The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-12

Criticisms Of New Books.
COLLECTIONS OF THIS MAssAcHUs ETTs HISTORICAL
SOCIETY. Fourth Series. volume o. Fifth series,
volume l. Boston: Published by the society. 1871.
svo., PIP. 49, 527.
Here are two porrly volumes, printed In the ele-
CANT and accurate style characteristic OF the So
ciety, whose imprint they bear The Massachusetts
Historical Society has outliye1 three-quarters OF
century, and the present issues maze the thirty
ninth and rortieth volumes OF its printed ''Colec-
tions.n or all oar Historical Societies 1t nas been
the most prolific in publications. though we are
not always able to recognize the special va ne OF
some OF them to the world. The nth series opens,
for example, with third volume OF 'The Winthrop
Papers," series OF private letters OF two centuries
and more ago, all conceivable subjects. grave
and trifllng, which have been spun out into 1900
pages OF print already, and stll we are promised
several volumes more OF The same sort In the pre-
face to the present instament. Surely it Is not
cessary for US believe tlat everyb0dy's private
letters, full OF domestic tribes and theo-
logical platitudes, are history Or does the
Massachusetts historical Society, because Its
President happens to be Winthrop, choose to print
everything that sYlables that name as a contrbu-
ton to socalled "hstory - The other volume OF
the present Issue consists OF much more worthy ma
teria There is IN 1t large amount OF original in
formation respecting the early settlement OF Virginia
There is hitherto imprinted letter from John Pory,
Secretary Of Virginia, to Sir Dudley Carleton under
date OF 1919, lull Of information about the condition
OF the colony There Is a letter from the virginia
Council to the Lords OF Trade and Plantations In
1926 and there is the very important narrative OF
.'Captam Thomas Yongs Voyage to Virginia and
Delaware Bay and River" in 1884. These papers
have been very carefully edited. with coplous foot
notes and historical ana biographical elucldatOns,
evidently by hand who Is familiar with the remark
oNto Il hia m: fho nj
Company OF London. There are here also half q
dozen for the reprievng Of criminals out OF
Newgate, upon condition that they be transported to
Virginia. other ports beyond the seas, with rr0yiso
that they returned no more to England. These bear
the early date OF 1917, showing how early that
colony OF gentlemen and cavaliers began 10 be af-
nicted with coasser kind OF cattle. The Virginia
Papers" are followed by long series Of letters
which might be called the Bouquet Papers," since
they consist OF nearly two hundred pages OF letters
to and from that distinguished officer Henry Boquet
written In 1890 aud 176, and all relating to travels.
explorations, sktrmishes, negotiations, &C., at the
epoch OF the French and Indian war; The value Of
these papers as materials for American history at
period imperectly understood is very great, and we
may look to see future Parkmans and Sargents ex-
plorng chs new mine now opened to view, and
weaving the results into vital history that Will
stand the crucial test OF criticism. We will
only add that the running title OF this
volume or letters, 1.-THE Aspinwau Papers," appears
to be singuiary inielicitous It Is true that they
were once the property OF Colonel Thomas Aspn-
wall, who purchased them IN pc, where large
part OF them had been the scattered relics OF the
rich, historical and documentary library Of George
Chalmers Secretary to the Board Of Trade. But why
publish collection as 1.-THE Asp1nwall Papers,"
which are now In the possession of ian eminent
olinr ao{Sr Aavu Vow
informs us, and the property OF which has changed
hands many times overf
TIE NEW AMERICAN PoET.-.soNas OF TIE SER.
RAs. BY Joaquin Miller. London: LongmanS 1871.
limo, PIP. XIII, 30l
This volume opens with modest though manly
preface In which the author tells that the poems
were written on the rough edges OF the frontier,
wnere he has spent OF his te "walled from the
world by seas on one hand and the Sierra Nevada
Mountains, in savage grandeur, on the Others" and
where "rhyming is considered mild type OF insan.
ity." Going TO London last year ne, for the first
time saw New York. which he rather nippanty
styles ga great place for cheap books and big den
OF small thieves" He had previously told Us that
''the CITY OF Mexico was my Mecca, and San Fran.
CISCO to me, marvel Of magn!ncence and clvlliza-
tou." We gather from The few hints OF an autobio-
graphical character dropped here and there In the
poems that mir. Miller has lived chiefly In
Mexico. Arizona and California: that he accom-.
panied "the Gray-eyed Man OF Destiny" William
Walker, In his Inflated Ncaraguan expedition, aud
that he longer very young. although tells us,
"Poetry with me Is passion that defes reason"
Although thick volume, this book embraces only
seven poems. The shortest, Burns ana Byronn
was written in England. and has nine pages, and
the longest, "Ina," has over one hundred. The
others ore entitled, "Arazonian," "with Walker in
Nicarauua .-lalioYnta Inst tou,j
and 1.-THE Tale Of the Tall Acalde." The first I'm.
preston get from this book that Of very great
though unequal and ill-sustalned power. Here are
lines and pages OVERLOOKING with rich imagery, with
high poetic fancy that fills with the idea that such
o writer can do any hing he viii with his art We
read ON, looking for more beauties, and straight.
way We come to long episode of common.
places such as we may see 10 the produc.
TONS Of any ambitious young spinner of
rhymes With all his wealth OF dictton
ana occasional bursts OF power the result Of the
poems Is unsarisrylng. The author disappoints our
IDEAL
And leaves US In tie miro.
We cannot help wishing, grateful as we are for
fancies SO freshly poured into song. that he had
taken more pains-thst he had consented to winnow
some pages and to Gle many lines. Yet the poems
are redolent OF the breath OF Nature in her most per-
feet moods. Here Is picture OF Nlcai aauan
scenery
The trees shook hands high overhead,
And bowed and across
The narrow way, while leave. and
And luscious fruit eoldhusd and red,
Through tue cool canopy OF green,
Lei sun-shaft s1oot between.
Birds hung and sun greenrobed and red,
Or drOoped In curved lines dreamly,
kalnbows reversed, IRON tree tree,
Or sang ow-hanging overhead,
Gang low, as If they sang and slept,
Sang faint, Ike some far waterfall,
And TOOK note OF ut ALI,
Though ripe nuts crushed at every step.
And in the following, from ''The Tale OF the Tall
Alcalde," the reader win discover traces OF the
writer's power In depicting the tender passion as
well his mingled felicity aud energy OF descr,p
tlon:--
The dappled and the dmped SKIES
The sweet and the tinted moon.
All smiled noon,
Iierev ilat be