The Portland daily press., 1881-05-14
Recent Publications.

The Kings Missve aud Other Poems. By
John G. Whittier. (Boston: Houghton, Milf
film & Co.; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.)
The title of this volume of Mr.. Whittier re-
cent poems has for the reader a significance
which the poet himself would be the last to
perceive. The royal missive-to which ne re.
fers, and makes the subject of the stirring his
torcal ballad of which the volume is name
sake-was document under the seal of the
English king, delivered to Governor Endicott
by Mr.. Samuel Shattuck, requiring the release
of the imprisoned Quakers. But to us-who
take with loyal love the messages of the re-
vered singer who was the laureate of Liberty
and is a king among free people, by divine
right of freedom-to us words written by Mr..
Whittier are kings missivs indeed. His
verses have lost not anything of the vigor, the
motive power, the direct and inspired passion
of earlier years; and add to their tempered
strength color, music and certain technical
new graces of poetic art for which Mr. Whitti-
gave hi, whole strength in its time of need left
him less opportunity. The soft brlliance of
the poets latter work has all the mex pressble
delight of the Indian summer, a golden rich
ness of atmosphere, no sharp young tints, no
insistent fresh sound of the new summer, but
kingly pervasive splendor of perfect things.
The vitality, the genuine strength of Mr..
Whittiers work was never more apparent
than now. The time of terrible stress-for
which none may doubt he was raised up to
lead people by his great gifts of spirit and
haxyi H. l..
giving pleasure.
The variety and excellent art of this volume
The Kings Missive, are notable. The tender
and wholesome pathos of the prelude; the stur-
dy and clear-cut phrases Of The Kings Mis-
sive; the warm and delicate touch of st. Mar
tins Summer are in ins contrast. The Dead
Feast OF the Kol-Folk is unsurpassed by any
poem in the English language that suggests
comparison with it; and of any ten short poems
in our speech that can be named as sure to last
and live for their perfect art-this should be
one. In the department of Asatic poetry, the
modern reader is likely to think first of Mr..
Edwin Arnold's verse; and extent and quality
of work taken together, he has pre-eminence;
but neither in his poems or elsewhere, we find
so perfectly rendered as By Mr.. Whittier the
wild tenderness, the strange clinging supersti-
tion, the intense overpowering love greater
than the grave, the direct and naive express
sion, the soft staccato phrases alternating with
keen bitter chords. 1t IS a masterpieces of Tyr
ic art, made possible By inborn dramatic imag-
ination. 1t is not easy to convey by critical
words the instant and irresistible effect of this,
perfect among poems. The Lost Occasion is a
fine reflection upon the death of one of New
Eng.and's great Statesmen, IA superb chant of
prophecy and Judgment. The Emancipation
GROUP has the core of pathetic tenderness, al
most inseparabie from any words written of
the martyr Abraham Lincoln. Other poems
are of meditative character, sound, sweet, and
sunny. Here and there are touches of the del-
icate comedy, the quick recognition of the
laughable side OF things in which Mr.. Whitti-
er is SO apt. The Minister'S Daughter is po-
em, bright and soft as the song of bluebird
which relates little story of chld's faith ten.
derer aud more true than mems hard creeds
Other poems of especial interest are the admi-
rable and feeling verses to Bayard Taylor; a
dainty and spirited poem addressed to little
kinsman and namesake of Mr.. Whittier; some
fine sonnets, aud several impressive transa-
| tions from the Mahabharata.
|