New-York tribune., 1888-08-29
MINOR POETRY.
ALL STYLES AND QUALITIES.

1NOGEN OSlNkl. loulo. hoStoNr
Co.
POEMS By IRWIN RUSSELL lsuo PIP los'
The Century Co.
THE I'M OF REST Later Poems BY MAY kii-Ei
SMITH So Iomo A D. T. Iardoips 4 70
A STORY OF THE SANDS, and Other Poems; ns
DR. T. l. NACoMB BRISTOL " Inc f'O"e' i''''
Isno, PIP. lo4 Bsentanos-
BEFo' DE WAR. Echoes IN Nesro no, es enW p,cv
A. c. GORDON and THOMAS NELeoN F""A
1er,o nm 1871 Charles Scribrer's sons-
A LITTLE BROTHER or THE RICH. and other
pe-rs Rr r. s MARTIN l6no. PIP. "a
Mitchell Miller.
MES AMoCRs Poems: Passionsse snq , r,sy,ui c,.pS %
SELMA DOI-ARo Square, l.mo' behonu, N's'A
Co
suy,r OF SONG. By BENJAMIN F. LEGGEr1.
1cmo, pp, l54. John B. Alden
SONGS AND BALLADS By FANNY RAfMoND
BITTER iemo PIP. 1cs. F. W. Christern-
LIFE AND LOVE Poems by ROBERT BURN
WILSON. 16mo. pp- c6S Casscu Co.
BLOOMS OF THE BERRY. By MADISON J. GAwElS.
1orno. Do COZ. Louisville John p Morton Co.
OYER THE DIVIDE ard Other Verses. By MARION
MANvILLE l6mo, pp. 100. Philsdelphia: J. B.
Lippinco;t Co.
IN REALMS OF GOLD By JAMES B. kENioN'
Iemo, PIP. 40. Csssell Co.
BEYOND THE SHADOW. and Other Poems BY
STUART sTERNE Ismo, pp. l4'. houSn'on'
Min & Co.
ANDiAToROcTE, or the Eve Of Lady Day on & LAa
George, and other Poems. Hymns and Medts,ions
in Verse By the Rev. CLARENCE A "AL"ohih-
svo, pp. IA G. p. Pnnans Sons
oREsTEs. Dramatic sketch. and Other Poems By
HARRY LYMAN KooPMAN. l6mo, PIP 1872
Buffalo: Moul.on wenborne & Co.
POEMS, Dramatic and Lyrc. BY CoNsIANCh p
FAUNTLEROY RUNCIE l6mo. pp. sS- 6. r.
Putnam's sons.
Miss Louise Imogen Quincy has strong vein OF
genuine poetry in her nature and an ear 'or mel
.,.r hn-
White Sail and Other Poems shows distinct
DEVELOPMENT in the direction OF lyrics The LEGENDS
in this volume are marked by vivid fancy. mas
,erv Of metrjcal mechanism and musical harmony.
The sonn,ts are if somewhat more ambitious Hss
successful some Of them exhibiting difficulty
of expression as regards recondite ideas almost
approaching unintelhgibihty.
The poems Of Irwin Russell are few in number,
being the first fruits Of young life cut short TOO
early. but they justify the encomium Of Nh. joel
Chandler Harris who prefaces them with an ap-
prciative notice of the poet Irwin Russell was
perhsps the first 10 perceive the picturesque value
OF the negro and his dialect, and he demonstrated
il in series Of dialect poems which for subtleness
swing and humor have not been surpassed Rus
sell is never vulgar or coarse, but be revels in
the genuine fun OF the negro character and his
verses 90 with rollick,ng rhythm which is very
enjoyable.
Nav Riley Smith has published The Inn OF
Best and other poems. They are thoughtful and
fo- the most part Of tender Christian philosophy
the ve-<ifcation being harmonious and graceful
wiki the contained thought seldom rises above
commonplace 1t is conventional verse of fairly
good order, well suited to please such as ask
from poetry little more than the decorous graft
fcsuoa of mild taste for sweet numbers
a story Of the Sands. and Other Poems by DR..
L L. Macomb Bristol, who styles himself on the
,itle-page The Flower Poet is rather odd
volume. The author appears to imagine that he
has q mission, and that il is TO make verses about
flowers. but he unfortunately has what
e-er, knows nothing Of the mechanism Of his art,
al is led by too fervent imagination 10 con-
srire situations not fitted for poetical illustra-
-IF- A Story OF the Sands is example of
1,s - 5is-rE-ihios characteristics being fever
M ss-uEsr- s-d rank nsughtiness. As more
c-tr ste s-c-T e ,sally but nanged prose and not
Toe-rT II II /, a1T tue sense, there is the less
grove i,. so-t0rius its indecorum. For the
shorte. -,-,ss Z - volume it can only be said
that they Ez7 sadly, and that the ideas con-
vcyed are ;t-a ss the versifcaton is clumsy.
In Beso' 3s War A. c. Gordon and Thomas
Nelson Psrt l.s~s followed in the footsteps OF
poor rr1r lusssll to whose memory they dedi-
Gated ils1, 1lrle volume. 1t is a collection Of
negro cFSjr,i ssrses, grave, some gay and
all re5ula-i n Southern ways ard scenery and old
customs az tie quaint philosophy of the quar-
ters.- T1s-@ IS a gentle and moving pathos in
several q the poems. and strong dramatic ele-
ment Darks them
4 Little Brother OF the Rich. and Other
Poems BIZ Z. S. Martin exhibit marked talent
- nal
most instances up to the hish-water mark Of So |
ciety rhymes the title poem being particularly
good while a Ballade of the General Term does |
loes not fall far behind it. There is always /,
room FOR bright verses of this type
II it was the custom for ladies to treat their |
admirers as Selma Dolaro does hers in Mes |
Amours.' it is possible that women would find !
II necessary TO produce certificates Of mental in
competency before the man Of the period would /
pay his addresses to them. For this surprising |
poetess has committed the high treason of print |
ing the verses written to her eyebrows let ceteral
by various impassioned adorers, aud has coupled |
them with the most sarcastic comments and an
swered them with sceptical and crushing counter
poems. Her only mercy consists in omitting the
nsnes Of the victims The caprice OF the lady
is amusing at first but little of such fooling goes
a long way, and moreover there is not much wit
In II. and somewhat more than enough Of boldness
Mr.. B. F. Lcggett's Sheaf Of Song embraces
a great number of verses not worth printing
and few which By a slight stretch of critical
Judgment may be deemed good enough 10 pre-
serve. Like so many who rush TO press with
anything in the shape Of poetry. this writer has
not taken the trouble to learn the rudiments Of
He knows nothing of scansion
or metre or harmony. He perpetrates lines which
halt horribly, without suspecting any defect
in them This is among the objectionable sins
Nobody is under any obligation TO publish
verse, but everybody who publishes verse is under
obligation to see that il is composed in obedience
At least TO the mechanical rules Of the art
Fanny Raymond-Ritter writes easy and melodi-
Gus verse and especially in her musical sonnets