New-York tribune., 1879-12-09

little Improvement upon the earlier ones The Here
ford of Mr. J. W. Buxton Knight Ia snruary nat ana
muddy no birds could fly through his trees, no nsh
mako their hts river and the birds would dash
themselves TO death against his solid sky lie mas no
imaginative Of size. either, and the tower OF us
cathedral Ia bigger to the minds eye than VI IL were
the OF the parish church Mrs. Anna Lea Merrts
etching after her portrait OF the distinguished Eng
sh actress, Miss Ellen Terry win not greatly increase
the reputation OF our gifted country woman, and Ger,
tanly-supposing the likeness 10 he gooh onewii ~
see tSe scSres here Tue etchns is not without
certain promise, but IL has the iauit-one oi.en e'
10 give ns more than u really 1t has such bold
rough way with II. we naturally take l"r sr"ns ,snd
But we are disappointed the thought ags far behind
there deep emotion OF any sih1 m 10 n %
only may be expressed oy tne o,s wo Yt
formulas OF knitted brows. aud drawnuoWu no.,, rI
yi,a all the pictures S"9 ns conventional
Ophelia hut a person of distinguished nulvi9uhity
that the artist herself may one day she WI Ts Ieap
aures sld where she Is as ss Sss po1 nac NTH page
| OF text accompanying each.
| DRAMATIC PERSONS AND MOODS, WITH OTHER
| NEW POEMS Bv Mrs s. NJ. b. PIATr l.iho' pp
90 Houghlon, osgOod & Company.
The tragic element which enters so largely ih'o
Mrs. Piatis poetical resources Is maze use "i III 'o
present volume TO an extent which Will not COM
| mand the widest range of sympathes She delights
ence. and though her pictures abound with firm aud
vigorous touches the excess Of almost lurId Color
ing, if not redeemed by frequent suggestions
of tenderness and pathos would offer but
faint enticements to pure and robust nat
ural tastes Tho influence of Mrs. Browning
upon the style of the often betrays her INTO
perilous experiments. Many of the poems consist
of shadowy hints rather than of lucid representa-
tions and tempt the reader TO doubt whether ne
has mastered their significance Mrs. Piatt evil
IDENTIFY possesses profound insight into the work
lngs of human passion; but with her fonduess for
dramatic forms she does not always exhibit her ln-
tuitons in a clear light; and her subtle reflections
lose much of their power by the iragmentary char-
acter of their poetica costume. The following
poem, for instance. though expressing refined and
delicate conception, affords the reader painful
study. rather than sweet enchantment:-
We must not quarrel whatever We do;
For n | was (hut vas not , wrong
Here are the tears for Il. mere are the tears -
What else mas a woman 10 offer you
Love might not las: Cor a thousand years, 49,,
You know though tue stars should Use so Iohg'
Oh you you talk in a mans great way :
so, love would last though the stars should ian
Why, yes: Fit last to The grave indeed
After the grave last on II may.
Dut-ih the gravel Wl It's dust take heed
OF anything sweet-or the sweetest OF ally
All death is nothmgl II may he so.
Yet, granting AT least that death is death
lPTay look at the rose. and hear the Dfd
Whatever it is-we must die TO know
Sometime NAV long 10 say one word
Togother-and find We have no breath.
All me- how divine YOU are growing again =!
How codly sure that the Heavens are sure
Whittier too lightly You alwayshy
TO hide from the passion Of human pain.
Come, grieve that the Earth Is not secure,
For this one neht-and forget the sky
"Caprice at Home " is perhaps equally character
istc but more fully within the scope of tEose who
read poetry for enjoyment rather than as the sou-
| ton of problem -
| No. | will not say gOO'-by
| Not good by, nor anything
| He Is gone. | wonder why
| Lilacs are not sweet this sprlng
How that tresome bird Will sing'
Imight follow him and say
| Just tnat he forgot TO Kiss
| Baby. when he went away.
| Everything wan; miss.
| On, precious world is this!
| ~ What II night came and not hei
Something might Iaislead his feet
| Does the moon rise late An me!
| There are things that he might meet
Nov the ram begins 10 beat;
| 60 Il will be dark. The bell =
Some one some one loves Ia dead
Were II he cannot tell
Hattie fret.ll words said,
Half the iretful tears shed.
| Deadi And but to think of death =
Men might bring him through the gate
| Lips thar nave not any breath, ,., ,ro,,,
| Ia time or is 1t late
Twas wrong. oud wrong. and wrong;
viii te i him. oh. DO SURE
Love shalt therein he secure
Love like mine shall there endure.
" Listen listen-that Is he
I'll speak To hlnl, / say.
IL lie choose 10 say To me,
was all To blame to-day;
| Sweet, forgive me-" why-l mayl
| "After the Quarrel conceals bitter satire under
a soft veil of ingenious humor and in respects.
| NAV be regarded as one of the best poems in the
volume
Hush my pretty one. Not yet.
| Wait little. only wait.
Other blue flowers are as wet
| As your eyes. outside the gate
| He has shut forever.-Bnt
| Is the gate forever shutf
| Just young man in the rain
| Saying q he last time " goodnight" "
| Should ne never come again
| Would the world oe ended quite y
/ Where would all these rOse-buds 60 L
| All these robins DO you know
| But-he will not come Why then,
| f. no other within cal Z
| There are mcu, and men, and men
| And these are brothers all
Each sweet fault OF his you'll lind
| Just as sweet IN all his kind
| None with eyes ike hist Oh-ohi
| In diviner ones dld
| Look, perhaps hn hour age,
| Whose Indeed you must not cryl
| Those thought Of-are not free
TO laugh down your tears, you see
| Voice like his was never heardi
| No-but better ones, vow;
1 Did hear a bird y
| Listen, one ls singing now
| Aud his gloves His gloves Z All, well.
| There are gloves like his 10 SELL
| At the play 10 might youIl see.
| In m0ck-velvet coaks, mock earls
| With mock-iewelled swords that he
Were clown by Now, those curls
Are the BARRIERS pride, say
DO not cry Tor them, pray
| If no one should love youi Why,
| You can love some other still