New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-09

| little. though whenever he has touched
! il he has cvinccd true insight and full sympathy
! But his nature is one of those rare ana largely
moulded ones which seem destined to cXat the
thoughts and ennoble the deeds of people
rather than merge themselves in the DEFINITE
delights and mingled EXPRESSIONS OF the strongly
individunlizcd career The evidence OF TINS is 10
be found scattered through Whittiers reflective
poems while the cChr Of what may be called MS
dominant impulse can be caught again ana
again As he wrote of himself in the lines 10
Nv NamcsalSe"
Whatcer HIS nelghbors m ght endure
OF pain or grief HIS own became;
For all The Ills he could not cure
ITo held himself 70 bamc.-
Throughout his poetry dramatic and lyrcal
genius are seen 10 be in the service OF pare
morality and elevated ideas. There is never the
least suggestion of scnsuousness. Even his poems
Of nature are touched bv spirit which would
he austcre were it not softcned by that scrso
Of universal brotherhood that acute sympathy
with all existence as well as all humanity which
brcathcs from his verse so tenderly. my oil
his ballads are among the best we have. His
feeling for color and proportion. hi, tru' gilt
of picturesque composition. and the swing and
fiuency of his verse. render him an admirable
teller of stories in this kind. Take Hugh
Ircson's Ride or Cassandra Sou;hwick,' or
Barely of Ury" or How the w m went
from Dover" in illustration in these as in
deed all his lyrics. the suggestion and usually
the motive is fine. wholesome stimullting. II
could hardly be that n man saturated with
the spirit OF ddacticism as Whittier could k ep
from moralizng in his poetry. There are critical
authorities who look with disapproval upon this
position and some even go SO far as to assert
l. l. lol 4 . hat
were really true it would b. necessary to say
so much the worse for art" But it is not
true Matthew Arnold. whom we have already
quoted, may with profit be referred TO again
here After Observing that morals are often
treated in a morrow and false fashion by
poets and that this Objectionable fashion
sometimes drives men to take refuge in
"a poetry of revolt" against them, he points
out that after all "a poetry Of revolt
against moral ideas is poetry OF revolt
against life; a poetry OF Indifference toward
moral ideas is a poetry of indifference toward
life" That is fair test, and by it we are
willing that Whticr's artistic reputation should
be judged lie is indsputably moral poet, but
we do not think he can be charged with treating
morals in a narrow and false fashion For
what are his morals? They are those Of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, In 50 far as he differed
from the churches in far lie has returned
The nearer to that source of knowledge and IN
spiration which both profess TO accept and to
maintain the rule of conduct This too, is
one reason why Whittier's departures from what
is called orthodoxy have never lesSened his strong
hold upon the religious feeling OF the country.
His readers perceive that where he differs from
others il is in being broader, i'll manifestng larger
sympathes, in interpreting the mysteries of life
In Noipt Of viz of ohS Into al
faith. How tcnderly and compassionatey he
treats wrongdoers! How benign and compre-
hensve is the scope of bis tolerance, not for sin,
but for sinners
OF his feeling for nature and his knowledge
Of the free life of the open air, the life OF the
arm. Snow-Bo und is by common consent the
most complete and admirable example. Ii l.
indeed masterpiece; and though Whittier has
described spring and autumn and summer IN the
Countrywide New-England country, that is to say
with felicity and fulness. we do not think his
pictorial power and his sympathy with his subject
are anywhere so finely shown as in this perfect
poem.
Many Of Whitters most noble verses are 70
be found among the so-callcd Personal Poems
In his portraits of celebrated people it is needless
to sag that his own conceptions Of the subjects
have been more influential with him than hstOri-
cal facts. They strongly charged with his
ideahsm, but not the less interesting for that
The Songs of Labor exhibit the poets usual
strong genialty and closeness Of touch with tie
people. In this respect they evidence for
the business Of the claim that he is distinctivcy
American poet The religious poems show the
man clearly and perhaps as fully as is possible.
They are instinct with that catholicity OF hope,
that thoroughly pious optimism which, while too
candid to shrink from the disturbing facts of
life, yet overcomes their discouragng tendency
hy seadfast insistance upon the extent of the
problem of existence and the limitations Of the
human pcrcpience. The essence Of his religion
is trust in the goodness and love OF God; and
this inspires and invitorates all his religious
poems. This verse, therefore, is of kind to
commend itself to all who entertain beliefs rest
ing in any way upon a theory of divine ordering
of the universe. It has nothing TO do with de-
nominationa formulas or cut-and-dried theology.
1t is the simplest and at the same time the
most Christian of doctrines and it has been
already the consolation and the aid Of thousands.
We have here purposely regarded Mr.. Whit
tiers poetry from the popular rather than from
the scholars point of view, seeking TO ascertain
by what methods and manifestations the poet
has earned and won the applause and affection
Of the american people and IN what respects he
and his poetry may be regarded factors in
National development Beyond all controversy,
he is poet of whom and Of whose work every
American who loves his country and desires TO
see her advance Must be proud; for no writer Of
our time has upheld a loftier standard; has bat
tie: more faithfully and unweariedly for human
rights has illustrated and enforced the doc
trines Of a higher life more powerfully and at
tractively has used his gifts more largely |
for the furtherance Of all that is lovely and pure
and elcvating and manly and compa ssionate and
brotherly. lie had been aided IN this work by
a poetical genius which, if not of the highest or
der, is assuredly the less genius; whose
passion and fire and melody have been the soul
L. "a h. md ,..hn iLln. l.