New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,rAN TSGELOW.

JEAN INtLLOW"
por-Ats or TIE OLD DAYS AND THE NEW. BY
JFAy IxGELow. 16mo. Up 229, Roberts brothers
We understand that none of the pieces IN TINS
volume have been printed before; the ute thele
fore probaby implies that the collection embraces
some Of the preserved fruits OF Miss lngeloWs
carlieY wears as we'll as the latest efforts oil hef
yan;,,s The differences between the two classes OF
poems are strongly markell. In the one styie We
have the evidences Of that strong lyreai gii.'
that plire and natural feeling, thar clear noi'u-
uaIifv of accent. which gave Miss lngelow SO
distinguished place among the poets twenty
years AGO; IN the other we trace the uneasy StrlT
Ia, after deeper aud less beautiful things by wnch
Il mnst be confessed that she has impaired rather
chow raised her rcputation. She is an example Oh
a not uncommon failure in persons OF emihSh'
nowers--a failure to recognize their own limit
atlons. aud even to value highly enough thelr o0S'
work. Perhaps IL Miss Ingelow had known how
ood bor hat lyrics we're she would have spared
herself and us the fatigue OF much uhpfontao u,
blank verse and Of q quantity OF thousn'iu
roetrv in which the result OF the long tram Vi
reflection hardly compensates for the oillcui'S VI
,rdorstapdinq if. In her simpler moods She Is
dcligjtfu The second piece III the ne" No,u,o'
echo and the Ferry" is full Of charm all her
own II has all the freshness and fragrance OF
Jnno Morning the irresistible captlvatlon Oh
,nrsic which is quite original and not easily
initiated Happily there is great zeal Ill INC
volume conceived in the same true spirit ana VIII
fen with the same lively grace Ii Is senai
instance of Miss Ingelow's inability 10 cr1uciso
herself that she has given the place OF honor 10 al
ambitious narrative and dramatic poem III DianA
verse almost destitute of her strongest qual'ieS'
,rhe storv Of "Rosamund" is insufficient as the
motive OF poem, ana tine account ol 'io uo
scent and dispersion of the Spanish Armada. WHICH
ooff ha
sented with enough vgor to justify the somewhat
uncomfortable and sluggish lines. much better
select,on to lead tile volume would have been Inc
SIeep of Sigismund" which is imaginative, mus
cal, and original Osi sic omHia!
The most remarkable example of the sacrifice OF
rich nos sessions to vain aud vague ideal Is the
very long poem of The BcllBird," which Is oad III
plan. because the ponderoas reflections nave niue
npparent connection with the slight incidents, Dad
IN thought because its drift is sometimes uilohS-
coverable. and bad in expression because 1t con-
tains the degraded remains of pretty metrlcal
device once used by Miss IngelOw with admirable
effect. but now turned into gross mauneris'n-
The device we speak of lay in delicate, fancltuI
and discreet use of the privilege OF repetition, ana
to show what 1t was aud what q distinct naVor IL
gave to her verse we quote stahza' hoU from hei
first book but from echo and the Ferry pre-
sumabIy one of the Poems of the Old Days III the
present lneven volume:
Ay. Oliyeri was but seven. and he was eleven
He looked at me pouting and rosy. blushed
where stood -, ,,r
They had to d us to plsy IN the orchard land
only seven! III .o, =
girl was no goodI -,
So he whistled and went, he went the stile to
the wood.
1t was sad, it was sorrowful! Only girl-only
seveu! ...,
AT home in the dark London smoke had not found
1t out. , IL. , ,,,o
The pear-trecs looked on in their white and blue
birds flasl'd about 49, H.,
And rhey too were angry as Oliver Were they
eleven? -,
eleyent
That is very dainty. But now see to what
grotesQue abuse the figure has come in The Bell
Bird" A lover sings undera window:
/ sing
To enc awakened. when the heart
Cries t is day for thought, and when the soul
Signs choose thy part, y choose thy part, thy part
hiring t. one beloved bring nay whole
Store make in loving. make y make lalhe arI
More Yet ask no, ask no wIsneo gOai
But this-if loving might thy door be.
Wake, y my lady loved, and love not me.