New-York tribune., 1874-05-21
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

~uprp NEW BooKs-MRs. PIATTs NEW Poems -
.sr. AND SHORE" EDITED BY TWO FRIENDS
VICTOR uUGos THE RHINE."
,ysox A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRIBuNE.l
RosroN. Nav 1s.-A modest little volume was
,nh,,sbed few years ago entitled "a womans POEMS"
OF which Mrs s. Nj r. Piatt understood to be the
author Some OF the best critics praised 1t warmly-a
few lovers Of poetry cherished it aectionatey-bu the
general public did not discover IL and that was so much
tbe for the general public for the author was
true poet Now Mrs Patt is about to come out with
fresh volume OF Poems" Voyage TO the Fortunate
Isles" etc.-under the auspices OF j. r Osgood o.,
and the public should turn deaf ear TO Its sweet auu
plantve music it shall be because OF my fauro "
point II out TO them. The author has touoh All hei
own Those readers who love Christina Rossetl WIN i0
take Mrs Patt into their hearts. win utter ,
Of manner I recognize in these Two many VI VI" ~
qualities. Both love minor chords Do'n arc .f'y
y,o,s Roth see ia what call the facts OF hie snau
s. whose substance is immortal. But Miss Rosset is
the clearer of the Mrs Piats meaning is ofteh 700
deeply hidden but her very vagueness has its own
charm Those who love poetry as distinct from prose-
must needs Mrs Pat for few Of our verse makers
are entirely poetcs The faults which those who do
not like her will find with them are their sadness
and their subtey but to both OF these qualities
especially endear them II is IL YOU heard tender
voice singing from afar; and il dnds its way to your
heart and ourimagiDatlon This little volume has room
IN for love and longing and hope and despair and as
piratIon but space for the commonplace
The initial poem, Voyage TO the Fortunate Isles
tells the old old story OF who set out 10 sail toward
the Fortunate Islands, and knew till tho sad end
shat they had left those Islands OF the Best behind
them "If were Queen is n the same key The writer
fancies all the great glores of all great queens; ana
knows last that she would rather die among her own
familiar faces than reign elsewhere. Let no one VINO
loves read the poem entitled "S0metime," unless
he would have his very heart ache with prophetic
pain But You can best understand the quality Of these
poems by reading one or two which brief enough to
quote this, for instance:
MARBLE OR DUST !
A child beside a statue. said 10 me.
With pretty wisdom very sadly Just
THAT Is Mr.. Lincoln, mamma. lie
Was made OF marble; made OF dust"
One fash OF passionate sorrow trembled through
The dust of which had been dlmY made,
One fierce, quick wish to be of marble too
Not something meaDer, tnat must 1all anu laue'
"To he forever fair and still and cold"
family thought, with faint tears in INV sight;
ITO stand thus face TO face with Time. and hold
Between US that uncrumbng charm OF white
.'To gee the creatures formed OF slighter stuff
Waiver in little deadloaf whrls away,
Yet know that ] could wait and have enough
OF frost and dew enough OF DARK ana day.
81 would be marblei Wherefore Just to miss
The tremors of glad pain that dust must know =
The grief that settles after some dead KISS =
The frown that q smile not long agoi
"Do forget the stones long loneliness =
The dumb impotence all wan watching brings .
Tie looking with blind eyes, in vague distress
For Christs slow Coming and the End OF Things
mo, boy of mine, with your Young yellow hair,
Better the dust you scatter with your feet
Than marble, which can see not you are fair
Than marble, which can feel not you are sweet.
"Ay, or than marble which must meet the years
without my hight relief of murmurous breath;
Without the bitter sweetness OF my tears
Without the love which dust must have for Death"
Aud here is another. which Will 20 to the heart OF
every mother OF children: