The Portland daily press., 1876-11-11
Recent Publications,

The NATIONAL ODE. July 4th, 1876. By Bayard
Taylor. Facsimile of manuscript by HeHotype
process. Published by j. R. osgood and Co.
| Boston. For sale by Bailey s. Noyes.
In large harmoniou, design, vivid and warm
| expression, and admirable verbal and metrical
effects, Mr.. Taylor's National Ode far surpasses
| any other poem which has been inspired by the
nations anniversary; and in comparison with
his former works proves that the elasticity,
ylgor and fire of Mr.. Taylor's poetic gift en-
able him TO respond the more fully the greater
the demand upon him. None of our American
singers is more qualified than he to fill worthily
| the place of poet laureate, should such Office
one day be among our country's gifts; the
abounding vitality, the genuine fervor and
breadth of his poetic feeling, richness and spor,
taneity of expression and singularly fine
| sense of the power of accent and rhythm are
| developed by a faithful devotion to his art
| which is the result of the passionate persist
ence OF genius 1t is an exceedingly difficult
| task to write good poem for a special occa-
sion, and requires great unconventonality and
freedom of thought together with moderation
and reserve OF expression; the limitations Of
facts, the constant comparison invited between
the mingled prosaic and ideal elements of
| every actual event are hindrancs to the poet,
similar to that which the sculptor encounters
| in reconciling modern garments with the he
roic stature aud pose that are of the fashion of
all time. Mr.. Taylor has been extraordinarily
successful In conquering this difficulty, which
would have overweighted and stifled talent of
less impulse and sincerity than his. So har-
| monious and artistic is his treatment of the
| subject that nowhere is to be found the cold
and fantastic fault of over-personifcatiop,
| while throughout the ode the daughter of the
| gods," the free huntress maiden, Is noble and
dignifed figure that imparts everywhere
warm human interest. The opening lines of
| the ode are solemn and beautiful, celebrating
the gradual ascent of the morning light that
| first warmed 70 life the far East passed in
| midday splendor over Europe, and now shines
| for the dawn of the Western world. This
nobly poised period forms golden porch to the
stately edifice of song. The ode constantly
rises in poetic height of expression, and the
triumphant majesty of the lines ending
"'Twas glory once to be Roman,
She makes it glory now to be man.
form superb contrast to the pathetic prayer OF
the succeeding passage. The technical beauty
of the ode is remarkable; the changing rhythm,
the subtle traits of rhyme and accent prove Mr..
Taylor to possess decate native sense of the
musical worth of words. His lines often have
the indescribable beauty of sound that we rec.
| ognize in some of Shakespeare blank verse as
well as in his sorss-an effect the result Of the
musical gift as necessary to poet as to composer.
| An occasional verbal carelessness mars for a
| moment the music of the ode; for instance such
| rhymes as upon her. and "honor," and again,
'And order that sustains, upon thy sOd,"
Sand plant in stainless might
is an over-assonance which Mr.. Taylor's fine
ear would not have allowed to pass unnoticed,
except in the impetus of the thought in the ex-
preston of which it occurs Such minute YER
bal criticism seems somewhat ungracious, in
regard to so fine workout the large beauty
of its design and faithful perfection Of It's nish
throw ever SO slight defects into relief Mr..
Bayard Taylors National Ode is distinctlvely
American in tone, and 1t will retain the place
in history and in literature that its merit and
circumstances give it; and the second centen-
nial of our country will read with reverent voice
and eyes lit with gratitude and affection the
very written characters in which were inscribed
one of the noblest poems of our century, and
honor the man and poet who by faith ln his
land and his art. crowned occasion with full
| lowered song.
| OAKUM PIcKINGs, by Walter P. Phillips, (John
| oakum). New York; w. j. Johnston. From the
Portland Agent, A. c. Preble, Western Union
Telegraph Office.
This is duodecimo of 176 pages, containing
selection of sketches published in teiegraphic
and other journals. They are of more imme-
diate interest to the telegraphic fraternity, but
will be read with pleasure by others who like
an interior view OF that business. His humor-
GUS descriptions of the hsppy-go-lucky dissi-
pated operators who have run to seed, give an
old-fashioned air to the business which is hard
| TO realize until we consider that the original
telegraphers are really passing out and that
twenty-eight years has brought an army of new
men into the business. His story Of the dent
ist who had been a murderer, strikiDgly recalls
that original humorist, John Phenix. and his
friend DR.. Tushmaker.
NELLY KINNARD's KINGDOM. By Amanda M.
Douglas. Published by Lee & Shepard. Boston.
| For sale by Bailey q Noyes.
A charming fresh and wholesome story,
| written with great refinement and sweetness
Miss Douglass work has the worth that Mrs.
| Whitney's aims at and misses; it is helpful,
womanly, and eleyatDg without morbidness,
self-consciousness or oyer-analysis. Beside
this, Miss Douglas uses good English. The
Straightforward good sense, and understanding
of girl nature that is evinced in NELLY Kim
| nard's Kingdom" would recommend it to favor,
| even were it less delightful as a story. Read
ers of ''Seven Daughters" previous volume
| by Miss Douglas. will be glad to renew their
acquaintance with the Endicotts and their
friends.
LIVING Too FAST. By Oliver Optic. Published
| by Lee s. Shepard, Boston. For sale by Bailey g.
| Noyes.
| A plainly written practical novelette,, some
| thing in the vein of T. s. Arthur's stories, de-
signed to emphasize the Importance of honesty
and uprightness in business, and the worth Of
the contentment resulting from living within
ones means. These truths cannot of course be
TOO often repeated, and the form of q story is q
| good mode of impressing the lesson. The liter
| ary merit Of "Lvlpg too Fast is not great, but
its excellent purpose will ensure il share Of
| favor with the reading public.
POEMS OF PLACES: IRELAND. Edited by Henry
Il
good & Co., Boston. For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
The contents of this volume are especially
interesting; the richness and native sweetness
of Irish song is well exemplified by selections
from various sources translated from the Irish
language as well as written originally in our
own tongue. The ardeut patriotism of the
poetry of Ireland is especially noticeable; it
rises to passionate devotion and to religious
sentiment in its expression.
CAPTAIN SAM, OR THE Boy SCOUTS OF 1914. By
George Cary Eggleston. Author Of the Big Broth
er, etc. etc. Published by g. P. Putnam's Sons,
NY. For sale by Loring, Short & Harmon.
A bright and entertaining story for boys,
manly in tone and full of interest 1t relates
the adventures of party of boys who, under
commission from General Jackson, undertook
a scouting expedition about Pensacola. The
style of the book is rough and ready, with no
attempt at literary fnish-but it will be foand
heartily enjoyable by the readers for whom it is