The New York herald., 1879-12-08
THEODORE r11ro,N's POEMS.

Mr.. Theodore Tilton has been battling with the
muses. for the past two years, and the result is
volume Of poems, which II. Worthington publishes.
The book Is called "Thou and L; A Lyric Of Human
Life. after the first and longest poem. Mr.. Tilton
has not put his best foot foremost for there much
better work in his former volume than that con-
tanned in "Thou and l." which seems to to be
rather strained and unpleasantly unique. The gen.
eral tone of Mr. Tilton's poems is one of melan-
choy. though he does at times burst the bonds and
dash his grief with joy. The story of King Ber-
nicia is gracefully told in poem of some sixteen
stanzas. The following. called "Among the Reeds"
= quito pretty
Swim fast o wounded swan, swim fasti
Not areaming that the dart was east
Swim fast, Q dying swan, swim fasti
Die not till she behods thy fate
Lest she may deem fckle blast
Hath blown thee to another mattel
Swim fast, o faithful aii swan. swim fas.i
The adverse tide is swift and strongl
Thou sing to her thy dying song!
An idea that through many Of his poems is
that there such things as mistakes in life. and
that judgments should not be too hastily formed.
Just how much personality there is in Mr. Tilton's
do pretend to say, but leave the reader
to Judge for himself. Take the following entitled
"Flown." for cxample-
y Dove of Peace, thou long ago
Vert wont on many weary day
To brood so sweetly on my woe.
r, That hall, hall the +, pain was charmed awayl
And roughly H;t did It'll thee . ARRAY. IRA;
Some gentler friend with whom 10 stay
Butnow bend my straning sight,
As twilight falls on bank and brae
S.s% .S~ard S%s tiny e hrSas White M ~
Fly downward from thy heavenly en- height height gray
BE w sSs'n haS %y on @0,S St Ssr, .sh
pf,, II not Tina IN u repentants breasts
HTs'e s mi hi'hsr ne to asnrs e9ntrs rite
Come fold thy wings with me to night,
There is something like confession in the poem
called "Astray":-
i travelled forbidden road
Which first appeared so howery fair
Tiil-to my horror and despairl-
All buds and blossoms blooming there,
All tender boughs AN ID twigs of green
Stood changed to burrs and nettles keen,
And pricked my hands till they were sorc
Bewildcred ut the wondrous change,
kept my with swiftcr pace,
And saw marvel still more strange;
For cruel hints sprang through the ground
With cash cash that made them bleed
Then time it was that should heedl
just at the of my need
shining man stood at my side
Aud spread glory far and wide!
And who art ihouy' trembling cried
Give ear said no. TO what say
To point them back to virtues path
The guardian OF thy erring
Aud, step by step-in love wrath
These angry hints and briers strcw.
To warn thy feet from wandering so.r
kuelt and kissed his garment hem
Aud cried. oh Angel. sent from Heaveni
Make sharper yet each thorny stem
Increase the Hints to times seveni
Fulhl thy purpose in my pain
viii endure and not complaint
lie lied. and with deep remorso.
Turned back from my forbidden course
But. % how many weary hours
travelled v'er those lighted bowers.
kebloomed with all their former flowers,
The translations that Mr.. Tilton gives us in tho
latter part OF his volume very well DONE The
one after Heine challenges some comparison. but
stands its ground with no little hrmness.