The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-10-17


readers throats, abe might have been hunted
down to fame by the Indignant zsal of the
sanity star-chamberers of letters, who lead
wave Unfortunately for this opening. Miss
Proctor was o lady, and such self assertion the
most foreign of traits to her nature: Not loud
Catholic enough for misjudgment, or rather for
denial of judgment. While the tribunals of
criticism could not avoid taking notice of
book by Barry Corn Wallis daughter, STILL with
all the little good and i'll the reviewers said of
her, they never did her the one essential
service they could render, of putting her name
where the reading pnbiic would see it and pass
Judgment on Ter. There is way of praising
that keeps off, and n way of blaming that at
tracts, the mass of readers.
With the returning tide of ritualism, she has
beginning We 80 strongly inclined to
think her poems at the outset of a new career
in public favor, and we consider that so little
Justice has been done her in the critical
journals of this CO lutry, that we cannot help
feeling toward them accordingly ; aud 50, in
range of our attempted discussion of her merits.
and copiousness of citation, we have treated
her in all respects precisely as new author.
For We believe sincerely that the clonds OF
circumstances and prejudice about Miss Proc
teI's entrance into literary life have ebscured
from us poetical powers not only of no common
order, but of that calm self cen tered kind we
have spoken of as rare enough in man, and the
feminine counterpart OF which is almost IN
Shakespeare's, nor Coleridge's, nor Goethe's,
but the resistiess river and the fountain of the
rocks may both be the overflow of the same
sunless reservoir in the deep bosom of the
mountains. And her poetry is indeed foun-
tain of the rocks; pure, placid, deep of source,
shaded yet sparkling, making a quiet music
force, yet unsteady passing all obstacles, and
| emerging, clear, bright, and beautiful, in the
sunlight beyond. Most varied and versatile in
insight, freedom and fancy Of expression, a
grasp of the topic, and, above all, q strange,
noble earnestness, that altogether make up
style whose quiet charm We had rather easily
illustrate than deliberately fail in describing.
The keynote of all her writings is thought
fulness, and withal peculiar kind of thorough
ness of thought such as We have found in no
other woman. Mrs. Browning (perhrps we
ought to. add the new Mrs. Augusta Webster,
whose perceptive powers are the theme of the
English reviews) is the only one who ever has
| others only Incidentally, while Miss
Proctor is habi,uslly, an analytical. Her entire
| superiority, indeed, is the consequence and
corollary of this curious depth of mind. Bold
in distractions, tender in revealings of the
! heart, ingenious in q cideut and invention, she
is sure TO have well-defned thought at bot
sometimes profound. The rare com bination of
entire feminity with this thinking habit is an
originality in itself Very novel and very
charming is the effect of seeing together with
this strong, clear, searching introspecton, all
| the woman's delicacy of touch
| But the reader is tired of our geueralites, and
would much rather see for himself how we'll
Miss Proctor thinks. So we give him fair
| example in the poem called
INCoMPLETENEsS.
| Nothing resting in ite own completeness
sSs and
Fuller. higher deeper than Its own.
Snss ssq1 glen a s Z, et a. sea""
Bat Is hidden n her tender leaning
10 the sunpsers richer ,cea!M Of foucers.
De,cn is fair geequse Tie mist. EadIs .lP,s1y
! Just because it ends in starry night
Childhood's smiles unconscious gracea borrow
And angel glances [ueiled nor by lies sorroc)
DrGW our hearts TO some betoUed eyes.
| Life is only bright when it proceedeth
Toward q truer, deeper life above;
| To more divine and perfectlove.
Learn the my stery OF progression duly;
Do not ca each glorious change decay;
But know we only hold our treasures truly
Nor dare TO blame God gifts for incompfetenessi
| Toward some infinite depth of love or sweetness
Bearing onward man reluctant soul
This poem holds one of the great principles
! in Miss Proctel's very noble theory of lfC-a
| theory abundautly developed in her poems.
! Her cardinal axoms wo I'D seem to be three
The great rule of lite is progression its great
agent, sorrow; its great fact and end, love.
| On these pillars she builds and =" In com plete-
ness is one of the most direct statements of one
|
| thought kind Of companion piece to this, in
which we readily recognize the same uuderly-
ing thought, is
BEYOND.
We must not doubt OF fear dread that love for life
| is only given,
and cold in Heaven
oh love poor and vain, indeed baeed harsh
| and stern a creed.
that this ear,h pass with al the starry
worlds of light
With all the glory of tie day and calmer tenderness
| ofnight.
For in that radiant shall shine aore the immortal
| and divine.
Earths lower thipGs-her p de her fame her science
learning wealth and power,
Slow growths that through long ages came fruits
OF convulsive hour
Whose very memory nust decay-Heaven is too pure
for such IS they.
They complete their work is done. So let them
sleep in endless rest
Loves life is only here begun lie, can be- fully
blest;
1t has spread its wings amid this crowd of
meaner thuRe.
Just for the very shadow thrown upon its sweetness
here below,
The cross that 10 ust bear alone and bloody baptism