The Portland daily press., 1878-04-13
Recent Publications.

Recent Publications.
Fantasy and Passion, Mr.. E1gar Fawcetts
recent volume of poems, Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
is work of varied, positive and interesting
quality. Its 'fantasy" is usually vivid, quaint
or graceful, sometimes powerful; its passion"
is apt to be turgid, full of words and often the
result of intense desire for effect; and, as fire.
quently is the case with such verse; the authors
satisfaction in the strenuous force OF his per-
formance counteracts the effect OF the passions
he would portray. Mr.. Fawcett's best line of
work IS essentially picturesque-in delicate
flower pieces like A Tuberose or the dewy,
dainty little Clover-in these studies that might
be painted upon some fine china plaque or
adorn panel, the poet is singularly happy.
Not seldom he rises to heights of genuine and
very beautiful expression of sentiment-ex-
preston which he best attains by rapid, fine
touches, and not by the cumulative power of
dramatic illustration. Such lines, for instance,
as this fairly perfect one:
s'When leisure met my life as dew meets dust"
or 10 the finely drawn Immortelles,
"Their pale-gold brittle petals primly set
About dry brittle hearts of deeper gold."
all favorable specimens of Mr.. Fawcett's best
work, in two manners-the simple and accur.
ate painting of still life, and the sweet and re-
strained fancy which is possible to him. The
poem in the terra rinaa, Hemlocks, is notice
able for its rich and deep tone of coloring.
Grapes is an excellent and spirited study,
though dusty" is not the best word for the
ineffable bloom of the grape, but the design
and treatment are otherwise brilliant and i'm
agiuative. A Toad and A Bat are studies of
the grotesque, aud are perhaps as thoroughly
we'll done as anything in the volume. Fireflies
is a sketch in black and gold that reminds the
reader of Japanese art, with its bizarre beauty.
The constant comparison of Mr.. Fawcetts
verse with painting is unavoidable; he is essen
italy word painter (of what rank it remains
to be decided by his future work.. The poem
entitled Decay seems little more than palette
upon which are spots of carefully mixed colors
for use in some CHASTITY picture to be. Adora-
ton is words, words, words-n blindly con-
fused profusion. In it the writer endeavors to
copy the lavish luxury of language of Mr..
Swinburne, and attains to the windy top of a
mountain of bombast. Mr.. Fawcett has some
very bad faults of technique, it may here be
said His command of long words is great,
and his use of them cruelty frequent. Occa-
sionally, of course, the long resonance of Latin
derivatives holds the ear like an organ note;
or skilfally employed, is capable of the richest
effects of sound-but Mr.. Fawcett constantly
exaggerates this trait, as also the use of the
additional syllable in foot, which as an ex.
ceptiona1 ornament is capable of fine effect,
but overdone, is disturbance and WEAKNESS.
Mr.. Fawcett's rhymes are also open to criti
cism, for instance, the caricatured melody of
the lines
Thine affuent hair, so billow-like
The bends of thy form SO willow like,
Ihy race SO clear from the red cachmre folded under
Its pale cheek, pillow-like.
poetic sketch combining the verbal wealth of
the rhyming dictionary with the melody of
the music hall, and the artistic value of design
and coloring OF prize chrome.
"A Cradle.Soug is well contrasted in its
metres and. is effective and we'll done. sA
Meeting" "D'Outre Mort" and From
Shadowland" recall similar work of Mr.
Aldrich-but Mr.. Fawcetts touch in this line
is some what surer and freer than that Of the
other poet, who exquistely dainty and bright
in his most fortunate efforts, has little aft nty
with shadow. "Pest'' is Do1e like sketch, of
which the meter is notably well selected.
Mr.. Fawcett's blank verse has decided flavor
OF Mrs. Hemans's style, lively "reminiscences
of N. T. Willis, and some cadences of Mr. Ten
nyson, together with some good qualities of
imagination and expression that are distinct
lively Mr.. Fawcetts own. "The Statuette'' is
thoroughly Partisan in design, and is very
effective. Some poems of which Fame is
representative are vague and wordy, Mr. Faw-
cett not being as happy in abstract character
ization as in his spirited and accurate flower
and fruit sketches The worth of a sense of
the con- ic is illustrated in the poem ga King"
of which the fine thought, and some felicitous
and striking language are utterly spoiled by
the senseless reiteration In the last line of each
verse, for example:
IT'S more than being wise
To repose with placid eyes
And know not of the wide world that 1t cries. cries.
criesi
A verse at once recalling the popular ballad:
There was a little man,
And he had little gun,
And his bullets were mad of lead, lead, leai!
He shot John Sprgg
Through the middle of his wig
And knocked it OF from his head, head, headl
Indeed for this fault, the poem must be char
acterized by two lines which occur in it, as
the last bad thing ''the deciduous days may
bring" winds is fancifal poem, little
confused in the working out. 'The Comet
and "The Iceberg are bombast of sky and sea,
the errant ice and irresponsible, glittering
length of diction. Gentleman 10" is fresh
and feeling. Among the sonnets Genius is
imaginative and delicate; "Sleep'' is exquisite.
in the Rossetti manner and nearly perfect in
outline and color. "a Cobweb" is another of
Mr.. Faweetts successes. The sonnet upon
Hans Christian Andersen is COED, and appre-
ciative OF the rare childlke temper of the story
teller. 1t has been appropriate to make SO
minute and special an analysis of Mr.. Fawcett's
book of poems because in it is to be noted an
exceptionally fine talent in certain special
forms which does not recognize its evident and
decided limitations, and has very much to do
In pruning the extravagances and faults which
are not only unnecessary to it, but threaten
the existence of Its best traits.
Buried Treasure, By Harry Castlemore
Dresser g. McLelan) is not a book to be rec.
commended to the boys for whom it is written.
1t is story of which the interest turns upon
the doings of unprincipled, cunning and low
people; and though their example is not pre-.
cisely enticing. it would bs at least rather ex.
citing to boys mind, and leave bad infiu.
snce which the moral precepts occasionally in
serted as mild antidote to the moral poison
of deceit and avarice, would not be able to
counteract.
Notes and Announcements.
Mast is employed solely by the Harpers. If he
does any work on any other publishers book it
Is by courtesy of Harper & Brothers.
MI. Edmond About characterizes Victor
hugo as "the illustrious author who rules the
nineteenth oontury as VOltli1e ruled the