New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS
WORDSWORTH.

.~,,,,,,s ~ WORDSWORTH, and other Papers by
HekRY n. HUDSON 16mo' pp SOL '"'''' "''""
$50.
-, ~ n,rt of this volume were written for oral de-
l;verv before small club, or class gathered III
r,vate house. Comprising criticism, expiana'ioh'
b,ocraphy and copious illustrative extracts thes
arc somewhat less formal than strictly literary
essay but Mr. .Hudson's discursve method VIII po
euioyed by that large body of intelligent gehcrai
readers to whose taste he particularly Appeals. ho
has the first requisite for poetcal commentator,
profound sympathy with his subject. lie mas "e,
voted years to a loving study OF WORDSWORTH an"
ms his familiarity with the poems has increaseu' III
tellectual satisfaction in them has gradually taken
n, an ;,crasnq feryor aud a more and more spir-
itu,, onprec,ation Thus his enthusiasm becomes
both en,pht ening and infectious. Nobody can read
his glowing pages without longing TO SHARE III the
delight which has evidently inspired them, or
without gaining n pretty clear sense OF the qualiies
which are TO he looked for in Wordsworths poetry
This latter effect the clairvoyant exposition OF an
acute mind directed by an impfessible haeinatioh'
is the most valuable fruit of Mr. Hudsons lapofs
iIis philosophical insight is not deep, anu as
literary exercise his book would not attract especiai
attention. Tut defects are atoned Tor ny 'he
strength Of hs feeling and the closeness OF his SYM
ra,by-srmpathv. IN the study Of poet IKE
ret,ant than subtetv Of intellect ct breadth OF
euljase, Mr. inasons popularity, indeed, has been
aeani,pd bv qualities very different fibm those ~
tbs literary essasist, Nohody would think ~ tead=
iDs him tot the sake 8t his style lie Ia easy '"
read hseaNsa his style 10 natural aid clear, but s
sjmpioity il the simplicity Ut homelv eafelesshpss
rather than ut artistic parity, aud It's force 10 de-
rived only ffom It's sincerity aud lis occasional
piauant Violations OF literary good manners
We shall not attempt, IN the space allotted 10
this brief review, TO foow Mr. Hudson IN his
discussion of Wordsworhs characteristics, his
piace in English poetry, his style, his rank rs an
artist his originality his freshness, his topics, or
tho qualities and meaning of particular poems.
The mos. interesting part of the volume Is that dc-
voted 10 WOrlsworth's mission and apostieship'
Mr. Hudson believes that the poet was specially
providentially raised up and sent forth as
teacher aud prophet just suited to forthcoming
need of the world. The penetrating spirituality OF
Wordsworth was just what the world was to want
as a corrective of the materalstic tendencies de-
velopcd after Wordsworhs time; and it is re-
markable and suggestive fact that while he IS our
most religious interpreter. of nature some OF MS
most LOVING and appreciative students are now
found among the POsitvists; that 1t seems as II
science and his poetry were working to mutual
interchange of services This idea brings us 10
what Mr. Hudson calls WOrdswOrths master
vision the conception of God in Nature, aud 10
this subject he devotes many of his most careful
and Interesting pages Tho Imagination" he
saws. ais the organ, the eye, through
which Wordsworth's soul meets and COM
muues with external Nature everywhere
finding in her a responsive sou-a soul infinite and
unsearchabe IN deed thought, power, beauty, WIS
dom, vet kindred to the soul within him. In other
words to his eve all Nature is alive with God not
merely in curative sense, but really and actually
so: in Him. literally all things live, and move, ana
have their being: His creative presence IS the
auickening aud animatmg breath of all Natures
forms and movements: all her gongs-on are but
the pulsations so to speak. Of the divine life and
spjrit within her. Thus he recognizes an intelli-
cent conscious energy, or conscious energislng
,ntclrence throbbng through the whole frame
of things and knitting all the parts in a mutual
fellowship and intercourse of life and strength
and joy' Here Mr.. Hnlson comes very close to
the subject of WorSsworth's alleged pantheism.
but his treatment of It upon the whole is imag-
NATIVE rather than philosophical: and we must
confess that it is q little Disappointing. Even his
assertion that Wordsworths Soul in Nature was
n poetcal or, rather, prophetic anticipation
of the recent conclusions Of science respect
ina the persistence and correlation of forces
tlese lucrative forces of nature heat, light, cleo
tricty. magnetism etc. beng nothing in the last
ANALYSIS but the Divine will-can only pass as an
,nren ous exercise of the fancy. And in the fifth
cbop,er on "rhe Divine Life IN Nature and "The
Religion of Nature the license of fancy seems to be
carried far; although this Is of the most not
able parts of the book for ts elevation of tone its
beauty of thought and its poetical insight