New-York tribune., 1875-02-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
sCRIBNER's MONTHLY.


,oraor 81 the Grand Canon the walls of which, at the
roint where this article commences, are more 'nan %
I'm hight equal to the distance from tue ire's"i' 80,
ing in Washington to the Capitoi farK' VI i'o ~
st In New-YorR up Broadway to Grace Cnure"'
thousand feet Of this up through granite crags tneh
sopes and perpendicu,ar cliffs rise one ABOVE tue o'"e
a, ,he snmn,it The gorge is black ana narrow oeiow'
rad and gray and farng above, and crags ana angular
,,ro,eetions on walls which, cut in many places Wy e
canons seem to be o vast wilderness OF rocks Do"h
throueh these gloomy depths we glided always s'en
ing. for the mad waters kept up their roar always
atahlng and peerng ahead-for the narrow canon WAS
ndne and the river was closed that we could see put
. few hundred yards, and what might be below
we knew not We strained our ears for warhine
OF the falls and watched for rocks or stopped now and
then IN the bay OF TO admire the gigane scene
ry; and ever went, there was some new pnnaeie
or tower. crag or peak. some distant view Oh inc
upper plateau, Deep narrow side canon or some
strangely shaped rock. On went through this SOL
emp mysterious way. The river was very deep, the
cafon very and still obstructed, SO that there
was no steady flow Of the stream. but the waters
wheeled and rolled and boiled and We were scarcely
able determine where could 20 with greatest sale
ty Now boat carried to the right perhaps close
to the wall, again she shot into the stream anu
dragged over 70 other side. where caught In whr
pool she spun about like chip. We could neither ano
nor run as we pleased; the boats were entreV
unmanageable; now one. now another was aneau
each crew looking after its own safety" La
Fontaine and his Fables" by Mr.. Albert Rhodes,
Is light sketchy account Of the private life OF the
celebrated fabust with critical estimate OF some OF
his principal poems especially illustrative OF the So
cal principles and habits OF that day MI Rhodes apty
enough remarks:
Tn France of the seventeenth century there were
few of what we call Positlvists. Ihe Iasnlonaoo
population OF Paris mainly composed OF tepld
Chrisnans-those who gave an intellectual assent 10
Scrptupa truths but did not practice them until uean
was thought to be near at hand Inns' wnen ase vi
sickness seized upon them INK Se SSTcS thew had neg
leeted in health and pleasure and at tne iast hSur e
repentant sinners into Paradise. La Fontaine was one
of these At and ten this Votar OF pressure
found himself dangerously sick. A priest oecame
rear visitor At his bedside induced him 10 read
the Evangests which he had either forgotten or never
friends Ihave been readng the New Testament; st
assure you i Sysry SeTo sSGa ams has ns aid
10 the priest Il presume the damned get ,s% Ssea
selves in their natural element as fish do u the
water :" and this without any intention OF peng Hrev
less Of the Maker with eternal punishment The as
slduous and persuasive priest ended however, IN re-
cnssons that the nurse said the physician OF the
mnd DO MT torment him so much-he is more stupid
sge 70 damn hn" And he to whom this said after
ward that the poet was as simple IN MS "icReo
mess as he was in his goodness
He yielded to every demand Of the Church withdrew
anew edition OF the Confess which he had rehed
for handsome returns burned an unpuDnsneo SOnedg,
and EXPRESSED repentance for having written Doth oe
aQeputat1On OF the AcaQeDy, Ou IcCONoIy,. E1u
he been younger 1t is possible that there would have
been baeksding as was, Tue nre OF nature nau
H. gave what was left vitality religion turned
some OF the bankverse hymns into rhy mes ana read
was only known at his death to what auserty he had
subjected his poor body, then found enyeopsd IN rude
hair shirt. Thus, the author Of "Joconde" at last
ended in q garment Of self-punishment! IL Is a COM
mentary his life and the age in which he lived
Mr. stedman's Latter Day British Poets" is devoted
toswinburne whom he regards master OF the faculty
nf rhVth IN in a 10 degree than living English
poet or perhaps than recent poet in any language
with the exception Of Shelley possibly some lyrts OF
the modern French school, Before the appearance Of
Bwinburne comprehended the full scope of En-
gsh verse In his hands it like the violin OF Paga
mini, incompatible with anything hitherto known in
range Of fantasas ronades arias, and new efforts
Of measure and sound. swinburne is a natural word
tanner subduer OF the most stubborn, yet most cop
OF the literary tongues His poetry brings qualities
to light that before known 10 belong TO the
Language. OF all rhyhmists he is the most sovereign
He compels the nfexibe elements to MS USE Chau-
Ger is more limpid Shakespeare more ktngy, Milton
lofer at times. Byron has an unaffected power,-but
neither Shelley the greatest Of his predecessors is
70 dithyranbc and has been in all moods SO abb
soute an autOcra of verse; With regard to the essen
tai qualities Of Swnburne's poetry which have fur
Dished the theme Of such vehement discussion, Mr..
Btedman remarks;
swinburnes work revived the interest felt In poetry.
His power was so that the public looked TO
What else S6d1 naa cfo f6e e fTI of Poems and Ballads Of
various lyrical pieces, some OF which had been contrib
the frat time Without fair consideration. this volume
was taken as a aud studied work Of the mature
pOet and there was much aston1shmeDt over Its con-
Ients. Here began notable literary discussion Ii un'
measured praise had been awarded to swnDurne for the
chastity aud beauty of "Ataanta" he now was made
TO feel how critical breath could shift 10 the oppo
aud balance It's early favor with repfe1en
and Gothic pieces full OF sensuOus ana turDld pas
sioD, layisbing prodiglous wealth Oh music and
ANA the periOus themes, and treating
them 10 an openly defiant manner. Sense was every
where exalted above spirituality and them who did
not consider formative nature OF the book and
the dramatic purpose OF the least restrained
lustDg alter strange gods, aud had plunged uto
ndoraIion OF Venus and Prapus that he had drunk
of Circe's goblet, aud GROWING Himself with
lands ere his into OF the betsts that
follow IN her train RebuKes freely uttered-indeed,
storm OF denuncatIon began. Friends and partisans
rusbed to his defense and last the poet spoke for
himsef with doubtful force Of satire and scorn in
reply both to the and TO able but covert
sttack made against him bv singer. So fierce
literary antagOnIsm has not been known since the
tests " Byron aud the Lake School OF course gave
the BOOK a wide reading, followed by marked influence
upon the style OF hedgng poets The lyrics we've re-
printed America, with the new title OF Laus Veners
from the opening poem another presentment OK
the Tannnlser legend that has bewitched many Of
the recent French and English minsres The authors
reputation, thherto confined TO the admirers Of Alta
lsnta," now extended 10 the masses who read from
curiosity. Some content reprehend, or smark
their lips over, the questionable portions OF the new
book Dut many while pereelvng the crudeness OF the
out and there and welcomed the poet, UNIQUE ad
doDs TO the metric and sanzac forms ol English verse
A, II we end spice Of Special pleading in Mr. stedmans
encomiums oD the poetifor whom he cherishes an
enthusiasm approaching idola<y, it must be admitted
that be handled the with exceeding eloQueDce,
with ane poetic sense and gift Of literary
arison aud Illustration. His 6nal summing up is i'm
pressve If not convincing "Tane brings cloud
of examples 10 that each period shapes the work
and fortunes Of its authors but 1t is equally true that
men of genius create nodes and often determine