Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-14

AhS NyAoOuSS St"hdalu VI I4iuu1 ld>t3 says
of we have carried Indiana as all the proba-
bilities now indicate, decided victory has been
won, and that 100 all along the line of battle.
We wish this latter point to be especially noted
AT no point in the fight have we been fairly
beaten back. What we fought for was an
honest expression of preference from each one
OF the states. That was the grand objective
point to be aimed at. Upon this basis in Penn
sylvania and Ohio and Indiana we have won a
decided and undoubted triumph"
1t may be difficult to believe, but it is true
that the paper from which this quotation is
made is a Greeley organ. Compared with its
editor the man who extracted sunbeams from
cucumbers had insignificant resources for cheer
fulness, and Mark Tapley was victim to settled
dependency. The chief interest," however, in
what the Standard says is its admission, that the
electionstin Pennsylvania were not carried by
fraud, as the Greeley organs in general assert
'What we fought for" it says, "wasian honest
expression of preference from each one Of the
states" and eve have won decided triumph"
OF course, then there was no fraud.
THE MARBLE PROPHECY, and Other Poems.
By j. G. Holland, author of "Bitter Sweet"
etc, etc. New York: Scribner, Armstrong &
Co. "The Marble Prophecy" fills twentv-seven
pages of this handsome book the additional
eghty-ive pages are filled by the twenty-five
"Other Poems" new volume of poems from
DIR. Holland would be sure of a pleasant recep-
ton from the reading public, even if it were not
so good as this; for he has secured attention to
whatever he writes. The principal poem, which
gives title to the book, finds in the celebrated
group of statuary known as LAGOON, symbol,
prophecy, an embodiment of human life and
experience, of the human struggle, Gin the tolls
of the twin serpents, Sin and Suffering; and
especially of human life under the sway of i'm
perial and ecclesiastical Rome. In working out
the analogy, or interpreting the prophecy" the
poet confines himself chiefly to Rome under the
papacy. Here are some of the papal pas
sages of the poem:
"What Is the feasty Let's see; ali recall,
St. Peters chair was brought from Antioch
So many years ago; the worse for wear
No doubt, and never quite luxurious
But valued piece OF furniture
By Rome above all price; and so they give
High honor to the anniversary"
"Rome built new temples, and installed new names
Set up her craven images, and gave
10 pope and priests the keeping of her gods.
AGAIN she grasped at power no longer hers
by right OF Roman proves, and stretched out
her hand upon the consciences of men.
The godike liberty with which the Christ
Had made his people free she stole from them
And pound them slaves to new obserYanees."
"What marvel that shadow fell, worldwide
And brooded Ger the agesf was ii strange
That in those dim and drowsy centuries,
When the dumb earth had ceased to quake beneath
The sounding wheels OF progress, ana the life
That erst had famed so high and sunk so low
In cold monastIc glooms and forms as cold,
The buried gods should listen in their sleep
And dream of resurrection~
"And when the gods were on their feet again,
1t was thy time to rise, Laocoonl
Those Rhodian sculptors had foreseen it all
Their word was true thou had'st the right to live
The poem begins with descriptions of festal
scene in st. Peters, in which there is an UNDER
current of scorn that can not admire even the
rhythmic tread" of the pope's guard of Roman
mobiles who
"Sway and sparkle up the splendid nave"
The poet sees only form, empty ceremony,
brave pageant, "sacerdotal hucksters," and hui
mainly in the tolls Of gorgons more terrible than
those which crushed LAGOON and his children.
AT length he exclaims:
oI'Il to the door!
The sun seems kind and simple in the sky
After such pomp ] thank thee, sun, Thou hast
smile like God that reaches to the heart
Direct and sweet, without the ministries
VI scene and ceremonial"
Even the old sun-worshppers had reason for
their faith, which he feels, but would not accept
we presume, in the form OF dogma, any more
than he accepts the pageants of the papacy.
Meanwhile, among these pageants he felt one
scarcely acknowledged inspiration:
81 hear the far, faint voices of the choir
As II door in heaven were left ajar
AND cherubim were singing"
This poem is full of vigor; and. considered as
poem, it is one of the best things DIR. Holland
has ever written. Some of the others are very
good, and they are all worth reading. Among
those we like best are "The Heart of the War;
"Daniel Gray, THE Wings" "Albert Durer's
Studio" and "The Hadley Centennial" For
sale by Grout Putnam.
ROUNDABOUT RAMBLEs IN LANDS OF FACT
AND FANCY. BY Frank r. Stockton. New
York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co, This is
capital book for young readers; one of the best
in the market. 1t is small sized quarto Of 81
pages, very well printed and bound which con.
tains great number and variety Of sketches
and descriptions, which youthful readers will
ind entertaining and instructive. The author
describes 1t thus, in his preface; eve shall
walk about familiar places, and explore streets
ahd houses that have been buried for centuries.
we shall 20 down deep into the earth, and we
shaii hoat in balloon. We shall see many
beasts Of the forest. We shall meet many birds
Dishes grand old buildings, vast woods. bugs.
mummies, snakes, tight rope dancers. rorillas,
will-o 'tne-WlsPs' beautiful blossoms, boomer.