New-York tribune., 1873-12-10
BOSTON,.
LITERARY NOTES.

T,oNs To IowKII's "CoURT1N N"-HoPPIN AND
"THE PROUD MISS MACBRIDE THE ATLANTIC
MONTHLY FOR JANUARY - NEW POEMS BY
WHITTIER AND BAYARD TAYLOR.
trpox . REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSB]
RosroN. Dec. S.-Among the holiday books
which J. X Osgood Co. are about to offer TO the pub
lie IA "Cameos" volume OF dainty selections from the
works Of Walter Savage Landor, edited by E. c. sed-
man and b. Aldrioh, with an Introduction by sted-
man. which quite exquisite in its way any poet
ica gem the little book contains He of Landor:
"He possessed beyond his cotemporaries the liberal
faculty which endowed some Of the great workmen OF
senpors and painters OF the golden before the era
Of the specialists, were wont to plume themselves He
had the Joyous range of Benvenuto Celnl, whom the
chronicers describe as fouDder godworker and medal
eur; who. in his larger moods. devised and cast the
Perseus aud other massive bronzes which still ennobe
the Italian clty,squares; yet VINO FOUND ienelt0ns
s %nSs 10 and cosreTs s tber
treasures, 20 design some wonder OF cup, OF
mistress of the monarch who protected him
his unrtvaed art. Landors minor poems, therefore,
bear relation 10 his more extended work similar 10
borne by shskespeares songs and to his
immortal plays Yet they are not songs, because not
ubilant with that sky lark gush OF melody which made
musical the sunrise OF English rhythm They address
themselves no less 10 the eye than to the ear are the
datest OF lyrical idysthngs to be well as TO
be heard compact OF fortunate imagery OF statuesQue
conceptions marveouSly cut in Are we not night
In designating them as Cameos I"
Though all these gems may not be OF purest ray
serene. the collection is unique and delightful aud
should be the possession of every poetcal vrtuoso
have gwen to Canoes" the precedence in my men,
hon OF holiday books, account OF its literary import
snce hut for external beauty and the value of its illus
tratons no holiday book Of the compares with
-The Gallery of Great Composers" IT, r. OsgOod CO..
u series OF the portraits of the great masters
Bach, Handel, Gluck Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven Schu
bert. Won Weber, Mendessohn, SchumsnD, Meyeroeer
and wagnerengraved steel from oil paintings and
produced the heOype process Ii is further enriched
by biographical and critical notices by Edward f. Rim
balt member Of the Royal Academy of Music in Stock
holm. The series appropriately commences with Bach,
whose wonderful Passions Mtsk," after having been
laid aside for many years, is now assuming new
vitality The Biographical and critical notices that
company portrait necessarily short and sketchy
dealing rather with special and significant facts than
with the continuous progress and minute details OF
full life 1t is like going through a gal
Iery Of noble portraits, with an intelligent
guide who stops before each picture TO flash upon
some light OF memory some interest OF association.
These faces in themselves revelations. Each one
tells story. You will understand Bachs music better,
after you have looked at this noble face-a face with
wonderful honesty aud fidelity in it, and the certainty
OF grand power that no vanity or httleness could
corrupt that strong and simple nature Sure
of himself and his aims Bach despised popular applause
and forgot for it, 1t msttered little TO him how
small was his audience-whoso has ears TO hear, let
him hear; for the rest is not the ear OF
Heaven open TO his mystic strainsi Handeps face
is strong and noble also-the face Of kingly soul
Gluck is strictly handsome, with certain vivaey
expression and grace of carriage which suggests
France rather than Germany. We all know the dark
grandeur of Beethoven; without looking like Haw-
thorne there as the suggestion of family resemblance
between the two, and one can easily imagine they mus
have borne pronounced likeness TO each other in come
of their eccentric and nroverted natures Mozart
10 regularly beautiful IN this portrait. Schubert
looks like q scientist, rather than a musician.
Weber looks sensitive woman, with face full OF
expression, but plain enough with DISAPPOINTMENT cheek
homes very long nose, weak jaw, and slender chin.
What eyes OF mingled fire and softness are those OF
Mendessohn How he must have loved, and suffered,
enjoyed in the 3s years of his short life Schumann
looks like country Methodist minister, sleek of hair
and full Of face You could much more easily imagine
hun leading in a class meeting than
posing immortal music; and yet no one was,
IN reality farther removed from the common
place than he He had an nsurmountable anupathy TO
everyday life, and was forever taking refuge in the
ideal Here they all are with their teltae faces open
70 your study. interesting gallery OF portraits has
seldom been published To the lovers OF music t will be
like Pantheon full of statues Of their gods. The Hello
type process has reproduced the eneravngs perfectly
the type printing of the best the cover thing
of beauty; and the book, altogether, is noble Offering
O the altar OF music.
turn from it 10 the dainty grace Of theisilhouettes
with which Winslow Homer has illustrated The
Courtn'" by James Russell Lowel-a holiday book
which will find acceptance among LowelPs admirers
These sihOuettes good Konewka's. There are
seven OF them In the first Zkle crep up quite unbe-
known an peeked in thru the winder and the second
shows us what he "peeked" at, for there sot Hudy
all alone 18th DO one nigh to hender." You want to
zee my pa, spose" she in the third pictures and
In the fourth, ZSle looks puzzled and says he had
better call agn." But he changed his mind,
and fingered; and in the fifth picture
he-"Wal, he up an kst her" No wonder
that after that her mother came and found her all
teary round the lashes"-but what happy tears they
we're You are surprised at the natural result, In
neetin come Sunday" Those who complain of tho
want of Americanism in American art and literature
should solace themselves with this book The subjects
for this series Of shouetes could more have been
found outside the Great American Republic than Low
ellis poem could have been written elsewhere. OF al
his character poems this the best 1t is unrvaed in
is perfect simplicity its blending OF humor and patbos
II is as natural daisy, withouta touch OF the art
6cial anywhere.
fourth holiday book also from Osgood & Co., 10
"The Proud Miss Macbrde, A Legend OF Gotham" by
John q. SAKE with Illustrations by Augustus Hoppin
The poem is well known; but the illustrations are new
and good. Hoppn always hits happily the foes OF 30
epty. His satire is not mercess or rude, but bright
and kindly He has quite caught the spirit Of the ter
ylby proud Miss Macbrlde, who was
Proud of ber beauty,
And proud OF her pride,
And proud Of fifty matters beside
That would MT have borne dissection;
Proud OF her wit. and proud OF ber walk
Proud OF her teeth, aud proud OF her talk,
Proud Of knowing cheese from chalk
On very slight inspection"
OF course pride always catches fall and the proud
Miss Macbride exception. We take leave Of her.
nj last, very disconsoate fine lady. indeed,
"Cramped in the very Darrowest NICHE,
Above the poor and below the rich
Was a worse condition.
1.-The king dead, long live the king ~ said this as
] took UP the proofsheets Of The Atlantic for January
i was very sorry AS who was not, that The Atlantic
should pass out of the hands Of the Boston rm long