New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-16

I2mo pp o.. James i;. Ossood u 60
The three poems included III this cicirmingiy
printed volume ole read at Concord on tie l"
nj Anil $50: the ode, Under tie Old Elm,
read at Cambridge July 3, 1876 and an ode Tor th
Tuuth Of Jgly, 1876, written for but moi delivered al
the clcbra ion AT Taunton, Mass. In single predatory
sentence tl author asks his readers to nber Lat
his Harvard "COmmtmoratiUn ODE Weciudci MN
from many OF tie patural Of thought aud ieelin.
common to such occasions. But no one, We SNhrc VII
be likely to forget this fact to Fail III due recognition
Of the wealth OF thought ard Imagination expressed III
these three additional DDS All four, indeed, nave
historic no less than literary Importance but u''
first in time Is also first in excellence. Inc
d" ConMomOrati0n Que" throbs and i"ilhlf"'
with intense patriotic devotion. There Is no
reserve or doubt III is exaItaion of the ideal God
dess of the Nation; the close equally sweet iinias-
stoned and sublime, burst OF un.eSaued' l"Vel1ikr
gror In these three Succeeding Odcs graYeF zone j.
cd In that read at Concord, Whclc sc seem 10
sec the eurc of Freedom coming over Tie hills NE some
quckfooIod nympH of morning, doubt makes l'ei
heard aud j. resisted. 10 returns IN TIE fouIlh o J'!
ode uttcrs Itself more completely ana leaves 'oei""E
Of It's shadow lingering in the readers mind Tie ait"or
Is aware oi this and oilers hs explanation in the follow
ing admirable sonnet which appears as ploenl TO the
volume:
H. | let fall q word Of bitter mirth
WG,n rulic ,li.lnc5 more s.aA"iul paiNO, won,
some have mi>juI 20 Il me, ard 49,! service done,
l. small. VT i...iAlul, dccmcd oI little Noitd:
ThrcueI. vein. tHatdfrw their life from c,irn EARN
Two hundred Years ana ~ 4. TiI GiU 81 hIIl IGh
go In 80 polluted course from sire - son
Ana thus was yre,lrsunei rr, luy b..th
10 iovU thc suil wIrrC"iih ny h"cEH own
Instinct We svmlItHIr,; yet love II -
A. honor would. so: li@n,ly to dcthIonc
judgment, Tia" stamp of inanhood, h'' toIcgo
The some ri.ii t. a mother d"afrr crown
Ni.4 growing kuUwl, dS, aid more t!ls' th'i SHOW
Herein NJ Lowell evidently refers 10 some pieces u
acrd political satire which were printed Anonymous III
. weekly uapcr. but M cnce recognized - being his
But whatever ofFcnse he may given was rather
coptniucd ~ his memorial poem, Aeassiz wherein t
STYLED this country "Ihe Land al Brokcn Promise
such phrase touoled with wouudlng EJECT an those III
whose memories still! rang tie noble lines:
eve will not dare To doubt thrc,
But usk wnateN else, and We Viii darc!
Yet Tor t.o slac of lin wrote sueh lines, The
impatient deSpondcnt mood vas pafd'ucI, ana 'hc
subsequent saircs cunot have provoked more than
local irritation. Nj Lowch's defense, in tie some;
quoted above. Is just aud ample: he has earned
the fullest light to cIiticSe, TO dcnOunce cor
rupt practices. to brand bascncss with the
hottest Indignation Of his verst. Tie misiule-
mcnt at which lie hints is un(oundcd, but tIeIc
IL surely too little OF II 10 affect e popular appr,-
citation Of his character man and poet The whole
country owes large dcbt gratitude to Mr. Lowell for
uis uo5l work nov aud in tue Past The sentiment Of
Patriotism has rarely been 5ndly expressed than
H. his Odr wherein there u no occasional defect of
form winch Is not result OF the authors wealth
0l thought aud illustration That written for tnc Con
cord CONNIE moration tn finest from s greater com
paciues yn, Try ana the joyous music OF its open
ing and closing dacylic lues, which clash like The
silver thrills of kissing inbals" Tie Washington Ode
has somewhat the character Of pocca essay yet It's
eIayer temper is, after AL required by the theme Bat
eaca Of the poems aud invites frequent perGsa
not often 80 mach reading put INTO 80 pages.