New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS
MIL1ER's SONGS OF THE s1ERRAs.

The composition Of this volume affords mesh |
proof that the highest literary culture is not essen
hal to the successful exercise Of the poetic faculty.
Homer Shakespeare, Burns often referred to as
Ilustfations Of the superiority Of Nature to Art III
the sphere of imagination, while the elaborate TRAM
ing Of the most celebrated living poets has been
unable to rival the spontaneous productions OF moss
children of song. We do not Of course, intend 10
compare Mr.. Joaquin Miller with those Illus
trioue names, hut he may Justly he clsSSeu
with the poets who have displayed degree
of genius signally out OF proportion 10 the
ripeness Of their studies or the fehclty OF
their environments With the exception OF Byron.
whose soul he has revived under the inspiration OF
the Sierras he shows no traces OF communion WIN
the master-spirits of poetry who still exert SOW
ereiRn influence in the realms of fancy No Signs VI
classical enthusiasm arc betrayed IN ms g"Sn'"e
0fsiouA The discipline of letters has given place
IN his experience to the suggestions OF the mountain
and the forest the sky and the sea- Ills university
has been found in the luxurlant domains Oh "esUoIn
Nature his lessons have been taken from the lore OF
the prairie and the wilderness; the brown maidens
of the tropics have been his teachers; and he has
DrotAd nobly bv the instruction. His eye has drunk
in the Clories of rising and setting suns upon the
ancient hills has reveled in the wealth of the sun
lii scenery of the South and delighted in the won
rous beauty of the birds and beasts of the primeval
forest Most of his verses have the unlicensed free
dom of the wilderness, and are rs fresh and I'M
colored by foreign influences IS the morning dew
on the gstening plains. Hence his poetry If orig
inal As it is the growth Of original scenes, and has
favor of it's own as peculiar and characteristic the
aromatic blossoms of tropical forest Compared
with the popular poetry of the day. it has the charm
of absolute freshness revealing new forms Of Nature
and passion, as journey through those virgin re-
gions brings entertainments to eye and car that
are not known in the beaten routes of dusty
travel In like manner, Mr.. Millers personal
descriptions are all at first hand. He does not invent
hs characters but draws upon his experience for bis
portraitures of individuals who reproduced with
the same essential features, though in different
forms throug hout his poems. His favor1te subjects
for men are derived from the awless life OF noun
tain adventure while the dark beauties OF the forest
kRure a. women in the vivid sketches that are all
&nlvened with q touch of ByrOniC wlldness and
overwrOught intensity The moral tone of the poems.
perhaps, without exception, is cynical and msan-
thropic They show CLEANS of faith i'll man or
trust in God. A sOmber gloom broOds over the page
We do not say that this the expression of the char
Acter of the author For auGht know Joaquin Mil
rmay be sunny in his personal temperament as the
Verdant glades of his sierlas. But this is the
dominant cOlOrinR of his poetry. His despair H.
perhaps not sulen or violent, but 1T is grim and
desOlate. His poetry has nothing to raise man
above himself TO take him ont of the domain of
slOw-thoughted cares" and unclean temptations, to
quicken the aspirations Of his better nature, and
reveal vision of Heaven amid the sOrrOws and
shortcomings Of this "dm diurnal sphere"
Nor is he more familiar with the graces OF fine
aesthetic sense, than with the in,nuIses Of pure
moral feeling He does not attempt like Bryant, to
clOthe the moitOns of ethical wisdom, of tender
in ka
Lowell. to give expression to generous aspi
ratiops after truth and justice in the relations
Of society nor like LOngfelOw to touch the univer-
sol feelings of humanity by pathetic images gathered
from the pOetcal wealth of cultured ages. On the
contrary be prefers to dwell in limited sphere of
Thought and feeling, to lingeT among the Wild men OF
the woods or with the frerbOOters who have come
up from the dregs Of civilization to paint the pas
sions of the heart in their Cudest not to say their
most uuhallOwed manifestations. His verses show
the same. disdan of poetic art, which his morals
evinee of the conventional ussges Of society Their
negligence and incoectnesS OF expression Is often
equal to their perversity of sentiment Extrava-
rance. slang, bathos are blended in erratic cODfu
sen with bursts Of imperial splendOr \ few IA
vorite phrases are repeated to safety in the midst
of passages which are radiant with imagination, and
papitatnR with all the vitality Of exubeFant tropi
cal life Still no critical f Mr. MilleTs poe
try should impair our admiration Of the and mag
nceRt qualities which it exhibits in it's bOldness OF
conception. vividneSs of description, aud freshness
and force of utterance. A sense Of its faults may
eaSily be forgotten amid the blaze Of unTeasOning
enthusiasm which it may en-; is hut no clearneSs
or ColtnsDs Of indZuent should be permitted 10
weaken a cordial appreciation of its merits,
The most complete though not the most charac-
teristic, poem in the volume perhaps is that with
which il opens and which affords fair specimen OF
the authors peculiar merits and defects In the
very commencement Of the piece, we have fore
taste of the gloomy satuTnjne spirit OF which ire
ouent instance will be fOund in the course of the
work The Language, however, it should he added.
Ia not that Of the poet hut Of the hero Of the story
but his experience as related by himself, evidently
touches a chord Of sympathy in the breast Of the
writer.
And have said aud ay IL ever,
A. the years go on and the world goes over
Twere better 70 be content and clever s YER
In tending ~ cattle and Tossing OF clover.
In the grazing of cattle and the growing o. grain
r. rI even ia o. Eine in the red.tippd clover;
For they lie dow and their rests are rests
To lie rise up and repOse again;
And hope TO ride on the pillows Of bOsoms,
And hope 10 rest in the haven Of breasts,
n e1c1 n S Cover w H. crown Of bssO@s
Even a. blossoms ere the bloom ia shed.
Kiss'd by kline and the brown sweet bee
For these have the sun. and moon, and air,
And never q bit Of the burden OF CINE;
And with all Of orr caring what ntOie have wet
would court content like q lever lonely.
would WOO her. win her. and wear her only,
And never 60 over this white sea wall
For gold or glory or for aught at all
The portrait of the aforesaid hero is in the style Of
gorgeous cOloring which prevails throughout the
SOlume.
His brow was brOwn'd by the sun and weather,
And tOuchd by the terrible hand Of time;
His rich black beard had fringe Of rtme,
As Silk and silver inWove together.
There were hoops Of gold all over his bands
And across his breast, In chains and bands,