New-York tribune., 1876-11-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
POETRY.


DOZENS OF WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT Collected
and Arranged by the Author, Ie,on - "a wv
cravings $40. PIP. 5Ol. d. Appleton " w.
@ POEMS BY SIDNEY LANIEH- Azmo' PIP 0A -
. THAI NEW WORLD, AND OTHER POEMS; By
o. Mrs. s. NJ b. Plate 12mo. pp l3O. James H. US
good & Co. ,o-
a. TwrNIY POEMS. By r. K. WEEKS 12mo. Pp' l67'
Henry Holt q Co. ..
4 CASTLE WINDOWS. BY LATHAM CORNELL STRONG
D. Ono pp 229. II. b. Minis s Co, Troy, NJ y.
q Tytr MONTHS A Poem. BY BENJAMIN G. HbRKt. Ht
" idmo pp 225. Lancaster, Penn; Inquirer fIin'
ing Company. ,... - NJ
This last. absolutely complete edition OF MI
prvant,s poeIns is the most welcome git Oh tue
.oason II contains everything he has written III
ending few poems not given in any previous ooi- %
lection from "Thanatopsis" which apppeueu w
- 900 to 1.-THE Flood of Years" which came
with this centenary year. Although the venerable
hard has now passed his SD birthday, the hie Oh
song still burns clear in some guarded sanctuary Oh
his nature: and we have probably not yet tasted
"tbe last fruit from an old tree" any more than we
did in the case of Walter Savage Landor Mr.
Bryant cannot yet say, like the Titanic English
man:
strove with none for none was worth my stfhe;
Nature loved, and next TO Nature, ART
warmed both hands before the hre Oh Llo'
II sinks, aud am ready 10 depart -
His "Cbristmas in 1875" now properly inscribed
"supposed TO be written by a Spanlard, "-1or the
device Of its being a translation deceived none VINO
oppreciate the poets purity of dlcion ana he'crJ Is
hardly less fresh and melodious than the poems Oh
his prime He is an ilustriOus example OF the youth
of that highest poetic art which does not spring
from Youthful feTment of the blood, OF the mo'ons
of keen enthusiastic sentiment which is dulled by
time. but which is inwoven into the whole moral
and intellectual being of the poet is born with MN
and cannot be lost while he lives. Mr.. Bryants ge-
nius never has been exercised save in agreement
with his literary conscience. This single Volume
embraces the poetical labor of an unusually long
and earnest life; and although 1t presents varleueS
Of achievement, there is little If anything IN II
which the sternest literary critic would be willing
TO spare. Indeed the relative value OF the poems
depends upon that of their themes, rather
than the execution. In the Slightest, we
feel the presence of the same pure aho
lofty TASTE the same chastened nnaghatloh
and temperate use of the abundant richness OF Ian
onaoe which we know to be at the authors com
mapd. Mr.. BRYANT has never been popular poet,
in the ordinary ncceptation of the wOrd neither is
Wordsworth TO whom he has the nearest ntellec-
tual kinship. But ne has always been conspicuous
elevated beyond all temporary populantles, ana
yenerated by the great mass OF readers VINO are I'M
familiar with his best poems. We have always con-
sidered his Antiquity of Freedom" and LYNN
to Death" as stronger and loftler strains than
"ThanatOpss," the charm of which lies chiefly III
its grave majestic music. Many OF his brief Tyres
are also compact with what might be called con-
densed imagination and sparkle with new sugges-
tiyeness at each perusal. This new and beautiful
edition should have q permanent place IN every IN
telgent household in the country The paper typo
GRANNY and illustrations are alike excellent and fifty
embalm the lfe's work Of one Of the chief founders
of our Literature.
MIR. Lanier's dainty little volume contains
only ten poems, but they embOdy as much character
and thought as are usually found in the first hundred
of new poet. 1t is impossible to read them with
out feeling the presence Of clear individuality IN
song-a nature free opuent, exqulsitely npresslDle
to aereat range of influences, melodlous, and daring
almost to an arbitrary degree. Although the works
of other poets, in passing through his mind' may
have given some tinge of coloring, find no dis
tinct trace of any save, possibly Shakespeares
sonnets In poetic aim form, and choice of themes,
Mr. Lanier has expressed himself so positively that
he cannot be mistaken for any one else. His "Can-
tataD for the Opening Of the Exhibition at Phlla-
delpha. which was written under the hard restrlc-
tions imposed by music, is omitted; and those VINO
know him only through q work so widely copied and
30 generally miseonceved should have new interest
In becoming acquainted with his purely poetlcal
work. The volume opens with the poem entitled
"CornD-the first new voice Of song which the
South has blown to us over the ashes Of battle This
Is tne opening sJdlLd'
To-day the woods are trembling through and through
With shiveTng forms, that fash before my VleWJ
Then melt in green as dawn-stars melt in blue
The leaves that wave against my cheek caTess ..
Like womens hands; the embracing bOughs express
A subtlety of mighty tenderness
The copse-depths into little noises start,
That sound anon ike @ beating, ing ,ei OF nat heart
The beech dreams balm, as a dreamer NUNS q sohSj
Through that vague waiture expirations strong ~
With stress aud urgence bold OF prls0ned spring
And ecstasy Of burgeOning
Now since the dew-plashed road OF morn is dry,
Forth venture Odors of more qlalty
And heavenlier giving. Like JOVes locks a"ry,
Long muscadnes
I,ch-Wreath the spacious fOreheads OF great pines
And breathe anbrOsial passion from their vines
pray with mOsses ferns, and flowers shy
That hide like gentle nuns from human eye
To lift ad0rng perfumes TO the SKY:
Ihear faint bridal-sighs OF brown and green
Dying TO silent hints OF kisses Keen
As far lights fringe into a pleasant sheen
/ start at fragmentaTy whispers, blown
From undertalks Of leafy souls unknown,
Vague purports sweet OF inarticulate TONE
There is the very atmosphere of the first tropical
burst of our American Summer in these lines The
whole poem in fact, throbs with sunshine and is
musical with the murmurs of growing things. 1t is
racy with the fullest life of the SOIL and the verse
undulates and ever puts forth fresh sprays, ike an
overfed vine. In The Symphony we find the same
qualities to which, as in the psalm Of the West"
willful, capriciOus element seems to have been
added TAe faults of both are redundancy, and an
apparent abandon to the starts and bolts, no less
than TO the speed of Fancy. They are in singular
contrast to the authors maturity of ideas, and sug-
gest an over-richness of material, accumulation
which has not been relieved by earlier utterances