New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-22
SWJyBURNE Dis A PLAGIARISM


SWTyBURNE AS a PLAGIARJSE
"Oy all me sons" said Pat, Larry was the
cone ] could depind on; for he never
clicked me when Onct / was down." Our
friend Swinburne, it is evident, Is no Larry
Two or three months ago he informed us that
his Smother France" was "refluent God,'
and On "aneelic Brow" whatever they may be;
and now. although she has done nothing but
starve in the mean time, lie PUSHES out to tho
world with three dozen Of poems TO describe
her with that delicate phrasing which Is all
his own, as harlot that has sought out
"mire to walow,n and who, moreover mas
shared the bread of the word he gave her
with snakes md swine" Now we don't
profess any undue admiration Tor Eugene
or her husband, but :" snakes ana
"swiner il strong langnage-very strong. III
ouite takes our breath. But in this instance,
rs often before, we notice in Mr.. SWlnDuIhc
that courage of noble rage for which Tim
Tappcrtit was remarkable. in HIM we behold
the spndle-lcggcd cOnspirator rcdvyus. WIN
the very Tappcrtitau accents no mVokeS
Death 20 Tyrants and Love to Woman, ana
terriGes us with Human Gore. When, IN TINS
very volume, the laureate of Young England
dcnoupces stout, respectable Mrs. Victoria as
a " film worm. crowned and curled, that baShs
" and bIinls and warns itself about the world"
also IA n blind nesh-ly and fanged meridian
"vcrinin,n do We not fancy We again near
Tim rousng TO revolutionary ard0r Inc
United Prentice Bull-doS5?"
Our object just now is not, howeyer, 10 DIS
cuss Mr. Swinburne's themes or manner but
to suggest that Nc have ut last discovered The
source whence he draws the inspiration OF
both. An inexplicable familiarity has annoyed
ia while reading those passages over which LIS
admirers goat with tho iOndest wonder and
we were at last induced to turn to volume
of fayOrito poems by certain Journalist OIL
this city, published some years ago, but WhCD,
as the author himself stated, mover made
" the sensation which they deserved to
| "makc, being, whatever their faults, GER
"tainly both powerful and original" 1t
is true that Swinburno has learned
the art of padding better than our New-Yorll
poet (whoso name FOR tic present we with
| hold, but tho unprejudiced reader UPON col
lating the works of both must, we think, be
! assured that one pintcup at The wen OF Iebcon
supplied them both. We have room to give
but the slightest instances. Mr. STinburnc III
| these last verses describes Freedom AZ "a
| "tircd lion with plumclcss wings and vailed
"hcadn which, owing TO the fact that lions
very occasionally appear with walls, and arc
also so seldom found winged, suggests UNI
comfortably the idea Of plnckcd fowl How
much finer is the original idea of our native
bard. ,
And host OF Suns for "lnss:
IN The air Of BRAN b. lyetu,
In The tree o. heart DO sings
going on with true Swinburncish rapility of
Illustration to state that Fame is also min
cral, "solvcnt both in OIL and water. Art s
pure water, genius 3 oil" Again, Swim
burnc: "By the rivers Of Italy-thcre was
&" sleep with dreams. And they slept and they
"rotcd on their rosc-hnng beds with mouths
/" on fame" The New-I or, poet:
"Nirht ana swectnoss! rar' and moonlight
Uo9uiight kisses soft TIE uiins.
s5ft kIs her ~ Tire brow;
H2.c kissed herl Heaven, h0ww
Here is a verse of or journalist, which
gives in brief the explanation Of Mr.. Swim
burne's friShtfnl havoc of grammar when
wiring of Love;
"'Dcarest, GuOth She dearest, truly
what an adjective Il isl
dearest husband - husband surely
Is no nOun-lt Is u bliss!
Now tho Ncw-York poet published Lis book
years before Swinbunc had BEGUN to mako
nastincsa popular in England. There exists
no doubt in our mind ~ to who was tho
plagiarist. Where will you find in Swinburne
directness and force such as appeal to us in
the predatory invocation of OF. as yet name
less friend
"GOd OF tho gold-full! Cod ~ the goldessi
God Of the comfortable God Of the clothlesa
God OF the latcssl God OF the ihOecssl
Bless thou this poem. This simplo short poem"
Or take this midnight encounter: -.
AT might you meet some cothless rohber
lie grasps your neck tightly: Gold cries the robbor
Gold 10 buy bread Or the rObber-
Thick II lis bludgeOn, terrible his bearing,
And thoroughly reckless. (The thoroughly hreadeSs
Are thoroughly reckeso9 o. says the yOtbor,
cor thou art deadly"
We invite comparison. We may hereafter
do our part to give our native poet the fame
which he has lately siriven to win in less
no Mira than thosa of