New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-09


Then fatered to their closing toll,
Whose long, monotonous repetend,
From every music-burdened bowl
Poured the last drop, and brought the END!
And another on the effect of pulpit eloquenee on .
popular assembly:
Then, through large and golden hour
She listened to the golden speech
OF one who held the priceless dover
OF love and eloquence, that reach
And move the hearts OF men with power.
All Door the music OF the choir -
That voiced the Psalter after himi
And strong the prayer that, touched with FIRE,
Planned upward, past the seraphim,
And wrapped the throne OF his desire!
She watched and heard as in a dream.
When, in the old, familiar ground
And let 1t forth, until II wound
Through meadows broad-a swollen stream
That flashed and edded 10 the light,
Or Numbered In its onward might
Ger interpOsing weir and LEDGE
And left them hidden In the wnte;
While on It pressed and, to the eve.
Grew broader, till its breadth became
A solemn river sweeping by,
That, quick with ships and red with lame,
Reached far away aud kissed the SKY!
Strong men were moved trees are bowed
Before u swift and sounding wind;
And signs we're long and sobs were LOUD
OF those who loved and those who sinned
Among the deeply listening crowd.
The poem will tend to enhance the reputation OF
the author as master of the springs OF human
not perhaps contain any portions 30 striking as
those which won speedy access to popular favor In
his earlier productions. 1t is Of more uniform
quality elaborated with greater nicely OF hnlsh
though still often defective in details, and freer
from the characteristic faults which were mex
tricably blended with remarkable merits. Dr.
Holland will always find congenial audience IN
the homes of culture and refinement. de does not
affect the play of the darkera and iercer passions He
has no sympathy with the raging of the storm and
tempest but delights in the sweet images that
cluster around the domestic hearth His success as
o poet is founded on the fidelity of his pictures,
rather than on any lofty sweep of creative genius.
He cherishes a strong fellow feeling with the
pure and tranquil life in the modest social
circles of the American people, and has
thus won his way to the cOmpanionship OF
many friendly hearts. This perhaps Is more
grateful boon than the admiration of artistic
ability. In that point of view, the author is doubt
less open to critical remark, but any defects OF
artificial grace may be considered atoned for by the
naturaness and freedom of his social portraitures
HIS planness of speech is often carried to excess,
contrasting too curousy with his tender decacy of
sentiment If he is utterly free from the urid fires
and coarse audacity of Walt Whitman. or Swim
burne he does not display the exquisite workman
shin of Bryant and Tennyson, Transforming the
rgors of language into the flowing sources Of emo
ton. Nor has he mastered the subtle secret of
wOrd-magic by which a single fortunate phrase
makes the whole line tremulOus with the
spirit of poetry. The present work evinces
tendency to certain favOrite turns OF
speech which was not SO visible in his former
poems, and in which proficiency cannot be
deemed an improvement. One of these little ar
tifices is too frequent use of ALTERATION, which.
apart from actually adding to the melody OF the
verse; becomes a superfluOus mannerism Thus We
have:
With bending beaded beauty glassed
OF Memory's net, like bird or bee.
The balm and beauty of the stealth.
And hideous mirth of ghOul and ghost
The steps were scaled for boon OF bale.
The lilies burst, the roses blow
Into divinest balm and bloom.
We do not include in these comments such lines as
And mark the cups of clOuer-bl
Cut fresh to greet the stranger girl,
Or