New-York tribune., 1881-12-25

cause Dante Rossetti writes it, and Mrs. Browning
wrote H. not because it Is the only expression oil an
,rresistible feeling such inspired the raptrouS
lyrics of Burns. the touching Thyrza monodlcs of
Byron. or the intellectual intensity Of Dante 5
= Vita Nuoya." We should not think Of these
points If we were poudering the work OF any recent
amateur. but we do think of them IN connection
with Mr. Innsly. because he strives 10 loiio" INC
shining footprints of the masters,
cheating his wings towards the golden bough.'
There are genuine poetic qualities in his work His
taste is seldom at fault his conceptions are shapey
and distinct and his execution Is notably even ana
sustained. There is a grave sweetness, pensl'e
pIace in some of his sonnets which smocths the
rugged brow Of critical censure. 1t does not Dlihd
us to the fact however that 1t neither contains nor
suggests the promise of anything better,-no ac-
cliyities III At may lead on to distant tableland,
no vision that will ever dilate upon wider horl-
zon. Mr.. Innsly has reached his limits; he has
talent, but not genius.
UNDER THE AsPENs. LYRICAL AND DRAMATIC.
Bv EMILY PFEIFFER limo, PIP. 3lI Lohdoh' NJ
gan Paul, French Co.
If patjence and perseverance are genius. as
clever French author processes 10 believe, there can
be no doubt about the genius OF Mrs. Pleiter, for
she Is the most patient and most perscvering OF v-
inr authors of English verse. She has published
six collections of it within the last eight years.-a
yolumnous productivencss which approaches that
OF Byron in his early years and surpasses that OF
Tcnnyson and Browning in their hOnorcd age.
There is a determination about Mrs. Pfeliier which
we respect or might respect il it were not so closely
allied with infatuaOn. Ii assduous cultivation OF
her talents and a strenuous devotion to the ideals
of others, could possibly transfgure an English
gentlewoman into Queen of Song. the coronation
-. Il h
There is no poetic kingdom IN which she has not
sought to establish her Iule-in Gerards Monu-
mcnt in the spacious province of the narrative and
the little free republic Of the ballad in "Glan-
Alarch" in the bardic and princely spcndors of
legendary Wales; and in Under the Aspens in
romantic range Of country, whose shadOwy inhab-
tants maunder through lyrics that are not lyrical
and wander In the mazes Of drama that is not
dramatic.
From Ont of the Night" the first lyric in Mrs
Pfel.crs last volume, occupies fifty pages, " Inc
Pillar of Praise" occupies tweDty-nlne pages
and "A Lost Eden occupies eighteen pages. 1t
was Poe we believe. who remarked of one of Mr.
William Ellery Chlnniug's songs that he should
like to hear HIM sing it. We cannot say that Mrs.
PfeGers lyrics inspire the same feeling. From
Ont of the Night is 4 version OF the Old story oil
woman's love aud mans peridy. 1t is cast IN the
form of q mOnOiOguc, IN "a Ong DhllHu HedAuIc JudI
recalls that of Lady Geraldlnc's Courtship,'
though its combinations are more closely packed.
and it is not without echoes of the dIscords of
Swinhurne 1t is written with considerable spirit,
but il IS hardly worth the strain that it costs and
W hIle il contains two three p0etcal expressions.
il contains no stanza that is worth quoting Lost
Eden suggests Mrs. Browning's Lost Bower"
with the measure of which however, il has nothing
m common. Mrs Pieior has lavisled her love for
years upon the Sonnet, but far its scanty plot of
ground has yielded her bright cOnsummate
flower nor weed of glorioTs feature. Ii is an arid
soil which refuses to be fruitful " The Wynnes "f
Wynnwood," drama of modern life, aims at that
high prize of poets AMBITION which we suppose,
is Ptciiierlsm for represent alton, and which
it failed to attain somewhat to the chagrin oi its
fair writer who prints it TO shoE the treatment TO
which dramatists are liable at the hands of mana
gers, and as an appeal to tho public on literary
ground alcne. That il has consideration on that
ground is evident on every page What chance of
success would there be for drama in which the
characters talk in this fashion
Itisnt beer and Burgundy that make
The odds to as. but Bcaunc and ChambcTtip-
Their better cellarAge ana sumter seasons
Malt, eaten or drunk, II only NJ for pigs
/ say YOU fellows that are born to banks
And mines and such like, have the puli uu
Poor beggars who inherit woru-Out names
The poisons you may entertain your Lives Win
Kill slowly. HOW can your, hc Gus 0i tbl.c T.
We need say no more Of Mrs. Picilicr, except that
d .l,.rHH Hf.tf