The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-07
SWINBURNE'S NEW POEM.

LONDON, May 20, 1874
Ihave received an early copy OF Mr. Swinburne's
new poem, "Bothwelln but in order to catch the
mall have no time to enter into elaborate CRITICAL
detail and can only give you skeleton notion OF
the work and certain extracts from 1t.
Mary Queen OF Scots is, according to Mr.. Swim.
burne,s idea an embodiment OF all that Is evil-a
fierce lover q bitter hater, polite In her
manipulation OF those about her, but blinded
by passion. Pace, Mr.. Swinburne there
Is no doubt OF her love for Boutwell, or OF ner con-
Germ in Darnley's death. The poem IL IN nve acts.
1t commences with Darniey plotting Rizzlos
death. and concludes with Mary's nignt to Eng
land alter her escape from Loeb Leven Castle.
The dramatic force OF the poem Is intense, and IN
his love scenes Mr.. Swinburne is az impassioned
and, one may say. as repuisive as ever There are
fine passages on every page the diction Is severe
and simple and never duh. Here are some ex'
tracts Mary has been Ill at Jedburgh, ana the
Bishop Of Ross has come to confess her. ene
says
But Of what sins l have not strength 70 say
Nor hardly TO remember. do think ,..,
& aonf oS and have we'll
Els II sna 9qiHsa II: e. On
= ~ sss. in PRIDE
Here, sitting single sceptred, and compel
T rSe W. wora % %S BIT ,no and Bride Ike
WSs ina
And bend its head 70 worship as oade'
Ana Ti ;6o s.Sps H y, i VA. hs d ssai
A oa nshaS have
70 bind again this people 5ass to God, with nv Inns
nave Si borne MIN witness my heart were whole
BISHOP Ross-rhereors shall He forget not In your
No. his child reject you and shall. max make
e HAY s sss 81 ;ne a. now
make not long confession. and my words ,rsv Won
III, W.. tain
That comes between me e ana an my w Naked %n soul
read INV yts :oad out sooa
With mine own hearts tears and WIN Soas dear oooo
TRG q s sI ans and Ct Gn
Call on me with dumb tongues for penitencs,
E o Of say
For here as repent ana pI l ro ihd me
So So Ii remit a al faults against me done,
Deed device to hurt me- yea w S,S mot
When mine i cold !; / win not take deaths hand
With any soil OF hate Or wrath Or wrong world
Pass from 1t in the general peace of love
One of her outbursts against Darnley:-
By heaven had rather death had leave a than he
That die again wi, WIN ioa,hIng of. q himf
win not see HIM. Bid him away and keep
s smo SM his he elo@s 81 the si nsrdsd swine
To 5 sHs Sye p
In the dear service OF dishonoring days.
Darnley's Dream
wherein one less sat WITH me Who played and sang
Yet OF his cittern could hear no note
Nor in what speech he sang naudibly,
bui watched ms wsrsng nssr and quick lips
hs iid Ha' Ssss and hs new
mock 5 s ssnSs s ana Ssss
81 srHse that ' all air heaven
was kindled into light herewith. and shone
As with a double dawn stars east and west
tghtened Win love to hear h her ana the Sky
Ny heart t oo tinasa and sOrsng up and sang
And made sweet music in nae, to Keep time
st w sss felt
These not stars nor SysIh N was heaven
The neither armament thar roots in he'll.
4n s s 81 sS an s s' s 9v and this
That n wash anf M MS no Of
Ana MS 81
y ns
But that the rank air took me s h the throat
s S es ss wns to nre
And Il she were or were not what thought
ESr came spli, upon iSss |, ,ssl ,,
with hands thai pucked and tongues thrust out u.s.
" :ss sS "a
For SeheId and heard out d ths surge ~
and s raa
Rang and my brain ike as beaten brass
vibrating; and the roth OF that foul tide
Was a. their sptte shot in my full face
That burnt It and 18th breast and TANKS dtstent
1 strained myself to them back, and lacked
Breath the surge hrottsd my tongueles speech,
And my throat cenehed fast Of the s;ransns saa
Till swan short with sick strokes. as one might
whose hands were manned then mine III spirit Of sleep
SHIFTED, and showed me as garden walled,
Wherein stood naked, q shipwrecked man.,
al s na ansS o. e es ea AND soed
Whose breach had cast me broken on that shore:
And one came like a god in woman's flesh
As red as fire, but full Of worms within
That crawled and ecndered; and she gave me wine,
ss y and cpp ' and bsn sns s sne ia drink
And sickened; then came one with spur on heel
Red from his horse o'erridden, smeared with dust,
And took my hand to LEAD me as to rest,
Being bruised yet from the breach and his hand
Was as of molten iron wherein mine
Was as brand in iire; and at his feet
As In clear water. mine own WRITTEN face,
Eaten Of worms and living then woke.
John Knox inveighs against the Queen
Nay, then in Gods name,
II that false word fell unfulflled of mine,
Heed ye not now nor hear me when | say
That for this woman's sake shall God cut Oft
The hand that spares her as the hand that shields
And make their memory who take part with her
With Ahab's daughter.
''Botnwel" Will raise Mr.. Swinburne's reputa.
ton, but will make him detested by those who
espoused queen Mary's cause.