New-York tribune., 1878-06-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
swlNprRNE,s PoEMs AID BALLADs.

sWINBURNE's POEMS AND BALLADS.
RORMs AND BALLADS by ALGERSoN CaARLIHs caA y
WorthinEtOn.
The class of readers to whom Mr.. Swinburnes
high-wrOught pictures Of sensuous passion appear
in vain by the splendOr of their imagery and the
dazzling glow of their coloring, will find IN TINS
volume a rich collection Of studies on the secret
Of artistic effect Apart from the subtlety and bold
ness of his thought his mastery of the resources Oh
language is perpetual surprise. The exquisite
mechanism OF poetry is combined with the soul oil
inspiration in Fuch harmonious proportions as to
leave you at a loss how far you are bathed IN
the essence of song, or made to wonder at the
achievements Of skill. Mr.. Swinburne's vocabulary,
while choice and elegant does not greatly affect the
use of newly-cOined words, or the revival OF ex-
pressions which, in losing their freshness have
gained an antique grace. Notwithstanding ms
classical tastes his dction is mainly derived from
the homely dialect Of everyday life. But under the
toueh of the magician the words of the street ana
the household are transmitted into golden rngotS
chains of pearl and caskets of diamonds, assuming
through the glamour Of fancy the shape OF inc
elouds al the dawn of day, the purple radiance Oh
rupset IL Is n curious study to follow the poet
through the changes Of expression which spring up
A. he presents the old familiar terms transhgured
with robes and singing garlands. In spite
Of his subtle fances, Swinburne IS essen
TALLY q dainty artist in the handling
Of wofds. His ideas are not original his
sentiments are not profound, his emotions are
without the ruddy hue of natural feeling he I'M
parts no lessons of ethical import, nor approaches
the deeper springs Of passion but as a master OF
verbal painting on a grand scale he may summon TO
his feet the student of expression, who will hardly
find his peer among 1.-THE living lights of literature.
The following poem must suffice as a specimen OF
the wondrous skill with which he glOrihes familiar
scenes with the magic of language:-
THE YgAR OF TIE ROSE.
From the depths Of the green gardeu-coses
Where the Summer In darkness dozes
Iill Autumn pluck nom his hand
An hOur-glass that holds not sand;
From the maze that hower-belt incoses
To the stones and sea grass on the strand
How rcd the reign Of the roses
over the Tose-croWned lanai
The year Of the rose is brief;
Prom the first blade blown to the sheaf'
Prom the thin green leaf 70 tue gold,
It has time TO be sweet and grow Old
To triumph aud leave not leat
For witness in Winters sight
How lovers once In the light
Would NIX their breath with lts breath,
Aud its spirit was quenehed not Ol msh,
As love is subdued not OF death
In the red-rose land not mile
OF the meadows from stile 10 stile,
OF the valleys FROM stream TO stream,
But the air was long sweet dream
And the earth was swift wide smile
From the which had borne her and burned,
Looked full on the North as it yearDed,
Aud the North was more than the South
For the North when Winter was long,
in his heart had made him song,
And clOthedtt with wings OF DESIRE
And shOd 1t with shOon as OF fire,
To carry the tale OF his wrong
To the Southwest wind by the sea-
That who might bear It but he
To the ears OF the goddess unknown
To take the world for thronet
In the earth beneath, and above
In the Heaven where her name IS loveI
She warns with hight from her eyes
The seasons Of life as they rise
And her eyes are as eyes OF dove
As an eagles aud all her hair
As fire By the winds breath curled,
And her passage Is song through the AIR, ,
And her presence Is Spring through the world.
So turned she northward and came,
And the white-thOrn land was atame
With the fires that were shed rom her IeoA
That the North, by her love made sweet
Should be called by rOsered namei
Aud a music beginning OF loves
in the light that the roses made,
such light as the music loves,
The music Of man With maid.
But the davs drop one upon one,
Aud a chill soft wind is begun
That Weeps for the rOseleaf days
Aud the reign OF the rose undOne
That ruled 70 long in the light,
Aud by spirit. aud not by sight, . ,,
Through the darkness thrilled with It's breath,
Still ruled I'm the yiowless night,
As love might rule over death.
The time OF lovers Is brief;
From the fair first Joy 20 the grief
That tells when love Is grown Old,
From the warm Wild kiss "a the cold,
From tho red 70 the white-rose leaf,
They have but season 30 seem
As roseeaves lost on stream
That part not aud pass not apart
As spirit from dream TO dream,
As q SORROW from heart 10 heart
From the bloom and the gloom thst nclOses
The death-bed Of love where he dozes
Till q relic be left not OF sand
To the hour glass that breaks IN his hand
Prom the change in the gray gardeu-cOses
To the last stray grass Of the strand,
rain and ruin Of roses
over the red-rose land.
We must also find room for Mr.. Swinbutne's pa
tbetic tribute to a beloved cOuBtryman Of our own
whose early death imposed a loss both on society
and letters the grief for which skill of the poet
can fully assuage.
EPICEDE.
James LOrmer Graham died at Florence April 30 1860
Life may give for love 20 death
Iittle what are fe's gifts worth
To the dead wTapt round with earth
Yet frem lips Of living breath
signs or words We are fan to give,
ali that yet, while yet we live,
Life may give for love TO death.
Dead 20 lone before sday,
Passed out OF the Italian
To the dark where all Is done,
Fallen upon the verge OF May,
Here al life's and April's end
How should song salute my friend
Dead long before his dByt
Not a kindlier life or sweeter
Time, that lights and quencheB men,
Now may Qu0nch or light again,
blingng with the mystic metre
Woven OF all mems lives with his
Not q clearer note than this,
Not a En0lier life SWeetef.