, 1874-09-15
LITERATURE IN BOSTON.
Baynrd Tayl0r's New P0e1n..-A
Mormon Tragedy.

Correspondence Of Ths Chicago Tribune.
! DuBroN, Muss., Sept. Q, 1874.
bayard Tayiosfs now poem, tThe Psophae,"
Will DO published In a fow days by osgood i
10. 1t is dramatic III form, nnd Ia cnllod = trag-
GUY, though but anal! portion Ia tragic.
TftR ll1sronY or MonMoH1sM
furnishes tho ttomo, but the pnom is not strict
ly historical. David Starr, tho Prophet III
Joseph Smith Tor Is ho to bo known to tho ond Of
slno ns 10 Smlth? y; but Starr is blest with bit
| ter parontB, and is q noblor typo of character,
than tradition ascribos to Smith. Nimrod Krai:
! 01ortentous mama IL brigham Young, aud ia
Young within tho limits of tho poem, al tho
| curtain falls wlen 10 s,nitl, is shot
Mt Fanvoo. Strong, roso1uto. religions in
a fanasical mud Holf-wiiiod way, cruel nnd
nnBcrupuouH. thinking, oven during David
/ STAIRS 1ifo, Ut suporaodthg him and procuring
revelations for himself, originating tho doctrine
OF spiritual 1narFiago for the sake OF multiplying
] tho saiits.-such is Nimrod Kraft; and yerY
| like that is Brigham Young, II the truth haB
boon told of him.
Tho character Of David Starr Is not ropulsivo.
but, on tho contrary, elevated and sincere, until
| lo falls uuder the polite influence Of Nimrod
mud the gorono Fascination OF Liyia Romney, o
| brlllfnut, bovidering woman, WHO was too ardent
saint for Davidfa good, and whoso personal at-
fractions greatly aidel Dayid's perception OF tho
truth of Kraft's doctrine of spiritual marrage.
But. until thoso sinister influences absal him.
David Is
THOROUGHLY RESPECTABLE PROPHET.
sincerely believing himself chosen Of tho Lord
for high mission, though just what, is nos
ovidont.-and living clean, almost asootio
lifo. He has tho so1f-asscrtion peculiar to
13safo %{,-
no control aud acoopts no counsel; why should
ho hood human voicos If hc ia indeed the Hpocinl
messenger Of tho Highest 2" Hhoda lis wifc, is
| simply good, faithful, siSgle-hoarted woman,
having tho utmost filth ID David as a man and q
Prophet. rea<ly to follow him anywhere, clioor-
Ing and comforting hin when diepirited by tho
faithleBsncBs of mon, or cast down by IIeavon's
seeming Indifference 10 his prayers. Blio iB not
manager like Lis'a; abe Inns not that magnetic
power which wrought 10 poteutlY in Da.ids
eplrat consequently eho ie no match for tho
woman OF tito world when David wishes to havo
Il revolution Of notygamy.
THO scono Of tile first net tn q New England
State [vernont. probably, rs both 10 Smith aud
brigham Young lived tliere(; Of tho four follow
lug acta, Illinois. Tho Ohio episode iB not In
cllstioa in the pocm, and no hint il given Of a.y
written revelation Tito tho Hook Of Mormon.
Ths drama opons with conversation about
David between hs paronsp. Elkauah aud Han
lal. l|ls mother Believes in him, although she
canuot help wishing llu were l;o otlIor boys and
would not aec visions and dream dreams. His
father evidently lakoB no stock in him as n
Lro1llot nd f,nelcs he WIZ outgrow hts 1il1-
the volume aro scattered
BoN1s, on HYMNS,
which sorvo to vary the interest and relioyo the
! dialogue Ono Of these hymns Duvid il singing
when trHt introduced:
II ME 10 yoilrr mountain aaltn,
lie c4ss INTO tlls sea
Ana douhteth not, 80 allied with faith.
Though ,a..ln love t. 1nsst, yst fsth "a shist:
And xtft Of tongues, to a!l
1Its fullest tounty wults for INC,
Though delay to call
Gig 1ueasure Of our dayB ia brief:
Lord. believe !; help Thou 1nnu unbefcfi
Soon Dayid COOS to u camp-nectlng, where he
loars sermon Of tho slangwllang order, and
decueB to repent because ho Ia not a Sinner.
His remarks to the coarse. fonl-,nouthed preach
or cause great comfnotiou. Potter, ~ old nj an
hiA ha.,d at rreaching. He is not altogether
elegant. but forcibo cortainlv:
Why should you not prcach7
Gere uHeu to tllo.n aud people Say that things
Wonld 70 to wruok Without tlicn: but i wish
They d yen, and bang, and thunder lesa. somohow
The text ts friendly smooth, and innocent
As aeons lint; yet soon they knock 'front.' It
si Tnisf s1a1ts @ 4 aiss s9d hs sale9sIs@ns @
You'd preach some comfort, now.
David goos into tho widerncas to test tho re-
liability Of his call After spending two days
without food, ho finds d basket iboraly fur
uiahed, md naturally drawn tho inference Tint 1t
favored sou OF Heaven. Yoara afterward ho
learns with horror and pain that the basket did
not come from Haaven, but was carefully packed
mud sent by Rhoda.
AZ the solicitation OF nomc who had hoard him
at tho camp-meeting, and wcre curious to know
what he believed, David
coNsENrs 70 PREACH,
choosing for tho service tho wilderness, in Rhich
Ills Gull lod bean 80 cloaty confirmed. Tho
oponing Of bis Discourse is ono Of tho finest
passages in the book:
VI, %at = c1ms nas,y ye ,u out to ses7 reed in th0 wind
The lryeat ono thAt whistles in the march,
There comes MUSIC thAt can soolc tho world.
His pzcaching is emphasized. and Ills prophetic
mission authenticated, BY the. falling Of great
close OF his discourse. uttered Just after q
tlandor-peal, is strikingly eloquent:
Doubt not aa oft of DID, but now attond
The voice within sou, Witch IL liz Indeed,
oh! snse,aa ,a Thy hnnners Oh the strsan wnd
And, onso Thy reigu assured, cast Mo ,tsids,
30 goriaea III nsiuo anwosthincss,
Come, now. in thunder and the clouds Of heayep,
And purifying cisterns of the rain,&
To wnall THY world, and nt It for tho sum-
THY day y near ut land: the glory ahel
With nl Thy promises shall doubled be
On all Thy Bifta.
In the second act which snpposcs an interval
Of two years after tho first, R1ola is Dayid'a
wife, with child. They arc Oh tholr long way
TO Illinois. Nimrod, who has boon at tho
chosen spot, laying ont the city and building tho
temple, 1hnks 1t would DO an exccllcnt p1nn for
J1nr16 fn NhrfrtYn a mir c1,i
placo, to strougthon tho faith OF his disciples.
David, who still aecmB too sincere to coante- ]
nance impoature. IL very willing, but must con-
suit tho Lord. When 10 canlo, tho people cast |
branches baforo him aud
BANG THIS HYMN:
Wo hayc left tho land OF Egypt /
For tho paco Ut o,,r tleslre: /
Fallen ts thp EatDa city, /
Aud Tho VOC thereof Ia dire:
The bouYhs Of the tres ar8 Wit!sesed
Ana tho WolnGn SGT them On aTel