New-York tribune., 1888-08-29

| moments and some Of his longer pieces, ns
| for example. The Punishment OF LolSe' possess
! more than averagr merit Even his most con-
spicuous defects. moreover dc not hide q refresh
ing originality which at intervals breaks through
the restraints put upon H. Repose and concen-
tration with economy Of mere words would great
" improve the compositions OF this poet and
he has fire enough TO safer such a discipline
without injury.
Miss Manville's muse is dramatic and lyrical
In Over the Divide. and Other Poems the verses
which fall into these categories constitute the best
OF her work Some Of the poems she states were
written in her teens and they certainly bear
the marks OF a callow youth 1t is pity that
the tenderness which poets feel for even the weak
est of their offspring should generally blind
them 70 the unwisdom Of paradng these failures
and seeking permanence for them.
We recognize in James B. Kenyon's little volume.
s. In Realms Of Cold decided gift His classical
fancies are often delightful He has delicate
descriptive talent. and fastidious taste. and
a command 81 telicitous expression which is not
an Offset 10 languid creative power. The stand
ard Of his is distinctly high. and the play OF
his imagination full Of grace and charm There
is no ambitious poem in this collection. but neither
are there any unworthy ones. Every line bears
evidence Of care and Judgment and there are few
Of these pleasant little poems which the sympa-
thetc reader will Lot be inclined TO peruse q SEQ
ond time.
Stuart Stnrne's "Bevond the Shadow. and Other
Poems is abreast Of the best minor poetry OF the
day. The pervading tone is far more grave than
usual The title-poem is an almost solemn at
tempt TO prefgur the life behind the veil and 10
discover there the compensation denied on this
side. The shorter poems Of the volume are less
didactic and sombre. though never exactly light.
Mr. SterneS technical skill is sufficient. and he is
to be numbered among the snail class Of modern
verse e-makers who think to purpose and lnow how
10 clothe then thought in nervous but not ford
bnguage.
Andiatorocte. and Other Poems is, are COM
pelled TO say. much more religious than poetical.
His earnestness. his mysticism. and his meta
nhysics are each and all unim peachable. but the
divine gift of poesy has been withheld from him.
snd those who read these his versifed compost
tons must do so for the value Of the matter en-
bodied in them. and not from any hope Of the
pleasure deIivable from a concourse OF sweet
sounds. There are indeed some bits Of scenic de-
scription in "Andiatorocte" which rise above the
context in merit. but the reverend authors mental
machinery is probably better fitted TO grasp the
dialectcs Of the Angelic Doctor than the natural
beauties Of Lake George.
Harry Lyman Koopman might have had more
original idea than th0t Of writing a new version
Of Orestes and he might have known better than
TO suppose himself cIpable Of competing with the
versions already extant OF his experiment not
much need be said. Tie motive alone viii carry
of commonplace verse, and his verse is not more
than this The shorter poems with the exception
Of those Labelled humorous are Of some ntrit
but the humorous ones in some instances coarse
and in all instances dull.
Poems. Dramatic and Lyric is the title OF
volume By Mrs Constance Fauntleroy Runcie.
Some of the dramatic poems are vigorous and
picturesque, though the subjects chosen. il what
clergymans wife might naturally prefer are
not always of q character 10 commend Nhem 10
the average reader. or the ballad pieces. some
are marked by simplicity which reminds one OF
Wordsworth in his Peter Bel moods.