New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-23

decorative art:
NV chambers lie apart,
The Castles very heart,
And all things rich and rare,
From land, and sen, and air,
Are a. ID ss WOVEN IN turkish oo@
From softest heeces of Circassian sheep,
i ilu@ina ss With al their Autumn blooms
The chairs were carven out Of cedar trees,
Felled on the lofty peaks Of Lebanon.
Veined with the rings of vanished centuries,
And touched with frost and sun.
Suspended, silver-rnged, ON rods OF gold,
The Tyran curtains capture ana enfOd
The Summer daylight In the slum0rous room,
In depths Of purple gloom.
Hard by are cabinets OF curious shells,
And some like moons, IN rainbow msts impaired.
With coral boughs from oceans deepest cesi
MedalIions coins ANTIQUE. uo., c...,.
Pound III the dust OF cIues, Roman, Greek
Clusters OF arms, the spoils OF hateful Wars,
Sbarp scymitars of true Damascus brand
Shout swords, with basket hits to guard the hand,
Chain armOr dined caSques, with vlsOr-bars
Stout ! msting lances, battlc-axcs keen,
With crescent edges shields with studded thOms
Yew bOngls, anu shafts, and curved bugle horns,
With tasseled baldrlck OF the Lincoln green
And on the walls long procession. see
The portraits of my noble ancestry,
And cOurtly shepherdesscs tending 6Ucks,
sun lords in wigs and rufh"s white as snow,
Taught peers aud princes centuries ago,
And dark Sir Richard. bIavest Of the Iuc,
With all the griny scars he won In Palestine.
Nor is Mr.. Stoddard less remarkable for the fine
saeacity with which lie makes use of the classical
writings of ancient times and The traditions of
Oriental genius for the purposes of poetry. For
him. the prophets and bards of other ages trans
formed INTO "nimble aud airy servItOrs." Not
only their suggestions Of themes, but their mode Of
illustration, IN his hands become pieces of living
protoplasm which constantly give birth to fresh
and beautiful forms. Mr.. StOddard betrays n
knowledge OF classical literature which would be
no surprise in q student of ancient languages; but
with him the pregnant legends Of antiquity are no
Wondering remains of the past, but the germ of
H.
Mt the present day than in the shadowy periods of
their origin. The very elaborate Hymn to Flora"
affords specimen of his classical treatment, of
which we must find space for few significant
lines -
OFlOra heavenly Flora, hear us now.
Gathered to worship thee in shady bowers;
Accept the simple gift, the tuneful
We offer thee, tnat thou hast spared the flowers
The Spring has been cold, belated one,
Dark clouds, and showers, aud u little sum-
Aud in the nippng mornings hOary frOst
We hoped but feared the tender leaves were lost:
But, thanks to thee. they soon began TO grow,
Pushing their slender shoots above the ground.
In cultured gardens trim ana some were found
Beside the edges OF the banks OF SHOW,
Needless, an, gay, aud bold
Like children laughing Ger fathers mould.
Earth never was so bountcous before.
Here red roses throwing back their hoods.
Like willing maids. to greet the Kissing wind
And here are volets from sombre woods.
With tears Of dew within their lids enshuuedI
Lilies like little maids in bridal white.
or. in their burial garments, IL you will;
That peers 4 tn front Of March; and daisies bright
The Vestals Of the morn that love Its breeze;
enOwdrUps ike spcck OF foam on stormy seus,
Aud yellow butterculs that gem the fields,
Lake studs otTielcst gold ON massive shieldst
Anetnones, that sprung in golden years
THE story goes they were not befOre),
Where young AdOnis, wounded by the boar,
Bied life away, and Venus rlined her tears;
OLoOk. ia their hearts u small ensanguined spot y
Here 10 forgetme-n0t;
Aud prim NaFcssus, vain aud foolish elf,
Ensnored twonld yon think 1t 2 Of himself.
Looking forever IN the brook his glass,
Aud drOoptng Hyac'nthus slain, alas
BY rude Auster, blowing In the stead
or Zephyrus then IN Loves bright meshes bound,
Pitching With bright Apollo IN his ground
he blew the discus back and struck him dead,
Ped wndhOwers. OxlIps and the jessamine
The sleepy poppy and the eglantino;
Prlmroses dams flowers that ope at night,
Also that little sun the marigoId.
And frngcd piDks, and water-lilies white,
Like coating naads from the rivers cold;
Carnations, gil!idowcrs, and savory rue
And rosemary that lOveth tears for dew
With other naneless flowers, and pleasant weeds
That grow untcDded in the maTsby meals
Where hags shoot up, and ragged grasses wave
Perennial, when Autumn seeks her grave
Among the wthered leaves, aud breezes blow,
And Winter weaves windng-sheet OF snow.
But many of Mr. Stoddard's shorter pieces are
founded on popular Oriental traditions Original or
invented which are rendered with naive sim
plicity and grace that will always make them "a
yorites with the admirers of the poet.
The interpretive character of Mr. StOddard's
genius forms marked feature Of his poetry. He
Is impeled by native tastes to draw his materials
from contemplation rather than from outward OBJ
sefvation. lie 10 less the poet Of Nature than the