OF death,
sends for the queen, who happens on visit to the
evidence to prove her truth, and winds up by suing
for pity. Her majesty "nies into" q most unbecom.
ing passion, anu in place Of forgiveness tells the
dying sinner
lam of God acsurst
or all his hated may he smite thee frstl
The wind up OF the story is chat the queen dies and
Is deeply anented. Such Is the poem OF 1.-The Blame
less Prince.n AS work oil art II Is failure; as
poem IT Is very poor. The material for exhibiting
great dramatic powers Is there, we admit; but Mr..
Stedman, In place OF 1magery-instead OF depicting
the passions ne treats OF III manner worthy Of the
poetic spirit which he certallly does possess,
glges US large number Of spiritless words,
strung together in a certain metrical length
and rhyming according to the arrange
ment OF his verse; There Is not o staiiza
In the poem which we can cite as possessing more
than the most ordinary power. Had the story been
told IN prose II would have excited but little INTEREST,"
told In verse as 1t Is told we feel no hesitation pro-
nOuncing 1t absolutely valueesS as an addition to
American poetic literature.
But while we cannot praise "The Bameess
Prnce 1t Is with pleasure that turn to the other
poems. "AnOnymao Is o production worthy OF any
poet Of the present day. There Il felicity OF
preston in the manner In which woman Of
doubtful character Is made to confess what and
VINO Is, that breahes the pure poetic spirit. We
read poetry III every line. 'Ihe Doorstep" too, Is
another tine poem; "TouJ0ur5 AMOUR Is spirited
and happily conceived and written 'The Hillside
have not space TO refer to by name can be read with
pleasure and interest by every lover or poetry. All
these, 1t must be stated, short poems, and we
would recommend 10 Mr. Stedman who Is undpubt-
edly poet of genius. and one destined, II spared as
we trust he may DC, TO win u high rank among Ame-
rlcan poets TO avoid for the present poems OF great
length. He should remember that IL Ii no disgrace
TO poet not to be able TO write two hundred aud
eighteen stanzas OF great poetry on one subject.
Moore's least successful efforts were his pre-
tentous