The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-09-08
THE POEMS or THOMAS ZRNzN.

Dubun Nation,
.Songs and Romances etc. By Thomas CaulhsL
Irwin. Dublin: N. III. Gill d son
Readers of the Nation will be glad Il
learn that q new selection from the poetry
of an old and el-known contributor tt
ita columns, Mr.. Thomas Irwin, has lately
been issued in @ very neat form by Messrs
n. H. Gill r. Son, Sackville street. OF thG
characteristics of Mr.. Irvine poetry It Il
almost unnecessary to cay word In this
place. The present collection Of his poems
represents series of artistic moods and
moods Of natural feeling, descriptive and
lyrical. "L'art c'est 10 forme," says
George Sand, and nothing can be more
complete than the appropriateness OF the
form of very many of Mr.. Irwin's composi
tions. To speak in artistic parlance, his
d.awing and srouping are a.Tsys nr correct sni
grace, and you have, as In bis verses, all
the artistic requirements. His metrical
excellences are also of q high order ; the
music, 30 to speak, 10 an echo OF the pie
ture or theme. The Volume opens with q
cluster of songs; and, in reference to
attention to their imaginative and pic
turesqne beauty, the variety of their mel
ody, and the artistic form which they
exhibit. OF the romances, that Of "Little
E1ae" lie, perhaps, the most striking the
story is worked out in the most imagfna-
i've manner DOtn 40 1egerOS PiCtuieh4uo
and emotional effeet.. .It is OF the chief
functions of the poet to express the high
est aspirations of life, human, patriotic,
religions. There are several poems of this
sort In the volume-such as "Eumorphia"
q Greek word signifying beauty of form,
and in which we have an account of the
life and progress of the poetic mind devo-
ted to embody all that is best in life in
forms of literary beauty. This compost
tion which is an expression of the doctrine
Of culture, is alike philosophical In it's
spirit and poetic in its treatment, and will,
We have NO doubt, please many thought
fulYand Imaginative mind. As the book
beauty Is the soul, 30 it appropriately
closes with several which breathe the spirit
of aspiration, the hopes, patriotic and
cosmopolitan, with which reason and
benevolence contemplate the future of
humanity, the development of the divine
in life, and the ultimate perfection the hu-
man race will attain. Such is the hymn or
song
Lot unto tho three most bright
sp15lss e Ti1s in = thss sgs 81 our',
The modern Of progress developing powers.
In the same spirit is "a Vision of Erie"
This 10 hymn to Ireland. In its brief
reference to the past OF this country the
writer merely touches on whatever is
worthy Of estimation OF conservation in
that past--namely, the good which has
therein been achieved for the Irish people
and for alP peopies-the benefits effected
by Christianity in the Middle Ages, and
by great Iriahmen who have thought for
this country and for the world in later
time. His sympathies are with those who,
For the races here
Andthe souls future sphere
Consecrating present Fort, move tnrou2h time along
THE poem is an imaginative CO operation
towards the days when the nations of this
planet, having erased war from their book
of life and founded universal civilization
on the basis of industry, shall in federative
families consult what is beat for being
everywhere. Then, says the poet in bis
prospective visions:
Onr eenina atronR and fair.
Stretched for a hand TO Earope and the West.
To make the world'a wide home
One Il ne bright Chris;endom.
Our readers will thank us for quoting
from the volume, ere concluding the briel
notice, the following light, graceful, and
tender poem, which is in the authors
happiest style:
WINDOW AND HEARTH.
Around my chan ber books are piled
Save whore my fsvorite pictures are,
n.Ay rtrAn frOnfa fhA nat nnhn nnA