The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-08
The Eccentrlcities Of the
Poet SWinburne.
A n L n GLIS IL PO T. .
a Glance at Ruskin in Pri-
vate Life.
A YOUNG AMERICAN ARTIST

ago that Mr. Swinburne the most popular OF Engands
poets, had been expelled from of his clubs the
Arts Clnbalthough the cause of this rebuke, thanks
10 tho reticence of the aggreved members was not
MADE public. On the whole, considerable Indignation
prevailed that the members of the club had been
willing condone the poets offences for the sake OF
his genius. The facts of the case thesc:-Swin-
burne as is unfortunately too well known although 1t
is at the shrine OF Aphrodite that he offers
his verse, is himself possessed and tormentcd by
impcrous demon in tho service OF Bacchus-humilat-
Ing coniessionl Much had the members OF the club
endured from his vagaries and caprccs In moments of
excitement, and hitherto endured in silence But
one unfortunate evening he encountered iricnd-one
Of those friends who always ready TO prove their
devotion TO man of genius by iaterng his viccs-and
who became his companion in an orgy OF slcbaucb.
Proposing to leave the club the poet could not find his
hat, when yielding tho frenzy TO which temper
aments, wrought upon by unnatural snuants, arc
haole, he seized the hats OF all the members hurled
lhem in wild rage upon the oor and performed upon
them what must have been, according to the dcscrp
lion have had OF it, an Indian dance, with
paniment Of fcrocious gesture and outrageous
whoop This frantic rite concluded, he rushed wildly
from the building What those injured and hat
less members TO doY The time had come when cndur-
ceased TO be virtue. Respect for the
genius of tho author of "Atalanla, and tho
'.songs before Sunrise" had persuaded them
to submit TO many annoyances, but the dcstruc
lion Of twenty thirty polished stovcpipes danced
before their eyes to shapeess mass the final blow
Which arouscs to rebellion. Was this likewise be
endured? The gods oil Phllistia forbid.
THE INEVITABLE
Sterny they met together with lips and resolute
brows resolving that the time for action had come As
respectable British citizens no longer could they allow
aecency to be outraged and hats inundated even By
,vho haa ~. 40
hings' VINO had wiped out Gcd with a sheer; over
lurned His desccratcd affairs and danced upon them
NTH tho nmble ieet OF his resembling rhythms Il war
dance not less frantic than the just executed
shcir own beneht-not even to snch genus could be
allowed the privilege of destroying hats With mpunty.
They would have preferred to avoid the scandal but
was in vain--Swinburne expelled The poet Is u
warm aud devoted friend OF the painter and poet Ros-
sctt, and has proved his devotion in many
ways. not only IN their personal inter-
course, but in the splendid tribute which
he has paid Rossetti's genius in his review OF
his poems; and yet even this friendship has
always been undmmed by clouds. Some years ago IA Q
was in tho habit Of spending great deal of time at
Rossctti's house, and on one OCCASION amer no
had lcn him, lady inquired Of artist how he had
been able to separate from his beloved Py thias.
"Alas madame" Rossetti replied, zone grows weary
Of carrying ones best friend upstairs every
htuL AHotneT iauy Impressed ncT regret tuat MT.
swinburne's habits were such that she unable TO
Invite him her house Rossetti aroused her joyful
sympathy by informing her that the poet had quite
reformed but only to add when she had congratulated
him upon an event so unlocked for and dcsirabe:--
ale does not get drunk than days out OF
the week
DANGEROUS FRIEND.
Swinburnes temperament is, indeed, peculiar, so
high strung and irritable that it is impossible him
Ia bro nd in hia me- nfi
cement, whether occasoned by the of stimuants,
by righteous indignation furious rage lie sometimes
proves dangerous even to those whom he most highly
reyores His hatred and detestaon of Napoleon he has
often expressed in prose and one day in talk
with Rossetti, he angered 10 lind that his friend
did not agree with him his estimate this iuiqui-
ious monster. The discussion grow warm when sud
denly swnburne lcw Rossc,ti's throat pinned him
10 bookcase and almost throttcd him. Fortu-
nncly Rosseti with tho help OF a friend who was in
The studio succeeded getting him to the ground and
holding him there until his rage had subsidized soon
alter this exploit he met the studio OF distinguished
painter several well-known artists but himself In
such condition tha, his friends persuaded him to
seek rcposc: they laid him comfortably upon couch
iondly imagining he would ny better
EelL Vain delusionl Swinburnc awokc possessed by
the dca that shilling had been stolen from his pocket
he accused all present Of the THEFT; would listen
rrty should be restored Not until his amlabc host
had pretended ind the floor shilling taken from
his pocket, and had presented to him. was the
demon Of the poet appeased
BETTER sELr.
With nature thus unbalanced and habits so per-
vericd only wonder at tho force Of genius or
Tins gifted man, who, In spite of his lamentable
sesses, his foIlles and exravaganccs conirvcs--by
khat miracle who shall say ITO carry his literary
abors, and who produces work alter work indicating
jevcrc study, laborlous research, and. in certain
tense continual progress in the sublime OF whose
orms he has such unoxamplcd command. II Is true
That swnburnc can count among his numerous friends
those aho his good angels under whose influence
he is another man irritable and overoxcablc indeed,
set capable of ariuous abors. and responsive 10 all
noble impulses. When with his mother ia the coun-
try-a beautiful, intelligent and noblc-iar from
The distracng cxcemcnts of city HE, is always
his best; his congenal home he often remains
months and Is most PROBABLY at such Of
pose that his best work Is accomplished Tho time has
not yet como Tor a true and exhaustive criticism
Swinburnc's genius and rapidly produced poems Has
the charm Of these brilliant improvisations tmany OF
his poems are nothing morel been heightened by the
fxcesscs and morod cxcitability Of an exceptional
ienperaments Has the true development OF his
genius been checked by tho Of balance nd har-
mony Of his naures This Is an interesting In
curry and one which we can safely prophcsy will
occupy little army OF tho critics OF the future For
myself, without entering into discussion Of the sub
iect, incline 10 adopt the latter hypothesis.
POET.
At present the praise bestowed upon swiuburne is
Bomewhat indscrminate and very naturally So Cor his
superb command OF language, his unexampcd mastery
of rhythms and metres, captivates and amaxcs Yot
cannot be denied that his Intricate fugucs aud sym
phonies of word music but too often merely word
music; uninformed by corresponding life OF
subtle thought uninspircd by central. aLpcrvadns
and controlling sublime conception. There much OF
his poetry which ciudes thoaght for my part al
least ind Il impossible to read cousccutively
remember what read The effect that produces pre-