New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ND GossRS POEMS.

or vror. AND FLUTE Selected Poems ~ Hoit q Co
va wmIrAn GossE 12mo PIP. zoo' hen,' 80 80,
In this modest and pretty volume VIC n"'
t;on from the verses by MT. Gosse whicn u"Vo ep
""-.a .,,bar in the Century and tornh"t maya
- o. in the two books put forth by hlm In 1910
SIo7o The choice has been male not by the
,h,r himself. but by two of his literary fr'ends.
This method of publication, whatever NAV DO sa'u
a;nst IT, is at least likely TO give MS what sooer
.~;,e;s,n will deem the poets best work, though
..,hons not the work which will most exactly de-
fine his place in srrature. MIR. Gosse's character
istic excelences, however, are easily sta'eu. no
has an enthusiastic and inspiring love OF nature
an acute perception of natural beauty III WHICH
accurate observation is spiriuallSed pV c'i'an
imaginative quality strong human anec''ons
rdished by simplicity and purity, and quite free from
ssthetic Alterations; sincerity drectDess ana
refinement of thought His style, like his tbou0ht Is
elegant and clear Both innocent ofover-suptfty
and engmatical suggestlveness Some Oh Ihe p"o'ii'
are merely little pictures OF landscape OF pam Ut
terances of familiar sentiment which owe all 'no''
charm to their truthfulness and neatheSs Vi o.
pression The construction of the verse IL Na''"
and generally ingenious easy musicai anu SUM-
times striking though now and then IL iaS' az"
occasionally the author allows mmse'I ID, u'
license in the misplacng of accent. he mas "o'
altogether escaped the common fauit Oh '"o
contemnorarv poetry-namely. the use OF words LOT
merely decorative purposes. That is the aeIec' VI
The Ballad OF Dead Cities" and it IS the no'e aiSo
of the following "Epithalamium." which neVer'he-
less is admirable in harmony aod coi'r'
High in the organ-loft, with billed hair
owe piled the pc ais with his snowy e.ooi,
Pouring forth music like the scent oil Irul'
And stirring all the incense-laden ar
We knelr before the affairs gold rail, where
The priest stood robed, with chahce ana PAIN
With music-men. who bore citole and Lutte,
Behind us, and the attendant vlrglnSS lan'
And so our red aurora flashed u goid, -
0nr da wn 10 sudden sun, and AL the while
The high. voiced children irsbed clear and cold
ne Gems .r-boys went swinging down lhe aiSo'
And far above with fingers strong ana sure
Love closed our lives triumphant overture
This is splendid verse bu' pale poetry. MT "osse
Is much better in such pieces as Inc AIihonu
Tree where rich and picturesque dic!loh Is eih-
pIoyel i'll the service of very teider ana eehu'uo
emotion OF " In the Bay." whose fresh whoeso'he'
exhllaratlng lines one cannot help comparing WIN
the more glowing and imaginative ana less
natural and agreeable poem OF Mr.. swlnoutncs "n
a similar theme. The following s anzas give
fair sample of Mr.. Gosse's descriptive sV'e'
Here on sunny shelf, while hot the ar
Flooded our limbs and faces, brown ara pare,
We lonnged and shouted piashng Win $40"
The warm and tidal pools that wasted there,
And down below us saw the sea-foam pe'|
Then. leaning down together with crv,
watched Them dash into he waves, ana ny
Around the shadows as sea- blrd Dends,
Tossing the froth and streaming, aud then
Plunged like Aron to my dolphlh-iriehus'
The cool impassive water chung and pressed
Around our buoyant bodies, head ana Orrisn
Downward | sank through green ana iqu'u
gloom, 1
Bv ali the streams of shoreward seas caressed
Dark yitreous depths by FAINT crOss-iIghts
illumed.
Az r;opo orca auan m gunlit air
Ne finnq The saltalrip back from beard and hair,
Aud shouted to the sun. and knew no more
The trodden earth, with all IFS pain ana care,
But set our faces sea-ward from tie snoTc'
Then 10! the narrow streak of eastern light
Along the dark seas line, began 10 shllte
its radiance up the heaven; the living miso
Spey from the sky, and lett IL gold and white,
And made the tossing SEA like amethyst.
Midway between the rocks that grit the bay,
An iset rose OF rock as black as they;
Sombre 1t stood against the glowing SKY
And two Of us swan out to 1t stralght"ay,
And cleft the waves with strenuous arm and
thigh.
And as strove and wrestled in the race,
i turned and saw my comrades merry lace;
The sunlight fell upon his HAIR, ana through
The film of water showed The sinewy grace
OF white limbs, bright against the seas green
blue.
So Iaugbingly we won the rock, and then
Climbed mn and waited for our feilow-men;
Sat on the eastward brink of IT. and let
The cold foam ellug upon our Let again,
And pash our limbs with tangle crushed and