New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-29

A
the Best Poems of all Ages and Tongnes' sT1S
by PnuIP sCHAFF, d. D., LII D. ana Aht FnuE
gilman. n. A Royal Svo., PIP &AAh-' l'ooA Fun"
d Wagualls.
The generous size Of this compact Dut clearly
printed volume is a plain indication OF Ihe cnoi
characteristic of the editOrg' scheme. lhey ha'o
undertaken to collect if not all the best reHe'o"'
poetry original and translated to be iouhu III 'i'o
English langua ge--for that would he imposslDe-"t
least copious tce of specimens of all schools anu
all ages as well as every piece OF such merit u
reputation that Al ordinarily well instructed
reader wonld be likely to lon for it in puDllca-
ton of this nature. So comprehensive pan
rcouires of the editors wide reading cath0c tasIe
and freedom from denominational prejudice anu III
all these particulars Messrs Schah and Gilman are
well equipped They draw impartially from the
Latin fathers and the Boston Liberals the
Breyiary the Oxford converts, and the latest con-
tributOr TO American newspapers; ana they assure
Us that in all cases the text of the author Is rlgH
respected. Certainly they have searched iar' ana
they have discovered an abundance Oh h''cIi"i III
forgotten or unexplored places
The obvious criticism upon ali such very cohhe-
bensive collections touches the standard OF roeticM
merit Bnt a Library" of religious verse cannot
he ndped bv the same rules which apply 10
strictly poetcal anthology Here the purity OF the
sentiment the power of waking DEVOTION the
sincera expression of common feeling, ana 10
some extent the association OF sacred ideas give
positivo value to compositions of very moderate
literary prctens,ons, That is the case with great
deal of modern hymn-writing, especially Oh tne
early years of the present century ana wlth large
mart OF the work OF te female religious poets OF the
same epoch But much o. this verse is justly
cndealed to the popular heart and the editors
would lave made a great mistake If they had
oxcludcd it, They have done their whole duty III
irving to shat out moral commonplace ana dry
didacticism. and cXacting, with consdcraoIe
measure of literary polish, the note OF SpntualiN
fervor or ut least religious senSibility We 40 not
mean to sag that they have always observe" thcI
own tests. Many pieces are dragged III ny main
farce which are not religious III conceptions
although they may contain phrase CT q plt OF
imagery borrowed from religious literature. and
there are others whose admission 10 the Library
wefnd 1t impossible to account for on any grounds
% Tho secret of Victory by Charlotte flske
Botcs contains but the funtcst trace of religious
idea and is very bad verse hesldes Mr.. Garrison
lines on The Free Mind" have n biographical
interest," but they entirely destitute OF rchSlous
character and possess too lt;e originality 10 be Oh
value as poetry: and if one were in the spirit %
fault-Gndng it would be easy to extend the liSi oil
which these two selections specimens. Upon
the whole, however. the Judgment OF the eomplers
deserves hearty praise. We are surprised to ind
the general merit of the huge collection 80 high as
= il: surprised that in 2.0G0 close columns so
large q proportion Of the poems show spiritual
Gle. alton. united with imaginative power anu
reatnsss of expression. These qualities are con
spicuous in the verse OF our own th"e' ana the
contemporary American writer's hold an honorable
place in the throng b5 the business Of their sent-
lncnt and tho sincerity of their accent
The arrangement of the collection Is by topics
and the system Of distribution may be understood
Of ,1,a,t & L. ,f ii fs I-itt
The Poet and Nature" the Poet as a Narrator
:" Tho Poet Sings of County, "Thc Poet Conicm-
nlotcs Times and Seasons "The Poet with God
@Tbc Poet in the Face of Trial and sorrow The
divisions of which, with their Subdivisions. there
ara tweuty-Cight are too artificial and minute, ana
the result is that tue natural grouping IS Sometimes
unfortunately disturbed; as when tie Christmas
songs are placed part under Times and seasons
and mart under The SaviOurs Birth, with about
four hundred pages between tPem. But after all
the importance of a systematic arrangement III
collection of TINS sort, is apt to be exaggerated
classification is of the first moment In scientific
treatise; it is Of little value in volume oI religious
sentiment whose readers will be satisfied II they
find what they want and will care little under
what category il is exhibited. An index OF authors
and another Of first lines supply the only guides
which are really necessary. We have en-
deavored" saw the editors. to make nook which
the reader can take up in every frame OF mind
which will inspire noble thoughts and deeds
winch will comfort and cheer the lonely mOuncr;
which the mother will read to her daughter the
father to his son; book which the young and old
will take pleasure in consulting whenever they
desire communion with pure and noble mInds, and
.- The help that comes from contemplation OF the
bette7 things of this world and the hles edness Of
the world to come In this project they have
succeeded.
The brief Biographical notes furnish some accept
able information about authors, bat they might
easily have been made little better. OF Thomas
Aauinas we are told that " one OF bis chief works
WIS his Defence of The MonastIc Life'' and this
is the only one Of his writings mentioned: his
sSumma Thcologiie" of which the annotator seems
NOT 70 have heard Is one of the celebrated books Of
tho world. but the Defence" of tie Iendicmt
(uot the Monastcl orders is neither famous nor
important. Bayard Taylor igares both in the
index and in the body OF the work "James
Bavard TAYLOR" which not his name. although,
by theab,urd blundeI of publisher, explained IL
Mrs Tavlors Life" of her husband that name
was affixed to a collection of his early verses.
There are two notices of Tauler tie mystic, which
do not agree As the dates in the Library are
said TO have been brought down to the close of the
wear lsSl one is surprised at the statement that
Dr. J. G. Holland is the present editor OF hotjRa'S
1,aga.ire" Still we know little OF the occupations
of the next life the fate OF departed magazines,
and perhaps the statement is true