The New York herald., 1876-03-20

twenty-five years ago. the eye soon grows familiar
with the signature OF "Edtn May attached 20 poems
that draw tho reader back them again and again by
the charm Of grace and beauty springing from power
unmistakabis II immature, by the wealth OF a budding
imagination whose perfect blossoming would have
placed its owner sido by side with Elizabeth Barrett
Browning as seer, while her power OF artistic
uiterauce already surpassed OF the world known
poet, save in few OF the atters happiest efforts Yet
to-day the little book which holds those collected
poems Is almost unknown. 1t was published IN 1851
by Philadelphia house. and followed in 1888 by
second edition but both issued in guise too ex
pensve for extended sale. Very soon after the ap-
pearance OF the edition magazine readers missed
the which they had learned TO welcome, and, al
though there who for years questioned and
wondered what had become of whose writings had
made them take her their hearts a friend, the
surses Of time, which swiftly enace the traces OF
almost all lives, swept out Of public memory the
records OF song left by the soaring voice
hushed 10 silence ana the new edition OF the sngers
little book, published last year. unheraded, and
seems almost unknown Yet II is a book that must
awaken deep the minds OF all levers OF true
poetry who may make its acquaintance, and gladly
call TO II the attention OF generation OF readers
sure that they will thank for doing. II is i'm
possible TO study these st fruits of genius shut out
by a hopeless maady IRON attaining this world to
power which had 1t been suffered attain its full de.
velopmcnt, must have mado the OF edith
May" one of the greatest In American literature.
edith May' was the de plume assumed bys
young lady whose real name wo violate no confidence
IN giving as Miss Anna M Drinker. She OF old
and honored Quaker lineage and is by birth Phiade
phian; bat She grew up and her mind was formed
among The magnificent scenery, the then almost un-
tanned beauty OF susquehanna county, in a homo
Nrko "a
advantage in their power, and in a society which, II
small, recognize and encourage her genius.
She but seventeen when she began her brief
The "s!nger Of noble poems" Three things stand
out IN bold relief from the very beginning
OF one's acquaintance with what she has written
grow more aud moro marked as you know her better
her Intimate knowledge aud love OF nature; the power
which tho associations OF old held her
imagnation tho Inherent dramatic gift which enables
her 70 comprehend and represent truly life and char
acter alien her alone In its mood and cir
cuustauce but IN tho forces the motives the passions
that sway u and make 1t what tits Had health
NAMED 70 her she world would havo had another
dramatic poet As IL !a sho has given
us nothing IL absolute dramatic form save
two or three brief translations. But her
ballads and narrative poems are alive with
dramatic Gre and directness edith May" never for
an instant IL between the speaker in the story
and the audience One of her most striking ballads is
Christmas" in which mother tolls the story OF
the Christ child and that of her brief life 10 her
little one before the kiss Of the icy cold folds them in
drcamess sleep to awaken on Christmas morning IN the
beyond But there others OF them specially Lady
Clare" "Alinos Choice" 'Rosabelo" and 1.-The Love
Quarrel - which would be the chosen avorcs with
different readers. Each Is delicious in its own way
and each Is written in different key Instead how
ever OF any OF the ballads We have quotation
this exquisite