The Portland daily press., 1876-09-30
Recent Publications.


tive as these are rarely met with. They are
almost ideal burlesques, and will assist to de-
fine the place of parody in literature-where as
yet, owing to imperfect practice and theory, it
fods only in exceptional cases more than fur
tive entrance. The popular system of parody
is utterly false, belittling and incongruous.
Its result is to hang obtrusive, absurd associa-
tions around poems that have won praise and
tenderness and lasting honor among the peo-
pie. The real theory of parody is precisely the
reverse of this-it is an echo, shadow, mir
rored semblance. but not gibing ape. The
keynote of parody-(better emphasize the
meaning of the word by applying lit to this
charming work of Mr.. Taylor. than to leave it
to the shame of its accepted types) the key
note of parody is struck in the declaration that
one most readily and completely echoes the
poets whom he most admires, even though
their mode of expression be far removed from his
own habit of words. To write good parody
implies force of sympathy and dramatic talent;
receptiveness and fidelity of expression !;
and lastly an entire forgetfulness of self in the
abandonment to the temporary possession by
the spirit and voice of another. A little incon-
gruity no doubt points the grace of the parody
sharpens the sweetness of the borrowed song as
with sudden remote harmony-but this trait
must not discredt the model by overdose
touch; it must echo the voice of the master,
crown common theme with such words as he
would have set about 1t, repeat the cadences,
the accents, the vocabulary of hiu-but doing
its spiritirg gently.
This little volume of Echoes is such a trick
sy Ariel, that the reviewer task is complicated,
by the very excellences of the subject. Four
authors-typical rather than individual por-
traits, Mr.. Taylor tells us-meet together in
beer-cellar known to knights of the pen and
there hit upon the merry motive of future
meetings; and among charming literary chat,
suggestive, varied and essentially dramatic in
its treatment, burlesque and beer, and beauty
of words are blended. So decidedly does Mr.
Taylor disclaim responsibility as to the ex-
pressed literary opinions of either of these
dran,atis persong of his ingenious work-that
it is impos sible to say of this or that phrase
that it IS the dictum of himself Nevertheless
in the pervading tone OF sincere poetical aspir-
alton, in faith in the future of art, and in rapid,
subtle, warm appreciation of the best traits of
the various poets alluded to-Mr. Taylor's
thoughts and feeling are readily recognized.
The passage in imitation of Morris is perhaps
the most purely artistic one contained in the
volume. In it no absurdity, however pardon
able and delicious, breaks the effect of the very
c)loring of phrases, the movement, the music
of Morris. The pare2ist seems wholly
passive, colorless glass through which appear
~ 4: Al
moon made shadows. "The Deserted Barn."
after Bryant, the parodies on Browning, Sted-
man, Rossetti-this last is little subject to
criticism for temporary lapse from its original
fine picturesque design-are among many that
receive fortunate treatment at Mr.. Tay-
lor's hands. In few instances the
parodies are somewhat imperfect in their
mechanism because of subjects too re-
mote from the possible range of the au,
thors initiated, requiring constant effort to rec
oncle manner with matter; and little self
| conscious tendency to points" which some
times causes wavering from the original key
of the poem. Part of the jest's prosperity is
lost if the parodist laugh too obviously with his
audience; an appeal to the gallery disturbs the
| dramatic unities. Such elegant and witty par
| odies as these need not laugh from behind the
mask. For instance, it would have been i'm
possible to Keats to write an "Ode upon jar
| of Pickles"-the absurdity is too apparent, ard
his vocabulary and cadences are overstrained to
| the point of unuaturalness. 1t is merely q
recognizable caricature, not suggestive
| sketch. The opening staDzas of the clay of
Maccaronf' are fine, the second in especial is
| perect-but Swinburne would never have
| written
"The choice of her children when cheeses are
DID,"
| while again,
The e. curious e. coils and the strenuous strings
l is in bis true vein. In the ballad of Hiram
Hover, on the contrary, the use of very ordi-
uary and even unpoetical language is not only
pardonabe but true to the dramatic sense OF
the poem, wherein rustic characters, not only
the poet, speak. Lest these distinctions seem
| like over-criticism. it must be observed how
| fine, how almost imperceptible is the line be.
tween good and bad parody, how difficult it is
to define the point where burlesque begins, a
point only to be nsted by light of dramatic in
stinct of which Mr.. Taylor has abundantly-
proved the possession by his admirable theo-
ries of parody. to be found in the prose of tht
volume and his usually consistent practice in
/ the verse contained in it,
| In conclusion, let few words be said of Mr.
Taylor as poet, in more serious vein than tht
bright advertisements under consideration
would warrant, were it not for their poetic spir
it and the thoughtful fancies and vigorous sug
gestions that accompany them; and the convic
tion, inseparable from the reading of any pro
duction of his, that, in work or play, his face il
set toward the way by which the spirit of sons
shall come. His early literary surroundings
were in a measure hard; to him the long con
fiict of the work-a-day world with poetry wa
near and apparent. His is a tropical voice
filled with rich and strenuous song. True t
his ideals, modest as to his individual method
of expression-he is perhaps in danger of over
rating the worth of calmly poised verse, o
square-set, clear-cut models Such natural lux
urance of rhetoric as his, such pure delight in
the world and the glory of it, such full and gen
erous pleasure in his day-are not gifts to be
repressed. He has asked sadly,
"who to the Duty in drab shall bring the garande'
and laid hard fetters upon his song as if Pleas
ure were not to be sought for herself aud wer
not worthy. Yet his delicate instinct of poetr
has taught him that definite inculcation o
abstract morals crushes 'the song with owe
weight. The constant atmospheric pressure o
Pennsylvania tradition has troubled somswha
the poet He may safely trust, however, to tn
inspiration of a talent, which, not quite conso
nant with its native surroundings, is rich ant
thorough, and in process of constant and genu
inc growth His is not nature which woul'
have cared for problems overmuch, or have not
ed any apparent discord of Life with Poetry
| had these not been forced upon it. Such faitl
| in art as he holds is the means of resolving thi
| discord, this harmony not understood" lie
II l. E,,lI 10 fnla hat haa