New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-25
GEORGE MERED1THS POETRY.
A DIFFICULT AND OBSCURE WRITER


a READING OF EARTH By George Mefeu''"
lemo, pp 1856. Macmillan q So'
Mr. Merediths new volume OF verse ihoc''@s
growth in the defects which have most veAeu ms
friends heretofore. Some critic once character
lied Mr.. notwithstanding OF his iicuon alone
as a prose Browning, There is surface re-
eonblarce between the poet ard the Eoyelist that
is IN say. that both sometimes obscure or
dif6cult. But all the difficulty and obscurity OF
Mr. Merediths prose is multiplied o hundred-fold
in his poetry, and, curiously enough there is
frequently more of the spirit OF poetry IN his
novels than in his verse. When he began h's
literary career, he wrote verses which were lree
from what has since grown to look IKE an AZ
fectation Of Browningisrn. This latest collection'
indeed exhibits the poets worst tendencies III
their most expansive form. There is scarcely
poem in A Reading of Earth which is not IN
jured by this harsh and repulsive graceiessness
OF manner Browning at his worse never perpe,
trated such continuous violations Of harmony, ana
certainly he never so wrapped his meaning in
shorthand symbolisms winch Suggest notnNs "a'o
provoke only irritation.
Ar Meredith differs from Browning, more
over in this vital respect: that when his meaning
is at last discerned il too often proves 10 DC one
of shallow depth and timid consequence Ills
uolts upon nature do not strike one as in any
snecial sense new or impressive; his figures are
commonly awkward and infecitous; his phlios-
only is involved, discursive, ambiguous ana IAN
tastic; and his notions Of rhythm are posluVey
depressing There is no doubt an unmistakaoie
SAVIOR of high culture about his verse out 'ns
general effect is of a scholar masquerading, ana
not easily and naturally. Expression has always
been difficult to this author, and out OF TINS
dificultv of expression has grown the mannersm
which must always prevent his writings, wnether
sprose or verse from being popular But Whlic
his novels have continued to repay more care'ui
studv than the average reader cares TO Des'o"
unon felton, his poetry has gone from bad 10
worse until now it is little better than O snock-
ing example, The Appeasement OF Demeuer
in the present volume approaches most nearly "
simplicity and intellgibiIity. 1t reminds one
here and there of Bulwers Lost Tales oil MI
ietusn though almost entirely wanting IN drana.'c
mower and defective also in lucldty. vi cle
lonoer: poem in the collection, Faith on Irlal
~ can only be said that the thought is DIM, the
EXPRESSION painfully involved, and the measure
"a mechanical aggrayatlon. Inc underlying
thought is beautiful and noble, but it is disguised,
concealed, impoverished, by its vehicle
Hard Weather is the title Of poem which
is in some respects less difficult than Is usuai
with Mr. Meredith. The poet pictures herceIy
stormy day. and from the idea OF the contention
with her elemental forces to which Nature sub
Look in the face of men who fare
Lock moutfed. match IN lungs anu tne"s
For this fierce angel Of the air.
To twist with him and take his brulSe
This is the face beloved vi old
OF Earth young mother of her brood;
Nor broken for US shows the mould
When muscle is in mind renewed;
Though farther from her nature rude
Yet nearer to her spirits hold;
And though of gentler mood serene.
Still forceful of her fcuptain-let.
So shall her blows be shrewdly met
BE UNANIMOUSLY read the scene
Where Life is at her gr1ndstone set
That she may give us edging keen,
String us for battle, till as play i
The common strokes OF fortune shower.
Such meaning in dagger-day
Our wkS may clasp TO wax in power.
Yea feel us warmer at her breast
By spin Of blood in lusty drill
Than when her honeyed hands caresseds
And Measure. sapping, seemed to NIL
Here the thought, though not exactly on the
surface appears clearly enough il one reads with
attention. But, even here in one OF the most
lucid of the poets forthputtings. conscious Ell
fort is required to grasp the meaning, and when this
effort has been made the reward is not bountiful
The conception that nature trains, dlsclphnes
hardens as, by exposure to and bnhehngs by her
cold and storm and piercing wind, rs after all not
profound. for it involves personlhcauon-perhaps
we should say an anthropomorphization- Nature.
which in the end, only substitute for phi
losophy iugge with words. We have, there
FORE a by no means deep thought by no means
Gracefully happily expressed and this is one Of
the most open of Mr.. Meredith's passages. lt
would be too much to say that he has not written
good poetry: but it is not too much TO say that
present; and that he has always lacked melody,
frace and iucidity while his dramatic force is Of