New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-09
TUE coyyFTs OF MR.. ALCOTT.


COMETS AND CANZONETs By A. BRONSON ALCoII'
Emo PIP. l49 Boston Roberts biotners
II was AN amiahle impulse, no doubt that
rrompted Mr.. +. b. Sanborn to address ie''ei ~
MIR A. b. Alcott, upon reading ms octogehili"ii
poemsr Mr. Sanborn, indeed. might readlIy hd'o
capturcd his aged victim at his residence OF a' 'o
village grocery. and so impaired his views oy worn
of mouth; and this would have been "a shorter anu
more summary proceeding with octosehaIi"u
poems for a subject however, and an octogeh@rian
hard for an auditor il was an essential kindness TO
choose the epstolary rather than the oral method
Of communications At four-score years the resist
inc mower of the human ear cannot be large Mr..
Alcott onld probably have been talked TO death ID
le.s than half an hour if Mr. SanbOrn had accosted
him in person, with the remarkable ooscrVatohs
that he sent by mail. TO write was 10 give the ola
gentleman at least chance. 1t is pity that ME-
Sanborn's aniability did not stretch itself niue
further so to spare the public as well as the paiu
,Some people though, have special talent lor
keeping their good nature to themselves. MI oah-
horns letter to MI Alcott is in print and leads TINS
volume.
Mr. Alcott is eighty two years OF age III Is easy
10 imagine his surprise upon being informed py NIL
saphorn. through the medium of the United States
mail that 1.-THE period to which the scholar oi
two-and-eighty years belongs is seldom that OF his
Youngest readers" chunk of this kind, hurled
suddenly at an aged person. might well be attended
with shock Obvious and familiar facts, when
stated in sonOrous language and with compro'
bensive recklessness Of manner, have been KNOWN
80 startle even younger men than Mt Alcott Cut
+le for instance. was overwhelmed by Bunsby.
But Mr.. Sanborn in his ebullitons of fact. seems
not to have been restrained by any fear OF conSe
Quences Some such thought may have gllrnmered
ON the perception of the venerable Mr. Alcot as be
- hat nI1V
period must, by the ordinance of nature, soon bid
you farewell as you go forward to new prospects ID
fairer worlds than ours" The bithe and ingenious
boy who said of his infrm grandfather that
they've knocked for him two or three times did
not display more engaging frankness than thus
Mr. sanborns pleasant readiness to stand on the
front stoop and tell his aged friend that the hcarse
is coming must net, however, DO misunderstood
Ue is himself quite willing to ride with tho driver
for he immediately drops the tear OF seaslbulty on
The door-rnat OF his tnneful neghbor, and declares
himself fallen upon all age III literature when the
poctc form is everywhere found, but the discerning
aud inventive spirit of Poesy seems almost iosf.'
After that it not surprise 10 find HIM dedlcans
both Mr.. Alcott and himself to the lmperishaDie
yerbeautcous selfrenouncing, loyal and steadfast
Spirit Of the Universe"-a mysterious entity, cur
yently supposed to be resident in the back yard Of
T,
Low in his spirits respondent as to the present lit
,,arv age and resigned to have Mir. Alcott go tC
heaven at an early date, Mr.. Sanborn seems never
thsless to have found strength enough TO survive
the perusal Of Mr. Alcotts SOnnets and to write al
incidental essay on the general subject Of Tht
Sonnet and the Canzonet" The Essay is appended
10 the Letter D this volume and together they make
sort of vestbue to the inner temple OF MI. Alcott
"octogenariau poems" The same reckless liberal
,ty Of obvious fact that marked the Let
ter IL found again III the Essay Mr.. Alcotfs son
nets are one thing" says Mr. Sanborn. " his canzO
nets another Bearing this great truth steadily ir
nind. the reader is enabled TO proceed with a GER
sain degree Of confidence. Some such guiding star
or headlight was necessary. "Defniteness must
rot be looked for in these poems" adds Mr. Sanborn
few readers will be able to explain precisely, ever
10 their own minds what each suggestive phras
eud period includes and excludes in fits meaning
Tie thought of years. the labor OF months. la
been given TO the writing OF these verses, and tn
reader ought not TO complain If he take as mucl
time TO comprehend them as the author took L
write them" There will be no complaint TIT
readers of such verses as written by Mr. Alcot
will cheerfully pass their lives in trying to under
stand them No occupation, surely, can be more ben
eGcial and no pleasure moro exquisite, than thu
reading Of lines that meant nothing to their write
and mean nothing to anybody else Enthraled by
this ecstacy the student of Mr. Acott can all tn,
game. find firm ground on Mr.. sanborn's beneyo
lent definitions. THE ode may be considered as ar
extended canzonet, or the canzonet as brief ode
Remembering this, although he comprehends moth
ing else tho reader will, perhaps be aware of some
al ght difference in the wind of genius when he ID
struggling with q canzonet instead of wrestling
with sonnet.
Ii is scarcely necessary to say, after what ha
been Qaoted from Mr. sanboms luminous exposi
tion, that Mr.. Alcotts poetryof which this volume
contains 6fty-one specimens-is Of the kind tina
came into fashion, within New-England circle
shout thirty years ago. wben In consequences of 4