New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TIT POEMS OF MRS. SPARKS.

1900 ,,o,,r HARVARD NC. 9. Farewell
i2mo PIP 205. Boston; A. "hn'"'
This book contains one hundred anu 49, ord
n,eces of verse mostly OF a religious cnai IS Tho
ia emhellshed with ten illustrations 'i"' ~ do-
nieees are ayowedy hymns. others i0,"'1
mestic subjects Others were prompteu ~ C.';I Wor
,,ons with Harvard University anu NV 80, ID
A few are TRANSACTIONS from La'ii, :.~1 not
French The volume IS marheu nor
nubljshed" and II appears 10 DC w. rotber
sopol memorial, or an offering 10 Hi0Hr' m,
~, contribution to poetical literature in0
- % Mrs Jared Sparks widow OF the histoii'"'
VA DAUGHTER of Nathanel Silsbee, OF Salem' mass
In a limited states Senator, ana coieaEuo ~
Daniel Webster. go ,t
This venerable lady bias been all her life a student
and writer, but no literary pretension Has aa
been made in her behalf. Her present appe'i""DS
sby tetcent and modest, can scaioeiS " a,,,.
sicered an appeal to the public nolice' nv rtt-,,o
uo tbo occasional EXPRESSIONS OF conecien''o0'
mind and a pure and tender heart oeNou"9 IT.
crated TO religious living and doheSuc "u'''
dissiay neither creative genius nor ,lo' 10
tr,,o scnse of artistic form. The spirit OF 'hen "
NOT indicative of an original ndividuaii'S' an"
st,a of them continually denotes lack Oh s'ei"
.iool rovison II Is one thing to feel the Impulses
81 noet;c expressnon and another thing 10 PcrIoin
a. lohor which these involve. Had MIS- 0p"iN'
devoted her life to literature, lnSteau Vi u'
literature as one of the incidents OF acclu'" -
her life il is very certain that at leaS'' noi
rould have been free from ml1eo NctNi"'"'lVn
and imuerfect rhymes. Perhaps. aiso' sho ""0
NOT nave mistaken piety for poetry, as this volume
seems TO indicate that peghaps she has DONE lno
error is not uncommon ;ud
These productions. however are 10 oo >io"
iii rof,re,ce f., their moral worth and their many
.,0,r
ort The religious spirit that breathes throughout
nrofound sincere. and full of charity, gentle
ness. and hope. Many pious persons not Only 'io'
unnn all occasions that man is worm out alo
aver ou,te bappy until they can tread upon MIN Ill
,hot vermicnlar capacity. Mrs. Sparks's hymns are
no, dolefnl She will put twelve syllabes III line
of blank verse; she will speak OF SUFFERING
scream" she will glide lightly, in the sa"e pieoe
from spondee to dactyl: she will rhyme los'
and ghost" "toys' and voice., Ioau anu
"God.r hand" and respond" shielu anu
"yeied," hours and ours young anu
"sonrD "ioyn and die" "yes" ana US aOu
many more of words that pIosody never lh'e"ueu
for this sort of marriage But her sacred verses are
warm with faith, and their burden Is an uhlal'ei'.
trust IN Divine Love- The influence accordingly Is
excelIent whatever NAV be thought OF the manner
Her mejodious uttcranee of the domestic aHcc-
tions IL likewise trustfu and tender. Inc sahctty
MA well-ordered home, the pathos OF mother
love the half-regretful and always touchihg reini
niscences of childhood sorrow for the lost' soicl-
tude for the future of the young, slucere beilel III
the efficacy of labor and patience tranqui anu
effectionate temperament the amenities Oh Soci"'
intercourse and qnick sensiblllty TO tue ehdeai-
nents of fuendshp-these among the chlet
toncs of her poetry and the OBVIOUS characterslcS
of her mind. The evanescence OF faIne' the uiis"S
factory character of human greatness the impress
we solemuity of natures changes, and the august
charm of scholastic -trement by turns allure her
fancy and awaken her muse. The patriotic impulse
is also strong in her nature; and III one OF heI
poems The Matrons Drll"-tHe tremendous
sacrifices that mothers make for the preservation Oh
the State are expressed with lofty enthusiasm
closely akin 10 imagination.
Now and then her fancy-whlch is the only esSeh-
tally poetical faculty visible in these writings
blooms forth in a deft and pleasing phrase OF III q
happy smile: as when she says AID courtlerc CLOUDS
turn smiling to the mornn or "WhIte alone with
summers SHOWS. the surgng ocean paused to hear
Such lines as these indicate the highwater marx OF
beauty that is reached in the style of these poems
The quality and value OF their substance nave oeeu
indicated and quotation from the WORK Woulu
scarcely make them clearer. Among the represent
alive pieces which might be cited are 1.-The Predom
nance of Man." The Wife's Affection" " BY Tho
Closed Portal, " ne Evening Nd'A' "n'
"Woman IN Zulu Tent" While neither revela
ton of genius nor potential poetic voice. the book
to many persons, may prove CONSIDER IN moments
of depression, and stimulant to religious trust anC
virtuous zeal. 1t is the product of a mind that II
thoroughly sincere in rating the things of thi
world as infinitely below the assured hope Of immor
tally 1t is, furthermore, the exponent of a singu
larry gentle and dignifed character. Among thu
poems is the following. entitled Take Back tn
Flower"-which the author makesa sort OF hterar.
curiosity by stating that ii was first published Il
a tale of Hawthornes at his kind request and ha
been printed as song Of his, Faith In Salen
paper:
Take back the fower-'twill only fling
perfume round my way,
Like music from WORKOUT string,
sooner 10 SHRINK away.
Take back the bud-'tis like my dream,
hurst ID a sunny hour;
And, while its hopes the faIrest seem,