The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-12

sweetest. most affectionate and idyllic of ro-
mances, the story of Maria. A perfect def
nition OF it is that of Senior Guillermo Prieto:
a reliquary of pure sentiment" The events
are simple as they are profoundly touching,
as they are universal. The action takes
place In the home of South American FAM
lily, with its life of gentle courtesy and do
nestle tranquility, surrounded by the village
folk, with their patrarchal customs. Moth
ing can exceed the delicate simplicity and
pathetic grace of the story, or the admirable
unity OF its construction, with-to cite the
phrase of Mr.. Janvier-
"The solemn undertone of resistless fatality
that allies It with certain of the Greek tragedies
The sunny landscape in which the action Is car
RED on Is made the brighter by contrast with
most somDre background-and this background,
by mastery use OF cumulative effect, grows
constantly more distinct and drearier as the fore
ground fades away and is lost"
Yet the purity. the truthfulness, the beauty
of the sad little romance leaves the reader
half consoled, and with no disturbed or bit
ter memory CT It's tragic course. New York:
Harper & Brothers; Portland: Loring. Short
e. Harmony
The North Shore Watch. BY George Ed
ward Woodbury. This volume of poems
Immediately places Mr.. Wosdberry among
the foremost American poets. A first publ
cation, it permits criticism to welcome gen.
uine and well-disciplined writer of verse
The elegy, which gives the book its title, has
been for some years known to the admira-
tion of few; and may be ranked among the
limited number Of modern successes in that
difficult department of poetry. 1t is based
upon the classic models of Bion and Moschus,
the poet, calling upon Nature to mourn with
him the loss of the friend whose companion
ship had gladdened for him the hills or the
singing shore. The solemn perspective of
| the first verse could not have been more i'm
| pressively touched:
| "First dead of all my dead that are to be-"
In poetry not. less veracious because imag-
NATIVE, the cold North Shore of Massachu-
sets is TRANSPORTED with a light such as
shone upon antique Sicily; and these glow
ing sea-glimpses end with pathetic out
| burst
Once. once knew thy sweetness. o salt sea!
Ireaped along thy burrows bearded grain;
Thy graves, that never drink the sun or rain,
Gave nectarous fruit to me;
And al thy herbless pastures yielded wine:
i
clasped mine!
The landscape is also carefully painted.
| with its ''violets preluding the May" and its
rose flushed white laurel flowers; It's OZARK
| pines whose heart is like the sea's;" sits
sbriveled fields and ruined woods" The
ode rises by finely sustained movement
through passages of poetic meditation, Of
noble confidence, to the calm that presages
sunrise upon the sea, and the immortal day
light through which
1.-The sphered stars move,
Singing unseen, like silent thoughts through 81
lent love-" b,
A nobler elegy, more human. more sane
more filled with the spirit Of poetry and o.
enlightened faith. will not soon be written:
Agathon is an allegorieal poem in dramati,
form, containing much fine thought an(
beautiful expression. Excellent Of its kind
it remains impersonal and without the stroni
appeal to the readers sentiment that come
from the natural sorrow and speculation o
the North Shore Watch. The ode, M,
Country, is full-voiced and vigorous; tn,
patriotism in the first two of the group o
Sonnets is frank and warm-hearted. TIT
Gibraltar sonnets are fine. The Siena Vol
untaries have winning music. A story O.
the time of the reconstruction of Italy il
POLITICALLY told in Victor's Bird. The reso
nant verse which describes the Sicilian cit!
of Taormina is marvellous alike in outline
color and atmosphere; the ensueing lyric i
in strong contrast of chilly Northern CLAM
our, but is dissonant in its striving afte
strange chords; the closing poem Of thu
group returns to the poets accustomed
healthfulness of thought, with strong ant
terse expression. Boston: Houghton, Milf
fin & Co.; Portland: Loring, Short & Har
mon. Price $1.25.