New-York tribune., 1886-05-30
4 FRENCH CRITIQUE or AMERICAN
POETRY.
TIL. BENTON on STEDMANS "POETS OF
AMERICA

POE1 Rf.
TIL. BENTON on STEDMANS "POElo Of
AMERICA
The Perue des Deur Nondes for May presents
an rttce on American Poets by fhe lady who writes
under the pieuionym of Tn. BENTON Tho textls |
furnished by Mr.. T.. c. Stedmans recent volume
" Poets OF America" The article 49, on inc "hoe'
appreciatve, though perhaps woud DO eApcVS'"s 'o
much to look In a Preach essay for an entire ifeeu'"
from tho tone OF patronage aud the view ds hd@ e "'
which have characterized European criticism OF Amer
loan literary work Yet it doubt altogether without
malice that this writer calmly remarks that IL perhaps
America has not lacked poetry. criticisih az
least has until now been accilmatiled thefe. IL
may be Notifying to sensitive sons but ,he pam rum
is that our Partisan friend thinks 1t necessary % ACCOUNT
"a well to herself public tor the aIpear ince IN
.,is seui barbarous country of sound and goOd
book as Mr. Stedmaus But its goodness Is admired
Mr. Stedman she observes, deserves THANKS Tor having
devoted his profound eruton and the lofty mpuah'S
OF which he IL capable to making us acquihtea WIN Vho
literature poetry has existed from tue peSih aug
in his country. His important anu thorough S'uuy
ia conducted with the method. the scrupuousness inc
rerspicacity which he applied iornory 10 tuo wors
the Victorian Poets" remarkably faithful ana luc"
nperc OF Mr. stcdman's hook then entered upoh onc
so indeed that 1t is sometimes not at all easy 10
disineush between the estimates or American Ioets
conveyed to the Rerue from Mr. stedmans pages anu
the original opinions put forward by the ftehoh
reviewer the latter we make rev CITATIONS az
tending to show the gladual expansion ol fien'n
knowledge foreign countries, not lcs' thah the
on The Continent OF a conviction that America has
literature oven poetry, not only demanding roeoSni
ton but deserving stu.y and repaynSi IL
Here is a French view OF Whittier:
Winters IL Hehraic nature, the incarnation OF
Bible heroism; what ono ad'9res .h ia III ,@,reJ to
r@rol yh,h dll not enjoy the retinementi or arr Inc
,,t ,,ators OF n ut tempesuous preparatory TO
tha tim q
iIealizatiOn OF their sebtiments tue prlni1c h
Win hot convection and profound edrne't'eSS worn
we not how to translate because pepnPs we ~
and eryor These warlike and bucolic poems are aso
impreenaei VITA te seem & o one e sees iviIc scenes
ross the tumult Of revolutions; they eIecriiy anu
! sOothe the spirit al the sano time.
| Speaking OF Emerson the rcvie|er observes:
Certainty the bitter sarcasDs DISCHARGED at tho
trensrendenta school VOID OF fOunt'tiUn E1Shf
Poe DENOUNCED EmesOhin d0ctrne rs cant hectat'on'
hvno r.y OF Thought aggravated by OF phraseooSy
This barb howeV strikes only the dscipes 2il ,he.r
uroyinrial arrogance; the master Is sale Dohlnd an
ppJmantIne shield lie knew better than any one what
ne lacked OF being poet IN the iul E'.lmS g M ' '
word; he contepte himself with tho role OF pioneer OF
insprer ana il his followers have dsapponsea
or exceeded his nteuton it Is none tile less certain tna
! he las OTcned new paths
ronofeow ia mentioned aDpreNatiyely the notice OF
him concluding thus: In TACT all tender sols, from ons
end of the world to ether understand and love the
sunny poems CT Longiellow, just as all SICK ana eor
mcntcd souls respond TO tho black magic OF Edgar Poe
evidently constitutes SIrous alsr'cIIoH' io
be examined at ongth than almost any other
American ,oet After expressing the opinion tnat Foe
| WAS his own worst enemy, she proceeds:
Rut amid the rough re,lities which encountered In
him a more than feminine sensitiveness the le III U
Older OF the affections kept him constant company he
| was Lowell, and loved without measure Whethet tns @
degradation his life great or little does no we
repeat. much The fact 49, II Whatever VA M ne
lived. tue unfortunate creature carried aPo1s WIN LIN
a sentences OF death. and knew It, rms mere itaryy
curse with tho love, porcilv pure perhaps, una his
wife inspreh him WITH suffice TO render the re OF this
situ4t afr touching.
tho same school mlnsls strong dose OF aioot'toh VIII
the smallest percsptplo grain OF sincerity.
oliver Wendell Holmes and James Russell Lower DC
NOT onnear TO have been tho subjects Of Independent
study by m Bentzon." but there is somo tolerably
bold criticism on Walt Whitman, and especially on
Americanisrn as represented by him
This Americanisn which 1t is sought to create by
reecng ali tne forms, traditions and rules or tne past
onpsars to US in cesraOlo IL Is not tnus 1nas
national literature il formei As one OF the mV't On
ineut poets tho New World has producei says IL ngod
for il growth and expansion the sunshine ana tle aeN
intellectual refinement; nOw In America taste mas HsS.
to make progress especially az Sew I"rs wSSrs u.
nut az iectaton. It is nevertheless at Now ioi~ INA
review the Jqnrna,,, tne Tnn fs Ss dssirabe
To fyor the growth OF orlsnaty ~ Is noe"s % T ,c .
each OF the great Hepu5c sno9 v" ~ tst ia
say, the imitation OF EuroPear lteia,FeS' Will o '0'
and more to establish itself IN letters.
Finally the conclusion Is reached that VIC ougnt TIC
IN troube ourselves overmuch about originality; tia
perhaps Mr. stcdman Is tight IN predicting an AT ieas
temporary eclipse OF poetry; That American no'cs al
acouiripg deserved fame all over the world; D1t Una
with the diffusion OF a high level OF technical SKILL III
absence OF superiority Il becoming mcre marked "n'
is 70 be the end of all these cpanses
| WIN iuspiras ON elect to dwell in America VIII sl
produce truly fruits. or Will SIZE RETAIN . "
mas t! us been, not an Initiation ou a,
> English literature The hopes oi ~. To- n,
q honudes he Is most Oh tlmst OF prophot,
n,rt we do not believe that the W"pTs".'y W a 't'o
. atrrc based upon imported language houiSnvW =.
the entiments and traditions which Delohs 10 M u
In hA
o lion can ea al tor long time originality pue al
n sinle .lcb IA IL Is generally understOod trhdps the
q Will always recognized the Ensnsh goou scnse az
. unr ,btuoss the German depth and tenderness, u
I,r,uch Spanish passion, even rs III u
American tyre properly SO called In the physcn y
|, ,.h,ch n We believe Herbert spencer VIII become ti
most pei feet In the ~orld tDahss 10 e cr"sSs ", "
- Arvan sup-rsces will be able 10 distinguish wtho
" dicnlty the physlOOyc pecuarltes derived rom III
or ,hat side 1t is, however. OF little consequence
n them who do not mako Americansm the ohlect OF
fanatic cult like that OF which tho pre- ended ctneh
the universe narrow spirited ~ bottom the tauvs
to thr iconoca nc Walt Whitman IA the hlgh priest
| Beautifnl has no country. II bas not awaited
10 evoluton of "a democracy before per'ectlhg tsel.
IL ancient Will never be suipaS co. ahu
20 serve models 10 eternity Let America suarl on
first against dangerous facility of asslnalion Scco
10 the abuse OF dialect All l. progress, and all proste
Il harmonious. The tree transpanted from across
" ocean and covered with gratis. Will lose nOthhs
Of recalling In tho soil the species To which u beloh
In pIpvied that its blossoms trlliant rs n aou
dnn and well favored. II suices To lot rels neco'
lg n all freedom. that which II ought To o. ffclnhi"
is inordnate pretensons can oniy chooA UT ""'P
"a growth.
a IDEiLTY
-, From The Boston Reeord ..... =.
At ono OF our flower shows tins winter. ns Wv" for th
81 takative ladies' were discussing thoir ro"'"'' ' "
fnulu for