The Portland daily press., 1877-11-10
Recent Publications.

Recent Publications.
Hawthorne and Other Poems By Edmund
Clarence Stedman. Boston: j. R. Osgood s.
Co.; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
This poem upon Hawthorne was read by Mr.
Stedman at Cambridge, June 2Sth, 1877, before
the Phi Beta Kappa society, and is a rare and
fortunate one of that difficult class of literary
work, the occasional poem. Conditions, not
easy to meet singly, are complicated by each
other and rendered still harder to reconcile:
the readiness of thought and fancy; the rapid,
telling strokes that appeal to instant hearing;
the poetic finish and depth that will later sat-
isfy the reader, after the impetus of the occa.
sion and the power of the voice and the glance
of the poet are no longer present to move him;
the prop1ieties of the time and place-all these
that must direct, often embarrass too much the
genius Of the poet. Mr.. Stedman has been
exceedingly happy in his encounter with these
difficulties-he offered an ode, which, rich in
poetic thought and abounding in harmonious
and striking phrases, is inspired by the most
generous and unstinted sympathy with Haw-
thorne's gift and the influences that formed its
peculiar quality. Any delineation from Mr.
Stedman's pen of the nature and accomplish
ments of other poets, must always have extraor
dinary value and interest; with him, poetry
and criticism walk together for mutual illumi-
nation and his practical art of the poet availss
him not less to comprehend the aims and deeds
of others, than his luminous and delicate judg-
ment to enrich and refine his own verse. If
there be any fault to be found with Mr.. Sted-
man as a critic, it is that Of overmuch admira-
tion; but error if this be, it is clearly not the
result Of any lowering of his very high liter
ary standard, but the noble clairvoyance of
sympathy that sees endeavor above deed and
follows on strong wings the thought beyond
imperfect expression of words. This tendency
is noticeable in the ode upon Hawthorne
whose poetic gift Mr.. Stedman paints IL rich,
sombre but harmonious colors; yet emphs,
sizing too little for strict literary justice the
healthful shadows of Hawthorne's nature
shadows with which his own can indeed have
little in common. For instance, in an apos-
trophe to New England, MIR. StedmanIsays of
Hawthorne:
This was the son who read thy heart Alright,
OF whom thou vast beholden In his dreams, -
The one New Englanderl
1t is not the living New England-mother of
mighty men, strong from her ancient struggle
against the sea, and filled with the keen breath
of salt winds-that Hawthorne depicted; it
was she before the day of her praise and power,
in two-fold shadows of an unknown and alien
life and of hard oppression from which zen
had fled to her for deliverance. This power of
the sadness of his people was surely upon Haw-
thorne's spirit; but his individual quality i'm
pressed itself everywhere, adding deeper mys-
terry to the stern old days of the Puritans,
illuminating with terrible light the hill where
harmless creatures suffered the death of
witches, and by very perfection of verbal art
and subtle touch, leaving an afterthought that
is morbid and distorted. 1t is the pteous past
not the present, that he drew, that represents
the life of New England as the dead branch of
an old apple tree-warped into strange shapes,
with here knot that was left of broken
branch and here twisted by some great wind,
black against the early November twilight
represents the rosy drifts of bloom, the thrill
of the life of root and of outmost tw:g, the
promise of Maytime. As literary work, Mr..
Stedman's poem upon Hawthorne is to be
ranked very highly; its happy beauties of ex-
preston and the finely contrasted stanzas that
go to form its harmonious proportions, its un-
affected and original style merit great praise.
Beginning with skilful prelude as Of harp
struck with the modest assurance of one young
among singers who yet feels his power, it ends
with strain Of elevated and noble imagery
that haunts the minds ear like the suggestive
close of some great symphony.
ha nthar in
volume. the Discoverer is peculiarly exquisite
in treatment. The baby soul, bravely ventur-
ing out toward the undiscovered country, is
sung tenderly and in language and rhythm per-
fectly adapted to the subject. Nothing in the
volume is more thoroughly artistic in design
and detail than this poem, of which no descrr-
tion can convey the charm. The tiny form, that
contrasts in unconscious pathos with the wide
wisdom that death gives it; the love that min
giles its care that was of earth and its awe of
the little soul gone suddenly afar off, seem to
inspire the verse. Sister Beatrice is an Italian
legend, we'll and smoothly told. Seeking the
Mayhower is pretty idyl of New England.
News from Olympia is notable for its fine and
thorough antique sentiment, its noble music
and stately and rich language land for GER
uine love for the ancient myths, ever fresh in
lasting beauty, the clinging to these olden gods.
cloud-shapes lit by the earliest fires of mans
day, of which
"The morn is past, but man has not the will
10 Danish yet the dream"
The poem read at the unveiling of the Gree
ley monument Dec 4th, 1S76) is a warm trib-
ute to the man, beloved for his kindlinesss to
man, and whose errors were SO genial and so
hardly atoned for. Kearneyi at. Seven Pines
and Custer are in heroic vein, though differing
in manner, and are striking and full of motion.
The Comedians Last Night is clever and
thoroughly well done. All ia a Lifetime is a
song of happy philosophy, perhaps little
commonplace in treatment, but contains sew
eral fine lines. The Skull in the Gold Drift is
fine and vivid in design and sustained at a
high pitch of imagination and poetic express
sion. The Song from Drama has true vocal
quality, as has also the Sundial. The Madri-
gal is pleasing but only partially successful
attempt in the conventional conceits of the
Elizabethan school of singers. A stanza to
Clara Morris, graceful poem, With Sprig
of Heather, and spirited ballad, The Lord's
Day Gale, close the second part of the volume.
The last pages are devoted to translations
from the Greek of Homer and Aischylos, af-
fordng Interesting parallel treatment of the
subject OF the Death Of Agamemnon-the mar
rative of the one and the dramatic verse of the
other contrasting with fine effect. Mr.. .Sted-