The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-02
A NEW POET.
THE MIRROR OF THE MIND: A Poem. BY Algernon
sydney Logan. New York: G. 7. Putnam's

THE MIRROR OF THE MIND: A Poem. BY Agernon
sydney Logan. New York: G. p. PutnaR's
sons
This is a bright modest little volume. compris
ing two cantos OF poem written In the measure
OF "Childe Harold.n The first canto is composed
OF fity-two stanzas, the second or sixty-sX. The
author Is unknown to US, but we believe he Is q
young man OF culture ana ambition, resident in
Pennsylvania. He now makes his debut in
the world OF literature. The form OF this
pubcation-the two cantos-the Spenserian
measure and the general tone that pervades
it, remind OF Lord Byron's publication of
"Childe Harold" The influence OF Byron pervades
the style OF Mr. Logan. There is scarcely page
in which we are not reminded or the wide and
sweeping intellect OF the great master The tone,
however, is higher than that OF 'Childe Harold"
There is more manlness in the authors sentl-
ments. We miss that painful egotism which
marred even the nobest OF Byron's conceptions.
1t is natural Tor young poet to fall under the
influence of some one or the great masters and
it has been the fortune OF Byron to Impress Kim
self more largely upon tais generation than
that OF any other poet. Swinburne and Ten
nyson ana Wordsworth have TO a certain ex-
tent disputed his dominion, but in read
Ing the poems of young writers ike Mr..
Logan the influence OF Byron is constantly
seen. Where this influence is departed from we
have frequently straining Tor peculiar effects,
which result sometimes IN impurity and in
decency and the publication ofunutteraole poems,
Ike some OF Mr. Swinburne's works. 1t is a credit
TO Mr.. Logan that he has not yielded to this
temptation.
Mr.. Logans style is clear, sweet and express
sive. sometimes uneven, with occasionally an am
bilious EFFORT at effect, which weaKens the har-
mony strength and poise OF has verse. For In
stance:-
Winter the aged huntsman now appears
one who with time both strengthened, not decinedi
lie SEEKS Sor spoil win hard ana bitter mind
Wiz b. rang WIND: before him ana 6ehine
They bite at ali Things IL their fury blind
All that Is LETT exposed they doom to speedy death
stanza like this contains an idea OF the
faults OF Mr.. Logan's style, but thev the faults
OF immaturty. The picture Of Winter, an aged
hunter, TO whom years have given increased
strength, driven by the barking winds is poetic
but the effect is lost by such lines as " He seeks
for spoil with hard and bitter mind, and "They
bite at all things IN tner fury blind" We cannot
but feel that these lines are put IN TO obge the
stanza and not TO give strength TO what other
wise is a quaint and proper poetical Illustration.
The influence OF Byron we find in such lines as
tnese;-
! loved in childhood and still love to climb
Most dizzy rocks and alr-surrOunded towers
And AGAIN.
With all thousand forms and cOlOrtngs;
Pale evening star of our declining day
Thine unseen hand that ever nings
A mantle DER the cohined Past, and wrlngs
Dew irorA LIES granite, and from OF woe.
Ana again.
I've loved to gaze upon the Alps. where. sweeping
The winds their glittefing gram forever sow
A thousand past there still sleeping
Upon eacn others breasts in tiers OF snow.
And again.
What have felt shall others feeli
what ] have with toll shall e'er
Shall my voice ring aiar with ech ding peal
Or shall be as hose who In their sleep
Deem they have cried aloud. while their lips keep
Unbroken stiincsss
And AGAIN.
Dark oceans tides that chisel her bleak cliffs
To scuDtured forms OF wild sub unity.
These quotations show a manly quality how
ever. ana are not to be wondered at in a young
writer. Mr.. Logan has all the Clements OK a poet.
His English is clear and sweet ana pure. There is
a genuine Saxon whic1 no one knew so well 10
use as his great master. We have no book
for long time marking the advent Of new
writer IN our literature which we have read with
80 muca interest ana pleasure this OF Mr.. Lo-
gan. It's faults arc those OF a young man: its
merits are those OF a writer OF genius and power
We see no reason why, with study and observa-
ton and a belief that America has materials Tor
poetry as VIVID and Drofuse as the older countries
q should mn N