The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-15
New Publications.
POEMS BY DANTE GARRETT. Rossrr,

fOEms BY DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI,
The genius of Rossetti was mysterious-
clotheo In white and shining apparel, but with
flicker of blue fl Ams about it, iascin atipg but
not a"ays satisfying Poe's genius was OF
Ike character, and in pictorial art we find
similar spirit in Dore aud Vedder. Rosetta
was master OF technique, which is SO nue.
undervaued by some critics who imagine
poetry to be altogether a gift, and think Ii
should ind expression and form spontaneously
A gift 1t Ger ainly is, but a gift that training
VIII do much for. There are many "Mute. in.
glorious Miltons," who with proper cultiva-
ton of the poetic faculty which thew possess
might be singing Mitons. Those who object
to the employment of poetic rules may point to
Burns, the Ettric Shepherd and others of
similar experience as examples of the poetic
genius hnding expression untrammelled BY the
rules OF poetic art; but these unfortunately.
ear, aad caught with facility the trick of
rhythm aud rhyme. They were, moreover.
faithful students, and made good use of such
rales as they had learned; indeed, their chief
faults are found in the Limitations OF their
knowledge of these very rules of poetic art SO
much decried. Of course a knowledge of these
rules VIII no more make poet than a knowl-
edge OF linear perspective will make a pictorial
artist; but the pictorial artist will fail in pro-
portion to his want Of knowledge OF the rules
OF perspective A great deal of mers prose.
however, prsnkt out with The trappings of
Poety passes muster, and perhaps the muse of
Rossettl may be not unfairly criticised as sport
log ga6erdine somewhat tawdry. Yet, after
all he handles his knowledge of technique
With artistic skill, and does not make it 40 OBJ
trusive as to cause more than an occasional
doubt as to it's proDer subordination to the
spirit of his theme. The volume opens with
The Blessed Damozel:"
"The Blessed Damozel leaned out
From her gold bar of heaven.
her eyes were deeper than the depth
Of waters stilled at even;
She had three lilies in her hand
and the stars in her hair were seven''
This is followed by "Sister Helen:"
'Why did you melt your waxen man,
Sister ellen?
To-day is the third sine you began;''
line Time Was long, YET the time ran.
Little brother.''
70 mother, Mary mother
lnree days Today between He'll and Heayen,)
These with "Stratton Water" and s.Eden
Bower" perhaps best exhibit the peculiar char
acter OF hossettI's genius, the latter especially
begianing with the lines SO familiar to MANY
some years ago:
sit was Lilith the wife of Adam
(Sing Eden Bower,
Not drop of hes blood was human
But she was made like a soft, sweet woman
"Lilith stock on the skirts of Eden.
(Alas the hOurD
She was the first that thence was driven:
With her was hell, and with Eve was heaven"
The volume is printed in the red line series.
aud 10 attractive and cheap in price.
THE COMPLETE ANGLER.
Snch is the attractive title Of little book,
under which is the picture of "gentle ane-
Ter" IN shady nook with rod and line Turing
the silly front to bis osier basket From the
1utroduotory Essay to the last psga the book ia
a delight. In the former are letters, with fac
smile autographs of Charles Cotton and Izaac
Walton, with Cotton's lines to Walton. begin
ming:
Farewell thou, busy world, and may
We never meet again!"
The book is full of interesting matter relating
TO the piscatorial art, and contains many quaint
ilinstI ations. 1t was mistake. however, pat
ting the notes at the end of the book instead
Of at the bottom of the pages to which they re-
fer. One cannot fail of being benefited by
reading the book, though it is devoted to sng
ling, for it is permeated with a delicate philos-
ophy instructive as we'll as entertaining. Wal
ton, though enthusiastic fisherman, taught
that we should fix requisite limit to our
pleasures, even before their commencement.
"We care not who says,
And intends it dispraise,
That an angler co fool is next neighbor
Let him prate; what care we;
We're as honest as he,
And SO let him take that for his labour!'