New-York tribune., 1871-12-15

Mr.. ChannnS docs nov prctenu w po "Pui''' :"
tho use of language and sometimes lets slip pro-
vincialism which betrays the contaglon OF new
England habits, as in the line
"And yet the god admires to people cities"
nor is his organ of credulity always guarded from
mpcsiton as when he assumes the trick Of the Car
diff giant to be the discovery of genuine FOSSIL
creaturer" hero of the old days." and appropriate
transcript of the natural man."
In briefly summing up our impressions OF Mt
Channing's poetry. with which we own we now
make acquaintance almost as If for the first tme We
remark that it everywhere gives proofs OF devoted
and affectionate observation Of nature from innate
sympathy and love- rather than with any set purpose
Of seeking materials for poetic composition. do
does not go into the open air for the sake OF verify
ing the images he has found in books He carries
keen and watchful spirit into the secret haunts OF
nature detecting her wayward pranks and caprices
as we'll as her vital essence. Nor is his communion
with her inmost heart nero matter of sentiment.
1t has nothing in common with tho schoolgirls
ecstacies over trees and flowers or the passion for
the woods and streams of the romantic youth. 1t is
the fruit of atender personal intimacy combined with
the suggestions of thoughtful perhaps we should
say o contemplative spirit. Mr. Claiming notes ma
terial phenomena with singular exactncss. Highly
subjective in the general tendencies OF Ills mlnd'
| be looks ut nature through pure achromatc nc
dunn, and gives trust to Fictitious or illusive In
pressions. He never coud make the mistake OF sonc
of our popular poets in seeking for apple blossoms IN
August or ripe hazelnuts In May. TO him, moreover.
Nature is not merely collection of pre-kaphaelte
facts. but is alive and creative She has lesson for
| the soul, no less than for the eye. He studies her
various language" and aims to give ,it meet cx-
preston We have already done justice to our sense
of the aptness and fidelity of his natural denuatio'S
| But still we cannot regard these qualities as Mr H.
| w. Emerson seems to do in his quaint preface 10
| the volume, as in any way peculiar to the
author Of the "Wanderer" There wcre
doubtless brave men before Agamcmnon, nor is Mr..
Charming the first poet TO whom tho mysteries OF
the universe have suggested lessons Of natural pety
He has been preceded in the direction which isclalncd
for him as original, by Cowper, by Wordsworth md
| Crabbe. by Bryant and even by Mr.. Emerson him
self although he shows few instances of the mani
fold charms Of expression which SO frequently BE-
| guile tho readers Of their poems. The space of
| many years has elapsed since Mr.. Emerson, in ~
| impulse OF exuberant kindlness proclaimed new
avatar of the spirit Of poetry in the person Of Mr.
Ellcry Charming. But our educated public has
| never recognized tho announcement. Mr. CEanD'1c
| has found even a more infrequent audience
| for Us verse than Mr. Emerson. The adj
mirers of the latter are always enthusiasts; those
of the former are mainly apolorists.
| This GOODNESS towards Mr.. Claiming tic
part of the lovers of poetry may to somo cX-
tent be accounted for 10y the want of fa>ile
and graceful movement in his composition Bls
fanccs ale felt to be too elaborate. He works
in n stately harness, heavily strddcd with pre-
| cious adornments, and it impairs his freedom OF
action He is also too didactic for the popnar aSe
but without the lucidity that should attend upon
| attractive teaching. Tho secret however Of his
failure to engage the public mind is to be sought
! we apprehend, in the limitation Of his per-
sonal intellectual sympathes, rather than in the
defects of form which the admitted nttri-
| butcs of his verso. There few connecting
links between his poetry and the ordinary
associations of mon. He lives in golden palace of
his own, but the walls are high, and the key 10 tie
| gates is wanting. lie does not invite approach 20
its treasures and the world is too proud oT too in
different to court admission. This must always he
the case with poets so thoroughly subjective as Mr.
! Claiming They may be the meckest a1d gentlcit
of men breathing all the fair humanities" in te.r
personal intercourse, RVt their writings brtfay
spirit of isolation, not to say OF scOrn, which
sets at defiance the attractions Of 6yurathy.
In this volume, tho poet, it is true iIrls many
of his characters in persons Of cOmnol life.
but he seeks their company less on
their account than his own The fs'cr-
ucn Of Cape Cod and the farmers Of Conc"rd yt!i
thcr plain speech and rustic WAYS ere objects Of
interest With the subtle bard; but il is not ,iourh
anv cordial recognition of plehoian life as a sia}d
element Of humanity, 80 mrch fr,m a certain
dainty curiosity to pry INTO tie mysteries of nature
on q comparatively lover level of intellect anl
culture. The hardfsted mechanics. whose society is
affected by the fastdious scholar regarded with
nearly the same feelings would be specimen oi
reyeneTS;:. orisly bear OF gorilla, more as subjects
of study, than as partakers of the common
lot" But emotions in the abstract, emotions rs
,beinCs of speculation, afford no fit materials for
the nobe,t poetic art. There must he a genuine
scnse of the rustic beauty of Maud Muller III In"
bay-icd no less than Of the GuceD!y volultaOGsnoSS
Of Cleopatra in her purpl" state
II is this lack of wide sympathies that faIs
the poetry of Mr. Claiming from ffcr aces
to the heart of the public. His productions, III
MANY Instances. are sngularly ingenious ,--cvnc-
ing an acute and fertile, though not power
fnl imagination, thoughtful rather than emo
tional. with certain pathos at tines, hut
never a spark If humor Exclusive, and not mag
netic in their rit-with little play of fancy, less
boldness of invention and visible fire of pas
sion They form the poetry of the closet and not Of
the world; they will be read ii the library OF tie
scholar more than in the family circle; they address
private tastes, not universal impulses; and O course
the fit audience which they find will be few.
- $50 ~ e.. -
SPEECHES ADDRESSES. AND LETTERS on TNnrSTriiL
ATU F!StHCiAL QCEGTIONS. BY WILLIAM kkL-Li, NJ G
~. SH Henry Carey Baird
In this volume, Judge Kelley has made an
admirable selection the Congressional speeches,
able productions in which he has discussed
the principles of political economy in their Application
to the legislative policy Of the United States They are
remarkable for the energy with which they graphic with
.some Of the most profound pBobes of modern states
mar and and Of triti