The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-04-14

" Pfzff's. How gioomily boisterous and recklessly merry must they all have be- come, after the reading of such poem When the war scattered Clapp's bril- liant band. Winter settled down to his fife work, and, in the columns Of the A. 5ioa, from 1861 to 1865. beeame known as one of the ablest and most discerning of dramatic critics. For many years he has held position on the editorial staf of the New York 7ribEn<. During that time, his life has been the quiet and un- eventful one of a man of letters His fame as critic of the drama, coupled with winning social qualities, has won him the friendship of rare and gifted spirits, like Booth. Jefferson and Brougham. With the flight of years his. mental powers have fully matared, and he has now higher standing as writer, both in prose and verse.
 While the poet has done yeoman ser vice as a journalist in the last twenty years, his contributions to prose litera- tuTe during the same time have been by no means insignificant In 1866 and 1867, as the friend of George Arnold, he edited the memoirs of the dead poet with affectiona,e care and keen diserimina- ton and in 1880 he performed a similar service 10 the memory of Fiu-James O'Briea. He has also collected the choicest writings, in prose and verse. of the gifted and generous John Brougham. making volume of some five hundred pages. which IS at once valuable and in- teresting addition to the literature of the stage. For series of biographies of actors he has written a volume entitled, The Lives of the Jeffersons." Though at times overburdened with details, it IS, on the whole, conscientious and well-executed piece of biography bu, it appears only to a smal! and sciec; class of readers.
 In 1877. Winter visited England and France; and the outgrowth of a series of letters written at that time to the New York Ty.6ane, was the volume entitled, My Trip to England Though atno time sprightly and vivacious, it is, io the refined and cultured reader, one of the mos, delightful of books: or. as an able critic said of #, '' England in a drop of honey" The poet has much in common with the rare and gifted Godfrey Crogan. and his volume deserves to rank side by side with the Sketch book" IL pos sesses charm which has made 1t famous. and caused ii to become q thing of profit and deligh; to thousands. The fact that inc tasteful illustrations which accom- pany the volume, were painted by Joseph Jefferson. IS pleasing proof of the in,i- mate relations which exist between the great actor and the gentle poet
 Winter ; family relations are of the happest nature. and his home at New Brighton. on Staten Island. is very pieasaE: one. He Is s:ill in the prime of lie. and | IS ,e be hoped that he has many years of usefulness sii.l before him.
 l, is upon his gifts as :. poe, ,ha, Win ter chic: e.aim io fame res,s: and his cla5a i5 good enc. lis Collected Poems possess qgain: charm which Is dis;.nciyely thelr e.sia. ani which. Il ev- cry itesh Fe sdiag. grows more fascinating arl1 de.ic4ie. one reason for this Is, tha, the poe: has always been his own mos, severe crltic, and hls Collected Poems contain only the finest winaowlnss from Ny Witness. and several other volumes Somewhere he has told Is tha; his poems have of necessity been the accidents of impulse. and TO, tke creations 0. artistic intention. Such a mode ot composition has many serious disadvantages. bu, It has oiten. IS Is the case with our poet. gwen us rare poetic gems. He well de- tcrmined his own position in literature. when he said: The author of these poems IS w;shfll 10 believe that they con s;itute an addition not altogether un- worthy to that old school of English lyrical poetry. of which gentle ness was the soul, ana simplicity the gar nent. His poems are gentle and sim pie. worthy ot a place among choice lyii6s. and lead us to search for the quail i,ies which have charmed and dclis shied us.
 Our introduction to the poe, Is a happy one, for the volume opers with The Ballad of Constance his best ballad. IL Is sad and subdued story of love. charm insly told. \ fair young maiden loves and IS loved. but her be,roihed. prom lsins soon to return. sails away to sea, and Is never heard of more. Year after year passes away. bu, the maid. now d woman. old and bent and gray. still watched and waited
 
 In marble chill she paused and hardened. With startled gaze. where far away.
 The wastes of sky and ocean darkened There, for a moment. faint and wan,
 High up m air, and landward stflNing. Stern ore. spectral barquc came on,
 Across the purple sunset driving.
 Then something ou; of Heaven she knen.
 some whisper heard from Heaven de
 scended.
 And peacefully IS falls the dew.
 Her long ana lonely vigil ended.
 The viole, and the bramhlc rose
 Make glad the grass ,ha, waves above her And, freed from time and all i;s woes.
 She trusts agaia the wo;d oi lover.
 = l-ethe." a song of wine and pleasure. written during the " Bohemian days of ,he poet. reminds us strongly of some oi he poems ot Arnold and Aldrich. written during the same period. The White Flag Is of the same nature as Lcihe." but is written in a healthier mood, and shows more real thought. !" Beauty is one of Winters noblest poems. Though toe narrow m conception and too tiowery