The Portland daily press., 1889-07-08
CONCERNING BOOKS.
By e. CAvAzzA.

By R. CAvAZZA.
| Poems and Ballads, BY A. G. Swinburne.
| This collection OF Mr.. Swinburne's most
recent verse displays the unrivaled affluence
OF metre and rhyme, the magnificent effects
OF full orchestra to which the poet has
accustomed his public. His technical art is,
as it always has been, perfect; and-Dut for
Mr.. Swinburre's peculiar lordship Of words
which renders it nearly impossible to predict
of him-one would be ready to say that he
had exhausted the resources of versification
Progress with him would naturally be in the
line OF more exact criterions in applying his
art to his subject, and in restraining tine flow
OF his expression. Carried away by the
might of his own song, he sometimes lets
his lyric rhapsodies follow phrase or a
| rhyme until the meaning is hindered and
| involved in an intricate music, which
| delights and intoxicates the ear while it
delays the thought. In the volume now at
hand-the third series of Mr.. Swinburne's
Poems and Ballads, 1T is pleasant to note an
| increased sense Of proportion ard fitness an
equal splendor Of song but sustained by
more exact and serious thought Scarcely
any but Only Mr.. Swinburne himself Is
sufficiently master Of the poetic keyboard to
understand how great is the self-denial of
| renouncing, for the moment, the extreme
| technical teats of versifcation which come to
him as easily as breath. The Ode to March,
| and that upon the Spanish Armada, are in
the long sweeping metres which display the
amazing effects Of rhythm and accent of
which Mr.. Swinburne creates an endless
variety. The Commonweal is strong and
eloquent tribute to the poets England, to
whom he cries:
The seas saxs own nv nesrt must needs wax proud
What birth Of earth might ever be
Thy sister? Time, wandering cloud
Is sunshine on thy sea.
In the idyll. Pan and Thalassius, Mr..
Swinburne unites novel melody with the
veritable antique Siciliau spirit. The ballad
| Of the City OF Bath is marvel of lyric ease
| in an exacting form of verse. The poems
| of children are tender anil tuneful; one who
should know Mr.. Swinburne only as the
| celebrant of strange gods and singer of the
sea. might we'll be surprised to hear him
chanting the praises of Baby-B Bird with "all
her Pickering fingers, all her twinkling toes"
| or exhorting
Baby see the start
| -BabyS hand
Opens, warm and bland
| Calm in claim of all things fair that are.
In Word with the Wind, returns the
tempestuous power Of poetry-one is certain
that in colloquy with all the four winds
together, MIR. Swinburne would have the
last word. In the Interpreter is noted an
interesting commixturc of very short lines
with the long ones; an effect akin to the
brief phrases which are the theme and
refrain OF the roundels. of which Mr..
Swinburne has lately written so many, each
OF these a lesson in song. The poem which
more completely than any other of this
work, proves the solid advance In Mr..
Swinburne's art is the grave and exalted
elegy In memory of John William Inchbold
He has chosen a simple and not unusual
measure aud. neglecting the classic dirges-
which to so exquisite Greek scholar and so
thorough an artist as he is, must have
instantly suggested themselves as models
he has written tribute, noble in thought
and language, filed with his own imagi-
nation, and yet as clear and perfect in faith
| and hope as Mr.. Whittier's verse of consola-
ton. OF the Ballads after the early English
models it may be generally observed that
they are admirable, rarely lapsing from the
antique tone, picturesque, apt In the use of
the refrain, and changing at will from grim
and tense speech to tender and not less
impressive pathos. (Worthington Company,
Broadway. New York. Portland, Loring,
Short & Harmon Price $l.5O)
Impressions Of Russia. BY DR., George
Bfandes. Translated from the Danish by
Samuel G. Eastman. For various reasons,
Russia is subject of especial interest to
other nations. Her picturesque semi-civili-
cation, her vast territory, the dramatic con-
ditions OF her politics, the strange realism of
her novelists, the immense wrongs of her
exiles. present panorama of problems.
Although the Russian is In the highest
degree receptive, flexible. initiative and de-
sirious OF the civilization of other national
tiles, he never ceases TO be Russian. His
is a character misunderstood, all the
more because he cares little for the appear
ance, and Gets his own nature to the full
extent of Its traits. Hence an analytic and
thorough study by foreigner is Of great use
10 other foreigners in regarding the prob
lens of Russia. DR.. Brandes spent three
months in that country, observing the con-
ditions of the life Of citizens and of peasants
OF every class of society and of all shades of
opinion. He calls attention to the great
size of Russia, compared by Alexander Won
Humboldt to that of the moon. In fact, the
Illuminated disk of the moon is less in extent
the Man in the Moon Gf we exclude from
the reckoning the Dark Continent upon the
other lunar hemisphere lacks $4,000 SQUARE
miles OF land to make his territory equal to
That OF the Gar. But, as DR.. Brandes Oh
serves, the whole OF Russia has less history
than square yard of the Roman Forum!
dis notes are evidently taken from things as
he saw them; and little escapes his quick
vision. The Russians appear to him remark
ably quick to adopt new ideas, whether in
theory or practice. A mechanical novelty.
brought by chance into Russian village,
will be at once copied and used. His study
OF the Nihilists Is Interesting, and leaves a
better impression of their character than is
gained from mere report of their actions.
Progressive Russians seem to understand
that the national tendencies of their country
must be opposed il it is to have future
strength and thinking men desire the defeat
of Russia for its own good. DR.. Brandes'
opinion that the press in Russia is practi-
cally non-existent, is in accordance with the
judgment of its journalists They have ink,
paper, machinery and nothing beyond.
Patriots have before them a hard dilemma
the choice between two forces-ether the
national spirit without ideals, progress In
eiViiilation, arts, parity with other European
countries; or, otherwise, liberal cosmopoli-
tanism without firm bold upon the native
character and Institutions Russia needs
reconstruction and the excellence of its
present Car gives strong reason to hope for
Its welfare. The literature of Russia has
snrSA r1y