The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-29

sewing cotton, Columbus
spent the morning of his hours
In viewing waters wild.
Yet to the esssyist who, having finished the
whitewashing of Nero and Lucrezia Borgia,
would re-establish the fair fame of Columbus,
the question remains, What did Columbus do
afternoons? Mr.. Moore is convinced that @. G. g
name should be first in the census of his coun.
trymep, (Which in point of time seems fair, but
alphabetically can't be done)
Because the land where Freedom lives
Meier iCouid had a story,
Had he not sailed across the deep
To plant the seeds of glory.
Wolfe and Montcalm are the subjects selected
for the next poem of the volume. The SAN
culinary style of the versifcation may be
judged from these lines:
Blood flows down like babbling brooks,
And brains are o0zng in wild hooks.
The author here has extended the advice that
the poet shouldiook into his own heart and
write; and has continued the self-observation,
doing equal credit to his heart and head. Pat
rick Henry is written in style quite peculiar
to this ambitious new poet. A few lines will
give an idea Of Mr.. Moore's theories of the d.
vision of lines, &c.
He studies nature, and in his queer and
Cunning way he draws them to discussion;
Then standing back he notes their gestures
And expression. In this peculiar way
He prepares himself to be the greatest
Ofliying orators.
Bunker Hill is poem obeying rather the die
tates of patriotic fancy than the suggestions of
fact, gravitstion or natural history. For in
stance the English troops advance,
But when they come within the range
OF patriotic rifles,
They're bone like leaves before the gale
40 fha roaf frtfA
Again to meet with slaughter.
The Lion qudils before the fire
Of fair Columbia's daughter.
This poem is rend- red additionally valuable by
Its fitness to the tune of Yankee Doodle. This
measure is q favorite evidently, with Mr..
Moore, and quite divides his attention with the
unrhymed un-measure employed in the case of
Patrick Henry. Robert Fulton's first Steam
bost trip is wildly described:
And when he build the first steamboat
That ever sailed on water.
tThis phrase recalls the triumphs of the Lucy
Long, which could sail "wherever the ground
was leetle dsmp.")
And asks his friends to take trip,
They come to see his slaughter.
Another spirited poem tells how
The young British bugler sat in a tree,
While limbs they were falling above and below.
Note the foe contrasts between the caution of
the B. B.. the graceful play on words-limbs of
. tree, boughs, you know, and limbs of soldiers
and the unrestraineo and original description
OF battle Indeed it may be said of Mr.. Moore
that he knows more ways to describe fight
than any other living Bard. The reader is
glad again to learn that the citizens were not
tussy, but when the battle was over,
They think none the less of the young bugler boy
Because he was fighting long side of the foe.
But enough specimens of Mr.. Moore's versifi-
cation have been given. The way to enjoy
his work is to read it spontaneously with no
prejadices In favor of rhyme, reason or Rich
ard Grant White; and, Notwithstanding its
utter failure as poetry, the reader will respect
the aims of q writer who is evidently Young
and sets himself an honorable task which it is
his misfortune rather than his fault, that he
does not fulfil more acceptably.
Bonne-Marie, translated by Mrs. Mary Neal
Sherwood from the French of Henry Greville
philadelphia, 7. B. Peterson & Co.. is a story
she scene of which is alternately in Normandy
aud in Paris. 1t is the history of young gill
who left her Normandy to seek fortune in the
perilous Paris; and was carried safely by her
god sense and pure heart. 1t is a graceful
and charming story, high in tone; and Nine. j
GreVilles honesty of purpose ard delicacy of
style must be an agreeable change for Mrs.
Sherwood, whose particularly spirited and &C.
curate foundations were SO greatly discounted
by the utter badness Of some of the novels
which they have brought into notice in Amer
lea. 1t is well known that many of the toilettes
tapagetses which refined woman of Paris
would not think of wearing, are sent to
Americs and worn here in all contiding ippo-
cence-this is known, resented and guarded
against The same holds 20 ID as to literature
Hthere are French novels and French novels.
And Mime. Gfeville's work is suitable, as The
writings of Daudet are unsuitable for refined
and rightminded readers.
Erin Go Bragb, by Mrs. Mary Denison
washington: Globe Printing House), is
another story by the writer of That Husband of
Mine. It is more ambitious in style, and quite
exciting, but has little literary worth 1t will
however probably have many interested read
srs, especially among the friends of Ireland, in
which cause ii Is written.
Nj. Eugene Lawrencs's Primer of the Mod.
ssn Period OF English Literature, is inexact. in
complets and greatly lacks proportion. Tn the
small space OF the H.lf Hour volumes caro
should be taken to balance the relative imnor.
tsree Of the topics treated, and this Mr.. Law.
renee has failed to do. Wordsworth and Burns
are described at length; while Tennyson, who
has greater influence upon English literature
than any other poet of modern times, is left /
with few lines of comment, and very brief
and not representative quotation. Morris is
mentioned as of Northern spirit-one line of
prose being allotted him-whereas his Greek
delinestiou is perfect in color and form, and his
Gothic work exquisite in quality Browning
is praised for Sweet glimpses of nature" and
lyric beauty-:wo things which he conspicu-
ously does not possess. Swinburne is credited
with strong music; bat Mr.. Lawrence SAYS that
Swinburne "wants the languid sweetness