The New York herald., 1875-10-16

IL; yet when it came to him he delighted in a
simple way Landor's prolonged discourage
ments, however made him contemptuous OF putting
out his strength before people who did not properly
measure him. and he felt all the loneliness ora
perior 10 his time"
Matthew Arnold as poet Mr. stedman says ''has
little quality or lighness Of touch His hand is st n
his voice rough by nature, yet both are refined by
practice and thorough study Of the best models.
A prosaie Injuries many Of his lyrics
at least he does not clearly TO distinguish be-
tween the functions OF poetry and prose. He is more
at ease in long stately and swelling measures, where
graver movement accords with a serious and elevated
purpose Judged as works Of ART, 'Sohrab and Ros-
tum and Bladder Dead. really majestic poems.
Their blank verse while Independent OF Tennyson's
is the result like that Of the Morte
dArthur' Of its authors Homeric studies somewhat
too slow in Balder Dead and fails OF the antique
simplicity, but is terse elegant and always in the grand
manner Upon the whole, this is a remarkable produc-
tion; It stands at the front Of a experiments a field
remote the northern heavens, and almost glacial
and clear. Fify lines, which describe the burning Of
Balders ship--his funeral pyrc-have an imaginative
grandeur rarely exceed In the Idyls OF the King
'sohrab and Roustum' is still finer pocm, because
more human and more complete In itselfn Mr. Sted-
approaches Mrs Browning tenderly, IL not rever-
entity He says:-"The memory and career of Eliza
beth Barrett Browning appear to Ike beautiful
ideal Nothing is earthly, though all is human; spirit
is passing before our eyes, yet OF like passions with
ourselves, and encased in frame delicate that every
fibre is alive with feeling and tremuous with radiant
thought Her genius certainly, may be compared 10
those sensitive palpitating flames which harmonicaly
rise and fall in response to every sound vibration
them Her whole being was rhythmic, and, in time
when art largely valued for itself alone, her utter
ances were the expressions OF her inmost soul"
y oThc Victorian era with its wider range
OF opportunities for women has been ilumined
by the of the greatest female poet that England
has produced-nor only England but the whole terri
tory of the English language than this the most
inspired woman, far as known of all who
have composed in ancient or modern tongues,
or fourlshed in any land or time"
After all this praise Mr.. stedman does not
hesitate find faults For instance 'sher TASTE
he thinks seemed quite developed, but through
life subordinate 10 her of feeling.
For time she showed lack OF the genuine artists
reverence and without egotsm followed her wful
way. The difficulty with her obsolete words that
they introduced unnaturally and produced
grotesque effect instead OF attractive quaintness
Moreover her slovenly elsions ndiscriminate mix
lures OF old and new verbal infections, eccentric
rhymes forced accents wearisome repetition OF IA
vored words to degree that almost implied poverty of
thought-such matters justly were held to be an out
rage upon the beauty and dignity OF metrica art" For
fear the reader will forget what precedes this criticism
and only remember where the author has found fault
quote his closing lines this subIect:-"Lke her
Hebrew poets, she obedient to the heavenly
vision and think that the form of her religion which
was in sympathy with the wrtngsof Emanuel Sweden
borg enables clearly TO understand her genius and
work have doubt that she surrendered herself to
yha ,,lat ~
speaking through her. and Of what other modern
poet can this said ?" lie also calls her the passion
flower Of the century-the conscious medium Of some
power beyond the veil"
Mr. William Morris admirers win think that Mr.
sedman does that poet but scant Justice when he speaks
Of his sweet but unimpassoned measures" To many
readers Mr.. Stedmans essay Swinburne viii be
looked upon the most remarkable in the book. Mr.
Stedman not only boldly expresses his admiration
for this singular genius but he gives such
excellent reasons for ii that to many his words will
carry conviction Till Mr. Stedman took up the critical
pen in his defence, the American reader who had not
given much thought TO the matter looked upon Swim
burnc's q synonym for all that corrupt in
sentiment and meritorious in style Mr.. sted-
mans able essay attracted so much attention TO the
subject that many were induced to give Mr. Swim
burne careful reading In some instances the
first opinion entirely changed; in others it
NAMED the came. Mr.. stedmans essay far from
being a eulogy He lays bare the weak points and
gives credit for all that is fine in this poet He says
that modern poet is swinburnes superior
dramatic power; but this he said be-
fore TennYson's drama appeared Speaking
only Of his command over language and metre"
says this critic, ~ have a right TO reaflrm and to
show by many illustrations, that he Is the
ereign Of hythmists Ho compels the intlexibe eie
rnents 10 his CHANGER ig more limpid Shake
speare kngly Milton lofticr times, Byron has
unaffected power; but neither Shelley the great
OF his predecessors is dithyrambic, and
has been in all his moods absolute autocrat
of verse"
Looking al the 'svictorian Poetsn a whole 1t is
ablest volume Of critical essays 1t has been
pleasure read in many long day the work Of
American writer If Mr. Stedmans book falls short of
any standard it may be measured by that standard
Will have TO be a vefy high one