The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-12
1NTSEMENTS.
Tho sh, mlns ,yh,mrer.

o. r.4 our r,uugnance. Dceuer than any
,.n-,oftlo rrorriotyof language is an instinct
wDrataa. h.- u+ that our individual sorrows
nal rings oro not as uD.uiar as our con-
d.Don paH.s hcm. Moreover, we somehow
trfai .tlcf at what IS irrcmoliuhlo and in
cqit.l.r shoud he private grief. We di-tru-t
ILL.,, .driIh anal sincerity OF that sorrow which
nrerp. FOO cypress itself in fantastic and pre-
icntiUu- forms.
Imay hc assorted rs n fu't that the man in
whom tho vital ami productive cncrg,cs ot liic
a.. operative docs not dwell uuduly uLon thc
circumstances and rarauhoruaiia %. DEATH
rDo elasticity Of nature is such that ilo
healthy mind rebound Is from the greatest griris
OF iir and sock- its constitutions iu the ros-i-
Utilities Of % hereafter And so true Us thia.
either In the realm oi faith on thc d1maiu az
sentiment that we ean un .rriugly dct,ci the
unhealthy rclir'oni-t or thD morbid poot Us the
ErdyitatiOn of his imagination into tho Tomb
An instructive souse oi -lDutilr-s loads MS
TO express our rorueunn o. ior Che cheaper
forms Of moriuary no raturc. And it should
also prompt us To q discreet condemnation of
better class of writor- who have invaded what
may be- called the gem. - ranks OF roc~y with
commodity quito as unNlo'esome. and far
moro dangerous I'm its innucnoc-a class Of
writers who do not howl d. 'orlantly. Thov
vhimpcr gracefully. bringing To the service 81
SORROW an elegant stylc and an ucN 'ep,0nablc
tune. but whose aspirations are tainted and
whose impulses and lonsiucs are morbid.
The poems Of Mr. William Winter invite n pro-
test from all who believe that poetry in dealing
with lie should reflect somewhat otthccournse.
The manlincss, the hope. and the triumph
which alone make that ltn worth enduring
They are the more oniiil Il TO this con~ilora-
tlon because the mol.inuous nogotion which
thoy mako has that gentle and pcnsivc air
which gives il efficacy with numerous class Of
readers. mainly. We suspect. young women
with uudis 'plinod emotional natures.
Nj Winter has for many years hcon
writer on the daily press. His contributions to
tho Bi'me have been for the most part In tho
shape Of dramatic criticisms and they hay,
been Justly admired for their cflorosccnt dcli-
cay of fancy and their graceful diction. But
those qualities of mind and peculiartics 81 tenn
roramcnt which were tolerantly disccrncd in
hi prose lose much Of their attractivcnoss In
hi, verses. In treating Of the mimic world his
sentiment and cynirism were unique In the
realm II poetry. where he attempts % deal
with the mysteries and problems of the actual
universe they are common enough. We win
forgive almost anything to the writer who treats
~ tho drama il he but be elegant and tronchan,
because a- rule. the published opinions on
plays and players are tho most Overwhelmingly
inane and vulgar rubbish that journalism. with
unacoountaAlc good nature. gives place TO-
Tho writer who ablnlons the trivial pho
nomenou Of the stage and undertakes to sing
10 us ~ the nounlen0u ot q larger world. must
have a healthy mind and a clear vision. and We
expect that aerial III Of faculty which shall
defy the dead weight ~ matter and help Us TO
es,opc from the trappins- u the undertaken
In 1871 Osgood Il CO. published Mr. Winters
collected verse in a it'll, book which bore the
-. .s.f. e \
Tnsley Brothers Of London have recently is
suod another volume # lyrlc-" from Mr.
Winters pen. which is called Thstledowa."
We say another book. but thctwo volumes arc
substantially tho same They vary in their
titles. in the dedieations and in the captions Of
the lyrics. There are also In the last book three
or four compositions that arc not in the first.
Tho dedication Of the American publication
Is worth noting. because il botrays the idiosyn-
ora-, of the author. It roads rs follows:
To nay wife, the inspiration Of whatever IS
gentle and cheerful in the spirit OF this book"
A. ihore j. not line In the 1877 pages which
can. hv ,he most liberal construction Of Ian
Puaee De called cheerful. that Is. expressive Of
good spirits or loy II WAS obviously Just 10 the
person who WAS Male 20 bear the responsibility
oithc themes and their treatment that this dcd-
icaton should Dee omitted from the second vol
ume
There T. cvery reason. however. 20 believe
that the author did, originally. and now
rest convinced that he WAS very cheerful
throughout We despair Of ever proving To-
Lin that luguhtiou-no-s Is not checrlulness.
Tho wrfor who ihus calls attention 20 the sun
- 'haraeter # his work at the outset ms he
Aa- ono. ana then proceeds To- sing lis dirgos.
TaIlems. and epNph- doubtless has some
Constitutional diAleuity IN understanding what
Che riuur~- really H..
He talk US pr1mpt.vto the graveyard that
.ls tae m Z cheerful. oi places 90 tAc -uhlo'-
t.o man. H. sits upon a tomb and hears TIC
Jon some wind Of autumn gricve.' lie brings
% ont II q stranger grave. and, such
i-fl -0MOrr wiliulncs- OF his senses thHt he
.'aa.y extends the funcrcal gloom oftleoen.o-
tors ovor the whole face ~ nature hut actually
tura- ro chirrupy voices Of the crick 'ts-
tic. blthc brownies Of the field that are vocal
visa .ia-iu,o musi, that's like this solemn
I.a.e. ol memory tears, ana death"
Nor docs change Of plaec dispel this gloom.
L'eA with the sun I'm his facc he cries:
I,a -l-iioa l.aas =,
.'as rt.r a,lo.u-
I-yo unl.r Mr.. Winters neoromar ~ li-s
coa'Woy In her shroud. and Joy when she
l mr.-- bier 'heorlV!uess upon us, mos-
Cl.r.' iu sable l.umos. Nature herself is au
r--..tIkor.
.r. -.at v.,. &. ana murmurna't
.... 8. -' ., ".' '' '"''
Taofui1i- Is. The author contlnua 20 sit in tho
rrvr.r, throughout bis tw, vn.l'i-. Tho
t'... wind i--tIl ,r.-yin., IN tlc tloos as s.
i..n I1'' after pag.. "tndr'e long grass rus
i.} -ro'o aulihy in spitsolcyery chor
tt-Ai.-.
Co., I.lu.l tho ovn I'm lighting up0n thl