Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-24
DRIFT.

JusT In time ior most appropriate Easter
gin comes one OF the dantiest and richest
look ing books lately issued from the River
side Press, the little collection Of Whittier g
latest poems entitled "SaiDt Gregory's
Guest aud Recent Poems" II IL delicately
proportioued volume, beautifully printed on
exquisite hand made paper, aud bound in vel
lunl, on whose ivory hite surface the antique
gilt lettering aud quaint illuminated border oi
the sids-titie have peculiarly rich and ele-
giant effect Aud on the whole the contents
Of the sixty.six beautiful pages are well
worthy oi 80 artistic dress. Like all Of tho
bravo old quaker. poets work, however,
their quality IL unequal. When read some
OF the Recent Poems feel that his well high
iour-score years arc telling on him, obscur-
ing his sight, dulling his fine sense OF sound
and uDsteadying the hand that wields his
pen. But then again | come across sweet
pieces like How tho Robin Came" " Sweet
Fern" 4" The ReunioD," The Two Loves
aud some others besides the one from which
the volume takes its tile, aud am forced to
reverse my Judgment
WHITTIER never wrote an uything stronger
and more peacefully clear than 4" ADJUST
ment," which first appeared in tho trdorer
ReU,cW, or than tbe three " Hymns OF the
Brahmo Somai." His tribute to the mem
ory OF Pennsy lvania's great thinker, Elisha
Muliord, IL fine, equal To the very best the
poet ever wrote even in his best days.
know OF nothing moro appropriate To the
subject, more worthy oi the author Of " The
Nation " aud "1be Republic Of God than
this nobly simple tribute, brief as II is
nnotcd ta the setting ot u star
ilo passed aud sect aud party scarcely knew
when from their midst sage aud seer with
drew
To litter audience, where the great dead arc
In Gods republic OF he hear, aud mind
Leaving no puror. nohler soul behind
THERE il neither the streugth nor the sim
plicity of the preceding the two most char
acteristic qualities OF Winters verse-in
the poem on another page, entitled
AS EAsTER FLOWER GIFr.
90 dearest bloom the season. know.
Flowers OF the Resurrection blow,
our hope and faith rostoteI
Aud through the bittnrneys OF death
Aud loss aud sorrow breathe breath
OF life futevcrmofc
"Thc thought OF Love Immortal blends
with fond remembrance OF itirnd4s :
In you, q snCrsd flower,
BY human love made douhly sweet,
The heavenly and the earthly meet;
The heart OF Christ and ours =
There Is something weak, iaf-ietCbed, un-
spontaneous about this, ~ characteristic Of
this poet III his unlnspltod moods AS Is the
stsnla on Muliord characteristic Of his best
aud most truly inspired. 1t cannot com
pare for natural sweetness, for instance,
with these charming lines Oi a young poet OF
comparatively little renpwn writing IN South
Carolina, Miss Lille T.. Barr, daughter OF
Mrs. Amelia T.. Barr, the author Of "Jan
Nedder's WIFE" which had quite run last
fall. Miss Barr's poem Is entitled
EASTER.
"ihaye no trankiuCense, no myrrh,
| have no spice, no oil
hut here are snowy Roses, Christ,
without a stain or soil.
o, faircst Lord, for Thy dear sake,
My Roses takcl
81 have no silver and no gem,
No virgin gold Tor Thee;
But here ARE Lilies white as light
Ana sweet with purity.
q. Itirc-t Lord, for Thy deaf sake,
My Lilies take -,