New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
COME DECENT POETRY.

PK Eca rs,caro.. Jansen, McCiurg Co. 1882.
UNDER THE AsPENs. BY EMILY rrsif = rn ,ssa 0
pp 3ii London: kegan Paul. french w. ioo-
AGARLANp FROM GREECE. BY CHARLES . FRASCis
hnMsIEoNG I6mo. PIP. $50. London LongmahS'
Green 4 Co. 1882.
~ THE SADDLE f6mo. PIP lS5. Boston ho"sn
~ ton. Mifiln Co. 1882.
The noen which gives title to the volume n
Prairie Idyl and Other Poems y shows more dell
cate and lnieig sent appreciation OF nature 'n'' "
The values of words. In the effort to give lIcsn"'
and color TO her verse the author ha
CURED q curiousy sprawling and nnga'nN 49,,
One cannot resist the impression that many y, "N
aficctiyes and phrases were selected oeo""'0
had a musical or sOnorOus ring rather INA" -
they exactly expressed the meaning "hiVn 49,,
in mind She too often snlhoS W." ~. ~,,.oo+
soo,ch for an original description oil some S"0''
- goods old as the world, yet new as
no osa,oaf hat uncurls IN June. The alllteratioDs
- 90 many that tie reader grows weary W
,hoir steadv rocking-horse motion--ot uIii'S
ond dazzlcs.' broad and binding" oe'
,-.mots and basils" blow and Dius'cl'
and the like Yet so happy are SONIC VI
her phrases so viva some OF her descrip'louS' 'o
reader cannot but regret the lack of the literary
sense that causes the waste OF so much GOOD ma'c
rial There is in this poem the glow OF linz w
NOT that of high imagination. vague ci"'0'
profound meanings are not poetry--a lesson " nv
many an ambitions verse-wrlter neeus W i''
vea,nlng for high things and a loving kho%ieuso
~ who'd and telI are not alone enough TO h'aAe 'n0
poet of nature
I'm the first poem OF her volume, Onuoi ~"
Aspens" Mrs Emily Pfeter declares 'na' sue Id"
pnrpose no less serious than TO exhibit DRAMATICALLY
a voung mind pervous to al the influences Vi
l.outv love iov and sorrow which, having lost i's
hold nnon the Unseen drifts. i'll the first tempest Oh
life unop destruction 1t is effect, the sonoquy
an the river bank of a working grl who, abanuohou
nv her lover seeks death III the stream whereOh sic
first saw him as the hero OF Ooa'-race'
The situation is dramatic enough puu uno
WAY in which Mrs. Pfeltfcr has worked II
ont does not commend itself to the magh-
otlop That IN a moment of passionate despair ueep
and keen enough to lead to snieide, woman VI 'no
lower classes should stop to recall and enumcrae III
hieh-hown language the various beauties OF te sea
sons and landscapes associated with her love, Is an
incopcrty that spoiIs ali the poets excellent ln'e-
tions In the desolation Of utter wreck and lmml-
rent death it is dramatically absurd that heart
lroken creature should speak or think thus:
Yst onr bowers when We landed were welcome
the light filtered soft ,,
Through the green leaves translucent tue speeu-
The tall Of the mowers came dulled from the neigh
boring croft, ~, ... II
And the steps on the towlng-path near sooh0u
discreetly to pass.
And there went as the sound OF a hush through the
midsummer air, ~, 49,,
And a shadow would glance, and the tender
boughs let through a bird
That had come IN the heat Oh Inc hoOh ol HIS h"'o
And the sensitive leavesvat the stroke of their
hearts would be stirred.
Still no peal rang forth heavy and sweet with the
wealth of that hour,
When the spirit of life seemed TO consciously hold
in his breath. 5000 II ..foo.
Lest sigh should imperll iea1 OF the aiipelie''
As if fitness of being had brought with it pre-
science Of death
In the placid flow of such scenic reminlscence the
"young mind f" would be apt to modify its misery
and 90 home to tea These verses are representa-
tive of the fancy and melody of Mrs Pfeifiers poem
OF the sonnets winch follow it is enough to say
that they show a feminine sensItiveness to beauty
and TO sorrow aud an ambition to strike STRAIN
heroic and beyond reach. When will the minor
noot learn to let alone this dainty and exacting
form of verse ? The sonnet is the one thing where
in naught short of perfection can be endured. III
should he rose for fragrance and grace
or star for nObleness The drama III
blank verse The Wynnes of Wynhavod" which
ends the volume. is ludicrous both in plot ana
construction. The hero is q very out-Of-the-way
Agoung man who dscards his fathers name and
scorns his fathers wealth in highly theatrical
sells beer-a beautiful subject for the poetlcal
drama The villain is a heavy person who exclalms
"soh " at all opportunities, and otherwise snorts
in an alarming fashion throughout Mrs. PfelterS
blank verse 1t must be said in conclusion, violates
all rules and skaters all examples.
In "A Garland from Greece" QIongmans d
Green g. +. Armstrong chants some Iusty and
musical strains reflective, descriptive and heroic.
Several of his subjects classical and show IA
cultivated and refined Imagination. Others have
10 do with the "War of Independence and are
treated with q good dea of patriotic and martial
fire The scenery of Greece Mr.. Armstrong de
scribes in singulary pure and clear outline, and he
is keenly alive TO It's romantic and poetcal sug
gestiveness. There is one poem, 1.-The Satyr" which
is admirable in its representation of sensuous,
soulless and merry creature at play or rest In a
dryad- haunted forest.
In the Saddle - is n charming collection of the
famous and beautiful poems Of riding. 1t begins
with Shakespeares description of a horse from the
"Venus and Adonis." and ends with DR.. Holmes 5
humorous Reflections of Proud Pedestrian"
Between appear all the dramatic and lyric favortes
OF all cultivated readers The little volume is astr
with the flash, the clang, the fascination of swift
riding and daring deed.