The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-24
A CycIop.edia of Poetry.

Many English anthoogics have been pub
lished durin. the last quarter of n century, and
almost every conceivable principle OF selection
and arrange mont has been exhibited. Some Of
these compends have been made for the pur-
pose ofillustrating the history of English poe
try. and much space has been given By the edi-
tors to comments and discussions which inter-
est tho student Of the subject but which are
not equally welcome to the general reader who
desires to light Mt once upon some poem which
accords with the feeling OF the hour Other
collections are confined to poctical compost
tion OF specific aim or type. 80 that they
who cannot content themselves with the COM
panonship Of treasure-book so limited in
range. must needs provide themselves with
several of these small repositories. Even those
persons who are not accustomed to regard the
cost of books. are quite alive TO tho superior
convenience and portability of single VOL
ume. while there is a far larger class Of read
crs who appreciate the noble monuments OF
English song. yet to whom it ia q matter OF
economical importance to obtain as many
master works IA possible between ono pair OF
covers. BY refraining. on the one hand from
any biographical account or critical estimate
OF tho authors quoted. and by cu.ling his
flowers on the other, not from particular
partcrre but from the whole rich garden of
piler OF the Ho.seioid Book Of Poetry has
managed to present in moderate compass-in
q Volume which. though stout, il not too bulky
for a readers hand to grasp-almost all the
minor poems in the English language which.
by the general agreement OF men of taste. are
accounted the most truly admirable. In ro-
spcct ndcod. OF compactncss and portability
tho now edition OF this book, now issued by tho
Messrs. Appleton, Is decided Improvement
upon the earliest editions. the first Of which APP
peared moro than twenty years ago. The book
now comes to ~ in square instead Of oblong
shape, and successfully avoids tho objection OF
curnbrOusneas usually encountered by at
tompts to compress within n single volume the
fruits Of equally extensive gloanings in tho field
Of pocsy.
Aside from tho happy combination OF COM
prehcnsivcncss and compactness which it
cXcmpliiics. there is feature of the
" Household Book Of Poetry" which from
tho fret has strongly commended it to
thoughtful readers. and which, We nced
scarcely say has been sodulously preserved in
the new edition we refer to the class ncatinn
of poems according to the dominant thought
embodied in tEem or the key motto Of the senti-
mont or emotion which they express. We lind
tho contents Of this volume, for example. dis
trlbnted in sections according as tho poems
AZ mainly treating Of nature of childhood of
friendship, Of ambition. or of love. Other
blooms Of English verse. which will not
be sought in vain in this catholic an
theology. viii be found grouped under the
sufficiently definite designations Of poems OF
comedy poems Of tragedy and sorrow poems
of the imagination, poems Of sentiment and
reflection and poems of religion. Only those
persons who have used a book thus classified
can fully comprehend from how much annoy
anco and waste OF time it reo YES tho reader;
and we may add that no ono who has not tried
20 carry out classification of this kind which
at first sight may seem easy can measure its
difficulties. An author himself might some
times be puzzled to define the purpose or tho
feeling which was uppermost in his mind dur
ing tho composition Of II particular poem and
tho critic, therefore, cannot find /, by any
means facile task 10 assign work of per-
haps ambiguous intent and nuctuatng tone to
liked category. Yet We think that
few readers who will carefully examine
tho distribution Of poems in the book
before us will dispute its general correct
ness. though in some instances. of course the
same song may appear to different ears to