The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-09


Miller
II has been many years since tho was last
called upon to read y new volume from the pen OF
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Such Is his happy task
to-day Sixteen years alter ner death volume OF her
letters 10 given the public. These letters are ad-
dressed 10 Richard Il. Horne q man who has lived on
the outskirts OF fame and Is hotter known friend
OF men Of letters than a OF letters himself His
writings, which covor variety OF subjects, are now
out OF print Mr. Richard Henry stoddard, who was
wisely chosen TO edit the American edition OF these
letters gives little sketch OF Horne by way OF preface
Speaking OF the poetic dramas Of tho last hundred
years, among which Horno's are numbered, he says:-
"The English public indugent to these produc-
tions and their writer's thought that the good old
poetic drama nourishing oncc more. Not bit Of
It II lasted about thirty years at most and Is AS dead
to-day as julius Cesar Mr.. Tennyson may entertain
himself by writing Mary and Harold but they
might as well have renamed unwritten."
MI Horne's excuse for publishing these letters Of
Mrs Brownings that the ink thoy written with
was fading aud that he obliged resort to to
preserve them. We have a secret opinion that Mr..
Horne was not averse to seeing his name in print
IN this connection particularly rs Mrs. Browning Is
very complimentary aud gives US bigger idea OF his
Importance than wo ever had before. We shall not,
however, quarrel with so pardonablc y weakness,
tho greatest gamers Mr. stoddard has written most
interesting and appreciative memoir OF Mrs Brown
Ing TO this edition OF letters IN which he
the Sonnets from the Portuguese "thc most remark
able personal poems ever written" sentiment with
which we heartily agree while iec that perhaps tho
personality Of some is almost too intense. Tho
beginning
First time he kissed me. he but only kissed
The fingers ol this hand whcrcwitn 1 write,
LO q tOu for n
though wo would DO sorry TO have known it In
this memoir Mr. Stoddard quotes a letter to Leigh
Hunt In which Mrs. Browning says, IN speaking OF his
"Keiigon OF the Heart :'"I believe in the divinity OF
Jesus Christ IN the intensest sense that He God
absolutely But Tor the rest, am very unorthodox
about the spirit the flesh and tho devil, and II you
would not lot mo Sit by you great many churchmen
wouldn't; 10 fact churches, all OF them as at present
constituted seem too narrow and low 70 hold true
Christianity in Its proxmato Developments at least
cannot help believing Thorn So" Mrs Browning's let
tors TO Dir. Horne very o-hand and personal and
contain running nres OF comment upon contemporaries
writer's which often amusing and always orIgi-
nal We mako few quotations :--'ralking of poets
no. not talking Of poets but thinking OF pocts-are you
aware, Orion tnat the most popular poet alive the
Rev. Robert Montgomery, who walks into his twenty
and some,hiugth edition liko nothing p l mean tho
author OF Satan Woman Omniprescnco
OF the Deity. The Messiah the last Of
these being in IT'S teens OF editions aud the greatest
worth bark Of my Flushiesl Mr. Flushe Is moro
OF poet, by the shining OF his eyes But Is It not
wonderful that this man who waves his white hand.
kcrchef from the pulpit ill tho tears run in rvucts
all round should have another trick OF oratory las
good) where he can't the ring his little finger?
really do believe that the Omnpresence OF tho Deity
in tho wentyfourth edition or beyond IT. fact that
cannot be stated in respect to Wordsworth after all
these years. OF Harriet Martineau:-.l have had
great pleasure laoly correspondence with Miss
Martnsau the nob!est female intelligence between the
seas as sweet as spring, US ocean Deep She 10 IN
hopeless anguish Of body and triumph OF spirit
with ut once no hope and all hopel To hear from her
both pleasure ana honor TO me-" OF Tommy.
son:-.I send you IAN opinion on Tennyson. Use It
do not It. He q divine poet, but have found
II difficult I'm the examination OF my own thoughts
OF him 10 analyzo his divinity and TO determine cven
myself his particular aspect as writer. What
the reason Jtsirf II never struck me before true
and divine poet nevertheless. or Edgar Allan Poo
she writes:-"Your friend, Mr.. Poe, Is a speaker OF
strong words In both kinds As to tho
Raven tell me what you shall sayhbout IL. There
Is certainly power but It does not to INC to be
tho natural expression Of intellect whatever
mood and think that this should DO specified In tho
title Of the poem. There Is fantastcalness about tho
sir or madam and things Of the which ludc-
rous unless hore Is specified insanity TO justify the
straws Probably hottie author-intondod IL TO DO
read In the poem, and no ought to have intended It.
rho rhythm exceIlenty upon the inag nation and
the .nevermore' has q solemn chino with IT, Don't
get me into scrape The .pokershness' Dust gods |
what Mohawk English might DO found fatal peradvcn-
turc. Besides, just because have been criticised
would not crilicise And OF opinion that there ia
uncommon force and effect In the poem"
There Is no such thing as a lifc OF Mrs. Browning
cxtant shame to say, and these letters for which
shall always DO grateful to Mr. Horne, have gwen
bcster insight into the everyday lifo OF the DIVINE
poe.ess than any thing that has been published
THAT LASS o. LowRlEs. By Frances Hodgson Burnett.
New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co.
As MISS Fanny Hodgson the author OF this novel
was rst introduced through tho pages Of Serb.
ner's Monthly for which magazine she wrote occasional
short storica She was wholly unknown tho editor
when her manuscripts was FIRST sent In, and gong
through o drcary pilo OF commonplace stories one
day he came upon ono OF hers. He did not
have to read far to sec that no had found
Jewell That was . Aed day Tor that editor,
for stories such those signed Fanny Hodgson."
coming from an unknown source, Is new experience
Tor odor II needless 10 say that her story was
published, ana from that day sho has been among the
most valued contributors TO Scribners That Lass o.
Lowre's" is Miss Hodgsops (now Mrs Burnetp nrst
long story, and In It has fulfilled all tho promise
her early work. II 10 English story Mrs. Burnett
English by birth, and the is laid in
the mining districts Of Lancashire The heroine Is
Joan Lowric, girl with great physical beauty we'll
beauty Of character. She was brought up to work
in the mnos, and that about all the bringing up
action, seldom talking She was OF too fine nature
TO be gossippDg with the other collicry grs
who rather feared her and always telling OF the
odd doings or that lass o. Lowriea Joan took in q
poor risndless girl whose love OF admiration had led
hor astray and cared Tor her child as though II had
been her own. The where Joau ands the towns
people tormontng poor LIZ IS well described
Derrick turned TO ascertain the meaning Of this cry
OF appeal but almost before he had Tune 10 do 80 oan