The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-02
LITERATURE.

swrNBURNE's soEGs-A NEW VOLUME OF
Poems AND BALLADS
Ills worth while 70 get hold OF q new book BY SWIM
burns II for nothing else TO u proved again now
badly other poets initiate him, both IN England and
In this country. He has not the old fasnoned pene-
trating. exquisite melody of Keats. OF Shelley. OF
Shakespeare and Milton. but in the mere matter OF
rhy tnm-of delicately measured repetition OF ca
denoes carried without any harshness or ungaini-
ness Of consonant or vowes-he 10 an acknowledged
master No Eugsh poet has carried this peculiar
charm Of versinca,ion quite far This 10 his
strength and his charm; this also is his Limitation
For the rhythmic beat Of s It's most mechanical
quality, and Inc quality Of which the ear soonest
cognizance OF and soonest grows tired o. Here
arc some stanzas OF Swinburns's "Forsaken Car
den"-
In coign OF tho ciir between owand and highland,
Al the ssa-oown's edge between windward anu Zee,
Walled round with rocks as an inland lsand
Tho ghost of garden fropts the sea-
A grdlc oi brushwood and thorn encoscs
rho steep square slope Of the blossomless bed ;,
its roses
Now lie dead.
Not flower to be prcsl Of the foot that falls mott
As inc heart Of u dead man The seed-plots are dry;
From the thickot OF thorns whence tho nightingale
Could she call thore nevor rose 70 reply.
Rings but Inc noio oil sea BIRDS song;
Only the sun and the rain como bither
All year long.
The sun burns the rain diehcvels
Ono gaunl bleak blossom OF scentiess breath
Only The wind here hovcrs aud revels
In round where lite seems as barren AZ death.
Here there laughing OF old, there was weeping,
HAPPY, Of lovers none ever will know,
Whose eyes went seward hundred sleeping
Years ago:
All are at one now, roses and lovers,
Not known OF tue cliffs aud The helds and the sea.
Not breath OF the time that has been hovers
In the air soil with summer 10 be.
Not breath shall there swceten The seasons hereafter
OF the flowers or the lovers that laugh weep.
When as they That are Tree now ofwospng and laugh
We shall sleep.
Till the slow sea rise and The sheer cliff crumble.
Till terrace and meadow The deep guils drink,
TIL the Strength OF the waves OF the nigh tides hum
BILE
The fields tina, lessen, the rocks thar shrink,
Here now in his triumph where all things laItcr,
Stretched out on the spos that bis own hand
AS a goa seslain on his own strange altar
Death lies dead.
How beautiful, how musical as bells. these ringing,
buoyan. allteratlve lines, with their perfect
ure, their male and female rhymes, tnslr "dyns
fallln But how feeble in impression, alter all, IL
poem like this compared TO Snelley's sensitive
Plant" as painfully uncouth many Of the
Of that strange, aud imaginative and powerful
poem.
A sensitive plant In garden grew.
And the young winds led It with silver dew;
AID II opened its fanlxe leaves 10 tho light,
And closed them beneath Tho kisses Of night.
Aud the hyacinth purple and white and blue
which Hung from It's bells sweet peal anew
u music So delicate, soil and intense
II was iclt like an door within The sense.
1t Is evidently a. true OF Swinourle now AZ when
Lowell wrote about b m many years ago For all
his dazzling genius he Is boy stlll--a sophomore.
He lacks seriousness, thought. As ono Of his most
appreciative critics mas said, he Is "a voice and
nothing more" Ma
We quote III full the following graceful piece, on.
titled "Age and Song"
In vain men tell us time can alter
Old loves or make old memories latter,
rnat with the Old year tho old years life closeA
The old dew still falls GU the old sweet flowers,
The old sun revives tue new.dedged hours.
Inc old summer rcars the newborn rossR
Much more Muse that bears upon her
RAiment aud wreath flower vi honor,
Gathered long sine. :. saa 2. long since woven.
y blossoms tina, bear no truit sssrnai
BY rnmnA- Or w,n,er aDarrsd or clovsn.
Ill.
No time casts down, time upraises,
sucn loves. such memories. anu sucn praises
As need no grace OF SUP or shower,
No saving screen from frost thundor
To tcnd ana house aroma and under
The imperisnabis and peerless flower
Nv.
Old thanks, old thoughts. old aspirstionA
outline mems lives and lives Of nations,
Dead, but tor thing which survIves-
The inaenaOlo ana unDriced treasure,
The old JOY ofpower, the old pride OF pleasure.
That iives In light above mems livsa
The limos on the death Of James Lorimer Graham
should like 10 quote on account Of their local IN
tersst as well a poetic merit, but have not Tho
space. 10 the tAnsati0os oil vilon-of wnom Ros-
sctt long since gave English readers taste-Swin.
burn reveals doubtless, one Of the Sources SHAH We
say. Of his own Inspiration, Of his own manner. The
transaiions hav, both the attraction OF Swinburncs
and some OF mo fascination which belongs 10 the
originals. The Examples given by Swinburne (wuh
the necessary veang OF ssterisk) OF tho French poets
verse do not bslp Swinourne's well known line
yion oursaa bad glad mad brothers name.
To show the style OF these verses wo quoto The
opening stanzl fpm the ballad Of tho Women Of
Paris"
Albeit the vsats girls ges praise
FOR toeir SWEET speech and tender air,
And though tnsoid women have wise ways
OF chanerlngfor am0rous ware,
Yet At my pc'fi dare swear,
Search Rome, vnefo Gods grace mainly tarries
Florence andSav0y. every where,
There's no good girs lip out oil Paris
Tho volume whth We have before US 10 called tho
"Second Series oiPoems aud Ballads" ana is pub.
nsnsd by Mr. H. Warrington, of this city, In advance
OF its publication England, and contains several
poems which were not permitted 10 DO published In
the English editioL The book 10 taslcfully bound
and handsomely prnted