New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SONGS OF HELLAS.

TIMER THE OLIVE. BY Mrs. ANNIE fltlpS S'Vs
ton: Hougbtou, Miffin q Co.
II ia more than sixty years since John Keats
wrote in the preface to "Endymion."-"l nope
have not in too late day touched the oeau'liu, my
thology of Greece, and iulled its brightness now
could that delicate spirit, that minstrei sua!eu
from the Cephisos TO the Indictment NORTH, kno"
that his touch would warm to life again the maro'c
shapes of all the Oympian hierarchy; that MS
sweet tiutings were the beginnings OF RENAISSANCE
which. il never finer then at its pathetic outset
was to characterize English verse throughout MS
century! In our own time. made popular by Jenny
son, and restored by Swinburne to the antique Sc
verify classical themes and treatment have oeeh
the resort not only of genuine poets, but also OF
many apt and elegant writers. who bnd IN the
realn of Grccian ldeahiy abundant scope Tor tue
practice of their art. They have worked with uiucn
perfection, but 10 such an extent that ci"sSi'a
poetry is no longer valued for ITS themes we "ei
come il only when it is the outDurst Oh genuine
singer so infused with the beauty and reaty Oh its
immortal youth as TO utter II spontaneously ana
from the heart Otherwise II is no true adoitioh
70 modern song and hence shouid not DO SET oelofe
the world.
But those who read Mrs. Felds's book will not
deprecate it upon this or any other ground 1t is,
IN some sense, surprise. The authors gifts OF
song have been known. but few, probably, have
realized how fine it has become how sustained and
copous. When a Masque OF Poets" was pub
lished not long ago. 1t was found to contain one
poem written in a wandering lyrical measure ana
entitled "Theocrtusn 80 musical, so pure and Joy
Gus in classical feeling. SO breathing OF
The immortal childhood of the world,
Cne laughing waters OF an inland sea
And reckoning signal of o sail uniurled,
that those who CHANGED 10 read il thought its author
had sung as well in this key any English poet
alive That dithyramb reappears III Under the
OliyeD with many companion-peces. That there
are so many. and that nearly all are 50 good, Is
surprise. And nowadays, when much of our best
poetry first appears in the magazines and BOOKS are
but little more than a change of garment, 1t Is
novel to find poet reservlng her work, and giving
rs at last its full and fresh effect. Most OF all Is IL
a surprise that in this western world volume OF
poetry, devoted solely to classic themes, should
nppear and be not in the least pedantic, but
marked by freedom and feeling, and composed
by one who can in some wise renew to us the
beauty OF the antique
We have true poets, but few, either mon or wo-
men, have produced single volumes that are so ideal
and meodious as this of Mrs.Feldss, or in which
so clear and high purpose is maintained through
out
Under the Olive" is a Greek friesc, carved with
figures OF the ancient poets and the Attic
"brede" of lovers and heroes. lovely Prelude
youth and the Sorrow that has come to us AS the
gift of time" and which is thus apostrophized:
Thy heart ia bravel
Thou dos not waste thyself 10 tears
But standest on the hillocK OF the grave
To point us higher with the greaening years
Two other poems stand like caryatides, at the
opening. Of these the second, ITO the Poetess."
consists of few stanzas to Sappho, III the measure
that bears her name. Two stanzas OF the first Will
suffice to show the authors suggestive feeling and
charming grace of metre:
TO THE LYRIC MUSE.
WRITTEN AUTUMN.
Why dost thou niger now the lamps are out
Why dOst thou stay the roses .lns deaa
TO southern gardens lapped by southern seas!
No Tor thee the laughter and the shout,
NoyOulhful forms oustfetcled in sumner ease.
Wilt thou not show me where thy spirit feeds
Aud where the roses Of thy desire still bloom,
The swan indeed being hei, and earth tomb!
Wit thou bring where the wOndrOus voice,
Hiding with sprngiime in tie falling seeds,
May bid the heart Of dying men rejoice!
Three pieces, in blank verse and other sounding
measures characterizations of the Attic TRACE
diaus. 1.-The Last Contest of Eschyus" Is a poem
that would have pleased Landor. true Hellenic
The old poet, echl.scd at last BY SoDhOcles, and
Bending lower
Under this new chief weight of all the fears.
Turned that turned from he shouting crowd.
Whose every voice wounded his dying soul
With arrows poisondipped and walked wal ec alone
FORGOTTEN.
Tine last! The last! Have Do more to do
With this sweet word! Is the bright NOR ing
viii evening bring no uusought fruitage home!
Must the days pass and tIese poor lips be dumb,
While srewiug leaves sing falling through the cir,
Ard autumn gathers IN her richest NUT!
Where is my spring departed! Where, . gods!
Within my spirit still the building birds
i hear, with voice mere tender than when leaves
Are budding and the happy earth is CAV
Az I, indeed, grown dumb Tor evermOre!
Take me, o Dark! Take me thOu flowing stream!
Who kuowest nOught OF death save when thy waves
Rush life upon the oceans breast.
Bear thou Singing 20 The under world!
From earth's lone pastures 10 the cndnSeeSs sea
Beyond the caves of death, where life Is young,
In the SOphocles" is introduced a new version
Of the chorus in praise of the grove OF Colonos.
Mrs Ficdss rendering of one of the most poetic and
eyasiye of the Greek choruses is somewhat unequal
We like it less than her original works, than those
irregular pieces wherein she has caught the trne
lyric and choric spirit of the antique Such an one
Is the "Theocritus" already mentioned, which is
both exquisite and strong, and such the
"Aphrodte of Melos "a lifting pendant
"Ihe Lantern of Sestos" naTates the story of
Hero and Leander in skilfuy handled elegac
verse. Throughout these poems, in fact their
author has followed the instructive method of the
Greeks adapting her measures to the various
themes. The Elegy to Daphnis" ton bas-Telief
in the Florentine Museum, while equal to the best
of these pieces in melody and feeling. is the only
one in which the influence OF another English poet
can be traced. That il here and there recalls the
lode on "a Grecian Urn" shows that where Mrs.
Fields has followed a model she has chosen the
highest Her most important effort is drama
in four acts, "The Return OF Persephone" Wholly
classical in thought and allusIon it has the unusual
merit of being human, readable and poetic, from