The New York herald., 1875-11-08

saying, words, words, wordSl but you just as surely
PICK 1t up again and read At to the end Ifyou ask
what 1t is all about only reply in tho authors
own language:-
Ny task is but TO toll a tale
10 give a wide sail to the gale
10 paint the boundless plain, the sky
10 rhyme nor give reason why
OF course there poetry in the book but there is
great deal Of bad rhyme and great deal that s good
and graceful
NRRo-An Historical Play. BY W. w. Story. New
York: Scribner Wexford Armstrong
Mr. w. W. Story has wonderfully versatile genius He
Is sculptor musician, poet and actor In neither or
these has he reached very high degree of
ment but he is fairly accomplished in all Whatever Mr.
Story does lie does well. He leaves any ragged
edges. His verse runs along smoothly as a wheel in
groove; there is no halting hching But for all
this we are never reused to any enthusiasm Mr. Story
has passion but it is statuesque. 'Nero,n the play in
question: written in 1872 and is only just pub
lished In his dedication to Mrs Frances Kemble
he explains tlat 1t through her alone that the
world was given the drama at all She spoke so kindly
Of II when he read to hor that Notwithstanding the
fact that the reading interrupted by earthquake
he remembered what sho said, and out OF gratitude
writes her a long dedication. 'Nero" is not an acting
play. Not only that it is not written in acting FORM
but II lacks the interest OF stage plays Agrppna is the
strongest character in the book and tho best writing
comes in her part Her love for her Nero, wretch
that he was is well portrayed though at times il
almost too passionate to be maternal We quote one
strong scene:-
NERO / would knew
What you propose.
AGRIPPINA- Proposep only this,
To keep your love. Without you what were lifef
And yet am 50 weak.
NERO Who then is srong2
Mother, would you always the face
That now you wear, for it becomes you we'll
Why will you ever thwart me-stand between
My wishes and my acts
Nay, turn not from me, for need your love
Must have IT. Once you gave me chd's love,
And that was dear to me-but that is past.
Nor would 1t now suice-I ask for more;
oh so much more
NERO do not understand.
AGRfP.-Not underestimate Why, how else could It be-
You are SO noble, handsome, manly strong
W hat woman, with heart, could look at you
And fail to love your How much more then, I2
Almost could forget you my son,
Almost could wish you were not. Then perhaps
You still might love me.
NERO What2
AGRIP. Oh don't think
That loves capacity can ever dio
In woman's heart! The bloom of youth fades OUT
See, it has gone from am not fair
As once was; yet still the power to love
Lives in me decper-stronger far than when
l was a trivial girl. loves feeble rill
That first slips trembling through the whispering grass
And plays with any fowor upon its marge
Grows deeper, stronger in It's onward course,
TIL like torrent, nerce, impetuous, wild,
II forces thro Ugh all obstacles its way.
/ love you, Nero Twenty thousand girls
Gould not make up such love as mine for you
Ny love began when first heard your voice
When 6rst child, you lay upon my breast
And every year has only lent II strength.
Now, you stand before me full complete
In all your manhood, while this heart Of mine
Beats for you 1t never then could beat,
Say, win you throw me oG9 Give me your Lowell
Do you not see you are my all in all
My other life-without which all am
Is tame and weak and wretchedI Look at me;
Tell me you love me, Nerol
NERO BY the gods,
If thus you ever smiled and thus you spoke
l could forget you were my motherl
That is a strong to take place between mother
and her son. but those times we're strong in passion
Although he shows Nero at his he shows him at
his best also. The wicked emperor than
his mother. Whatever faults he had were inherited.
She was just INSCRIPTIONS he in carrying out
purpose Agrippina not, however woman Of un-
bridled passions, Whatever she did from lovemaking
to murder, was for an object Not so Nero. lie was
perfect madman In the pursuit Of pleasure in tho
punishment OF an enemy He did love But after
he made Poppma his wfe he ceased to for and
actually killed her by his brutality. Poppea not
half bad woman. Poor creature, she must have had
presentiment Of what was coming when she said:-
Leave me, Nero in the shadow here
For in the sun all sorts of dangers swarm
Your mother, ah think you know her not,
All have gone down before her who opposed,
Not only me-poor, idle, tmorous me
She'd sweep away; but you in her path,
Even you she'd shatter like a broken gourd.
oh, trust me- Nero, and withdraw in timex
Trust me, dear Nero; give me up at once
Co go awayl
You men are all alike; little While
You love- and with wild violence and then
Puff all is For little month,
If ones lucky, love Is in It's flower;
And then 1t fades and stnks-stnKs all the moro
Because 1t was SO sweet in its fresh bloom.
Mr. Story paints Nero an animal than as O
man. The only soitcnng influence he had was his
love for Poppga and his love for music He both sang
and played the harp But II his critics are to be be-
lioved he did neither well. The death OF Poppua
shows Nero in the melting mood for few short mo-
ments His violence caused her death, aud when he
saw what be had done he repented
PoprGA-Ah ycs my hour has come. Give me your
FAREWELL | loved you, Nero Think sometimes
OF your Poppga DO not grieve-'ts best
just II Is.
NERo-Ny best, my only lovel
Stay, stay with me You cannot-sha not go.
PopPGA-Farewelll
NERo-No, mol will not have you die!
NERo-Quick lift her upl She iaintsi
XESoPnoS-CBsar she dead
NERo-what Dead2 It is liel PoppGa speakl
Accommodating can reach her further. She is
dead.
NERo-PoppGa MOI That heart is sttIl-tnose lips.
Half parted, breathe Great Cod she's gone
How beautiful she IS Look, Xenophon,
There lies the only woman that loved.
And Poppea is the only in the book that
man could love Agrippina was too masculine and
octavia too weak. Mr.. Storys verse flows gracefully
along and the story just interesting enough to hold
the readers attention without causing him much
thought
HOME PAsToRALs, BALLADS LYRICS. BY Bayard
Taylor. Boston: James II. 0sgood 4 Co
There is a stately and refined grace about all that
Bayard Taylor that commends him to tho cul.
tured reader. In this volume Of "Home Pastorals'
will be found some OF his most charming short poema
The pastorals themselves will probably not prove
popular as some Of the ballads Tho metre is the
same as that used by Longielow in 'Evangone:"--
Yes it is May though not that the young leaf pushes
its velvet
Out Of the sheath that the subborncst sprays bo.
ginning TO bOurgeon,
Larks responding aIon TO tho mellow ute OF tho blue.