Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-15

even venomous review of Among My
Books" and "My Study Windows ap-
peared in "Lippincott in June, 1871.
The author writes at times with
the intense ferocity of personal
enemy, and concludes his criti-
cism with these harsh words
Into the hands of clique of ecstatic ex.
tollers Mr.. Lowell has fallen, and they
have done their very best or worst for him.
The qualities they ascribe to
their idol are precisely those in which he is
most deficient. He is acute, versatile, &C.
casionally brilliant; but he is narrow,
shallow, hsrd-destitute of the insight,
the comprehension, the sympathy by
which the true critic, the true poet,
searches the domain of thought and the
recesses of the mind, illumines the emo
tions and kindles them" There is doubt
less some truth in this estimate of Mr..
Lewell's powers as critic but there is so
apparent bias running through the whole
paper that prefer to take the more
TEMPERATE AND WHOLESOME JUDGMENT
OF another reviewer, W. C. Wilkinson,
verse, is Mr.. Lowell's true literary YER
nacular. He writes, as Milton wrote, with
his left hand in writing prose. But whether
in prose or in verse, it is still almost
solely by genius and requirement quite
apart from the long labor of art, and of
course, therefore, apart from the exercised
strength and skill of that discipline co at,
which is the wages of long labor alone, that
he produces his final results. He thus
chooses his place in the Nalhalla of letters
among the many inheritors of unfultilled
renown- 1t seems likely at least that his
name is destined to be treasured in the
history of American literature chiefly as a
gracious tradition of personal character
universally dear, of culture only second to
the genius which it adorned, of fame con-
stantly greater than the achievements to
which it appealed" That is notvery high
praise, if praise it may be termed but it is
the language of the true gentleman, as well
as the memorable verdict of the just critic
THE TRUE CRITIC
Who impartially seeks to separate the
dross from the pure metal of literary per-
Torrance, cannot but rise from mis- labofi-
GUS task of weighing the claims of Mr.
Lowell to place in the pantheon of last
ing fame with feeling that, while he has
wanting in that rare kind OF genius which
softens and subdues the heart and vibrates
the chords of sympathy in every human
breast. When Burns sheds melodious
tears over the upturned daisy, or touching
ly laments the fate of the poor little field
mouse, he shows the greatness of his
genius by the halo of tender sentiment he
sheds around the most neglected and hum.
blest or most despised of Gods creatures.
He who is great in small things has the
power to be grand in great things, Burns
lives in the hearts of the people every
where, because he touched with magic
hand the chord "that makes the whole
world kin" Lowell is too brilliant, too
learned, too expansive and diffusive to do
this. Art, with him, has overcome nature;
it has smothered out the simplicity that
lies at the bottom of all human magnetism,
and given us instead poet who entertains
and dazzles, but whose knock at the door
of our heart fails to open it, He-noue
better than he--knews the value of the d.
vine gift which enables the true poet to
make the soul responsive to his inspiration.
As early as 1912 he illustrated this idea,
and showed that he had deep longing to
become the poet of the people. Appreci
ating the secret of the great power of
Barns, he wrote:
1t may be glorious to write
Thoughts that shall glad the two or three
High souls like those far stars that come in sight
Once in century;
But better far it is TO speak
One simple word VIII ch now ana then
Snail waken their free nature in the weak
Ard frendless sons of men.
To v,rite zor,a aarras+ ,e-se or limo
Which seeking not the praise OF art,
Shall make a clearer faith and manhood shine
In the untutored heart.
THE TEST
By which poets right to live beyond his
time should be decided is here clearly and
Justly outlined Judged by that test, Low
ell has not, as yet, made good his claim to
permanent rank among the elect. Neither
"verse or line of his are known beyond
the &C two or three high souls " he speaks
Of He is read by the curious and the
cultured for his wealth of learned ailuson
and illustration for his esthetic knowl-
edge of art and letters for his beauty of
style and elegance Of ornamentation for
his wide erudItion and his profuse CLASH
cism.
But our poet still lives. Let us not
finally Judge him yet. We know that he
knows what he must accomplish to pur-
chase enduring fame. May we not hope
that in him the seed is now terminating
that will ore day blossom into flower of
immortal fragrance? JAMES j. AYERS.