New-York tribune., 1875-08-19
BOSTON LITERARY NOTES.
aTHE ATLANTIC MONTHLY

"THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY
DIR. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES on POETRY AND
rRANsIAIIoN-NEw POEMS BY JAMES RUSSELL
LOWELL AND =. W. BOURDILLON.
IYRoM A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUSE.l
BosToN, Aug. 16.-The Atlantic Monthly for
September win contain several articles OF interests put
among them all there is from which the lovers OF
literature will derive much pleasure ae the review OF
"Exotcs" by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. "Exotics''
you will remember is the book Of poe.ca transatlons
by the Rev. James Freeman Clarke and his daughter
Lillian, which r. Osgood Co. recently published Inc
value OF DIR. Holiness article docs not 30
much consist in his cordial appreciation OF Dr
Clarke's work in his own thoughts concerning
the conditions Of poetry and OF uansi'uon
On these subjects DR.. Holmes, himself poet, Jus'V
speaks as having authority. In one sense, nc says
the translation of poem from one language 10 another
Is an mpossihitv-as much 1t is TO get ripe peach
from NewJersey TO Boston to carry fu[0!oWn rose
from here San Francisco; to watt the sasea ooOr OF
Nahant to ST. Louis Or TO change the comparison IL Is
like the reproduction OF painting, in mosaic. Inc
scenes and figures that savage Rosa dashed or Learned
Poussin drew the sweeps OF Michel Angeles brush the
food from the paintjars of Rubens which overnowed
some palace ceng have to lie reproduced by picking out
little colored bits one by one and thus cheating the eye
if possible into the belief that they something Other
than mere patches brought together in state OF mhd
the very opposite Of that in which paintings are con
translator Is likely to he the reverse OF that OF the
poet he is trying to reproduce.
Dr. Holmes evidently believes in the descent OF tne
divine afiatus upon tie favored mortal lie says inc
poet is the medium, and holds the pen, whlie thc u
vinity muse, inspiration call II what you "iH' Shapes
This process is different from tha' OF the
| control OF the spiritual medium" commonly so called
where the mechanical process Of writing s enthusiastically
perfor1nrd in obedience 10 foreign impulse, ana
where c first requisite for success The ahne cation OF
the wi The will is the first power called into Teqs
ton by the poet. BY means OF it he excludes interfering
! impressions and alien trains OF thought.
After certain time the second state or adiueiment OF
the poets double consciousness dor ne mas tMo states
St as the SOngmhu ~S have scis NJ - own ail"naUc
movement with its special trains oi ide@s ana ieelnFs
! in the thinking and emotional oeht,r, As soon rs the
n, W !waiheS tho torrent OF though.s and ar
rests tie ones wanted, y with tier hitting eApies
si,n OF in Srou~ Of ior'Anae eI noes WAlc" ne eau
irv is limited aud its plasticty lends Itself only TO
! certain iaods, the mind Woiks under great ci-
fcuy at least until Il has acquired by practice such
hanr ing of language that every possibility oi INN or
rhyme offers lif II "clpatN or pVtulLtl! 10 tlS
voyant perception simultaneously with Tho hought 1t i
to oubOdy. Thus p"ctical comositlon : the most III
tse the most exciting and therefore the most exhaust
ing of mental exercises II is exciting hHtaiSc s c'
tai states are a series of revelations and surprises in
tense on Of the double strain ulon Tue al ch on
Tie poet is no! tho sane man Who seated istt d" nl M
ago IT his desk with tho dustcart ana the suiC of me
duyk-pond ana the haysae1 ana the bahyalH !""s re-
nee his window. he s ID the iofts "ith t'e soIS-
binds: lie IS on the EInunl.u-top VITA TIE e3Shs He
sat down in rasty hroa: :cio'h, Lc s a'f9en III the
hreial purple cf IL slbS'IiS-iCnoa' y ,i @ q ~,
| il vcu wise, for yoI might IS wch ht,e pHs'S iAe
am thqt was finishing lle siue o. .iiol' OF .na
your untnely question on this aii-atae l'r cid &" tue
out o The body. Aud 10 not wonder M vhal tic ut Is
he is in some respects IKE one "'O Is IecO'eihs
after excess 0l the baSer sI4ndidis.
Very different FROM this divine frenzy IS tic mood which
is the prerc uisite of good translation. Inspiration is
ono thing and appreciation is another The an>a''rs
mind must nave iacr!4ut for tie cooIs IL be ta fclreG
from the original pattern The poem to nc tiaifIdteu
mas. become nataTazed n the mind Of the translator,
Nus; have work. Itself ill., beOre II tIlos to WORK l'sch
out
There is truly admirable paper on The Practice and
Patronage OF french. Art, by s. c. " Benjamin. which
every one esirous OF information concerning cOeiopo-
raTy ar should make point 10 read Horace E. scud-
der under the title OF Patriotic Schooio&scr gives
us a good article about Noah Webster, tnc father Of
spelle books and dctionarios Col George T. Wariag,
jr, commences series Of papers on Tue S"niiary
Drainage oi Houses and Towns and discusses tiis M
rorltc subject with such good sense aud il 50 readable
manner as command the attention even OF tie lvo-
ous Another able article joseph Whartons on "Natu-
ral self Protection" As read an convinced that the
tarn is the one thing neediu for national prosperity /
shal be Of this opinion, doubt, uutl M Edmund At
in,on gets hold OF me again. and ten e-a be as sure
that Tiee Trade is the only hope ci tie country.
Ido think DE paven Cronies' must have been very
uuincresting cronies # Sarah O. vrts description Of
ho N s 70 he trusted. has enough naive w.t. if Size
would direct Il TO tn presentation 81 ycor scenes ana
more eu,icn- people sac is tIJing tie vein Of Ms.
Gasacs Crawford :" but that is vein that won't bear
too much working Mrs. Frances Anne KcELles "OG
Woman's Gossip" rather dissppoiuts me, too, IN this
nun her; bat "Roderick Hudson" Ecver d,app0iats.
Henry James, jr is OF OR very beet literary ariste
The poetical contributions By that sweet sscr and
sweet woman, Harriet Prescott Spoiord, T. b. Aldiich
lanes Russell Lowell ani z. w BouIdiion. viii give
YOU Bourd, ,ons contribution because II is pretty and
Lyve!,s because it is Lowers. Here is tie latter
TIE DiNCiNG BrAR.
Far over Efiand pOcis stretch thcr sway,
And win their dearest crowns beyond the goal
OF their own conscious purpose: tLfy control
With guSrlsucT threads vic .-iVWn Cur IanCy's play
And : our action On InJ wax today
A Wall1wiYg beas aelg cluIns Is lis ton,
Wien s:Tei -Ir 2 vision rose Oi Alta Troll,
And scenes iGcal wtcncd nine eyes away.
"Tc,ei, B0ssisH!" the aStoHisAed hear-HaTi cried,
Grateful for thricc MS hope to ne, the sl.yo
OF partial memory. seeing at ms slds
4 b- ar m;uOlf..i; the glad Cole gave
Was none OF ,4lne: poor Isinc er tle vide
Atlantic Wcff reached ii il0Ii MS grave.
And thus sngs dainty BoHrdiilcn:
LOVES REWARD.
For love ltbOIcd all the G2y,
Through inCslii-E chill AMI midday heat,
For surely with the evening ers.y
Thought, Loves gAer'iOA SHAH Dc sweet
At evcntidr with weary limb.
hrough. my lab)rs to TIE spot
Wac.c love rad b.d Me come "a hin;
1m,ncI came, but found him not.
For hc with idls folk he'd gone.
70 dcnco t'io hours of niglt away;
Ana / tiilf t1Ii-d was ten al8ne.
TOO weary pow 70 Dance or pay.
Tro reviews OF BOOKS art, music Sc, are usual.
l. - a.