National Republican., 1883-10-19

Iossnoss for which there is no excuse.
1t is evident, howovor, that the poet needs
culture Not yet to him in dream hath
Apollo shown himself. Not yet is IL his to
give up tho weary Juggling Mt the oar Of labor
in the sea of art, and rost in dreamful quiot
in the hollow Lotos-land of perfectly sym
motcal completeness. Taste Is we'll nigh
perfect, sense of melody true and pure, touch
is light and free and bold, but the hand is yet
Impractical and tho eye not yot has the per-
feet power which comes of use. Years OF
labor and study await him ere the Dorc
taste becomes faultloss. and the sense of tho
true artistic grows part of his very soul
The opening poem, "Moonrise in the Pines"
Is beautiful piece of word painting, but il
is nothing more. There is also too great an
echo of Tennyson and of Poe breathing from
its "lridcscont numbers for any strain Of its
own to be recognized. Poe cannot be imi'
tated. He only con wear the Roman armor
who has the Roman SOUL
"Autumnal " was intended to be the ex-
prossion of ono Of those ghostly imaginative
dreams that often wreak their passion on the
poets soul, but the spell of the southern
utility strangled IL in its birth with n mass of
|
and Grasses" tho poet triumphcd over his
weakness, and we have an exquisite lyric, in
whose simple, melodious rhythm tho very
soul of poetry rejoiCos. "a Sketch" COM
mcncing with tho limo
They sit on the porch together-father and daugh-
| ter fair
is q genre picture of exquisite beauty. One
turns to 1t again and again. Although strictly
| ri hri IN Y1pp
Arnold's beautiful poems of similar vein.
'"The Silver Wedding" is u pieco of porsonih-
cation too much like the strained conccits of
tho old time southern versihcation to be
tolerated, although its rhythm is perfect and
its melody superb. "The Moon Loved Land
is an exquisite poem, full of music and light
and buoyancy. What Mr. Boncr can do when
he gives his powers free vein is seen in "The
Sweet Little Fool" poem destined to be-
como classic, which is simply unexcelled by
anything of similar vein ever written IN
America Had Mr.. Boner always written
thus there wcro no question about his
niche in the pantheon of poets Mid
summer Night" is n fragment palpitatinE
with beauty, clear cut as cameo,
and as gloriously suggestive, Very good are
Long Ago" "The Dreamer" "A Phantom
Moon," and "The Stormy Day" 30. Gladly
| They Fly" deserves place in church poetry
by tho side of Jesus, Lover Of My Soul" aud
Come, Yo Disconsolate." 1t is refreshing
oasis in the usual dreary desert of religious
songs. "Christmas Eve in the Country" is
another exquisite pioture-,-a landscape that
once seen will never be forgotten.
But Mr.. Boner has struck another chord
l.. a. l. a,
tuned his Tyre in dialect and swept from its
strings strains unsurpassed by any other
singer of negro quaintness and originality.
| His poems of the negro dialect of North Caro-.
| lima arc we'll nigh perfect. With thorough
understanding of tho negro character, and
correct knowledge of the tongue that he
speaks, ho has given us several poems that
arc superior to anything of the kind hitherto
published. This is new almost untroddon
field, and one which tho cold, calculating
southern intellect will neither dsdain nor
rcpress. In such n field tho poet is also an
explorer, and his work has not merely an
imaginative, but scientific value. Tho life
of the rural southern negro is picturesque in
tho extreme. The union of Africa and Eu-
rome on tho shores of America has resulted
4 in q humanity which is of neither but is of
scarcely less interest than that of Europe,
and at present of much more fascination.
christmas Times Is Come" is ut once u
poem, picture, and revelation. Its dia-
loct is true and natural, its dramatic express
sion perfect. 1t is to be hoped that Mr.. Boner
will continue in this field, where he shows
himself SO thoroughly and gloriously at home.
To conclude, there is some trash in this
volume, great deal of common place feebly
expressed, and not little echoing of the
music and thought of others; but there is
quite deal of genuine poetry-poetry of u
high order-whch fully justifes its publica-
tion. And the few--too few-specimens of
dialect poetry prove the author master in
that walk. The volume Especially creditable
as being first one,