New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
rUT POETRY or TEENYSON. By Henry Van Dyke
f2mo Up. c96. Charles Scribncrs sons.

rlE POETRY or TEENYSON By Henry Van Dyke.
12mo. up. COG. Charles ScI1bncr's sons
We hnd in Mr. Van DYKES volume Of criticism
sympathetic and clear-sighted estimate OF TcnnysoA
llvcm with the author Of good book. however we
have some points OF difference and the first of these
j. his designation Of The Princess" as a splendid
failure We cannot admit that conclusion At all
The Princess appears Us 10 be a complete ana
striking success from first TO last As u The quality
of those splendid lyrics which IL contains. ;heFe - m
room for difference Of opinion. MI Van Dyke oble'tS
that The Princess is too much Of medley bat If
is expressly described medley. and the account OF
is origin seems 10 US explain every transition from
grave TO gay which if presents. There is much better
ground for The critics condemnation OF Maud, for
even if il be assumed that the intention OF the poet
was 10 exhibit the workings of A m0rbidN eSotlsuc
mnd-to make a stady in mental pathology, III snort
the fact remains that such purpose Is nowhere
clearly indicated in the poem; and, moreover. 1t IS
unouestionably the vehicle of Chauvnism and
pessimlstic rant which, however truly reflection OF
real popular sentiment at given period is none the
more a III phase of thought for g0rhcaton by poet
With Mr.. Van Dykes position eGaluhs
the !dyns OF the King we hnd orr
selves in entire agreement. lie houS '''9
epic to be parabollc. not allegoric. and ms demon
siraton Of this proposition is a cogent pieoo ol
reasoning The element of individuality in the "ldyllS
is far too strong and persuasive for aleSory' anu
we have but to compare a true alegoly' s"'h a.
spcncer's "Faery Queen" to perceive al once 'no
breadth of the distinction. That there sh"on nave
arisen much confusion as to the meaning Vi ono
.IdvlIso is however. but natural. as Mr. Van pyhe
anpositely points out, owing 10 the suah-cp us
iointed and fragmentayy way in which the SeNeIdi
narts Of the epic were published. The iar pre-
eumution seems TO be that this popularity hu'o'cN
gradual evolution in the poets MIND ana II EhsnI 10
inferred that the synthesis did not occur 10 i" "
some wears after the earlier portions had been com
mus
bsn brought Together the several poems resy present
evdence of unity: but speculation upon the poih' Is
improbable. A.,
We are glad TO find Mr.. Van Dyke coming to the
defence OF Tenny historic trilogy the te urau"s
90 81 arolas Beckett and MARY His other
dramatic efforts may very well be surrendered 10 au
vcrse criticism They failures. whether regarded
&c reading or acting plays But his historic dramas
though perhaps unfit for eprcsontat by rea' Oh h'
authors lack of technical knowledge indepehSaole u
effective stage-pacing are aSsuredY not TO ne con
founded with such productions as The fai'Qh' anu
"The Cup lie has. as MIR. Van Dyke observes
chosen three critical junCtres in English history
and has Illustrated them with wealth OF hlstorca
detail dramatic force and vieOr of Caracterzauon
which no candid reader Of the trlosy can fan TO per
ceive and appreciate.
Mr. Van Dyke has not escaped the we'll known
tendency of critics to make comparisons and establish
paralels lie thinks that the earlier poet with whom
alone Tennysons genius Is il full accord. is Milton,
and he makes an ingenious and interesting argument III
support of his thesis We have not found this reason
ing convincing To II appears as futile TO discover
likeneSscS between Tcnnyson and Milton IN large
as to find resemblance between "Lycidas' ard In
Memoram--thouch several critics have attempted
this In McmOriam" is an ecgac poem winch Only
the nineteenth century could have produced, ana
which with "LOcbselcy Han and The Two Voices
represents more than any other OF the LaureateS
work the salient characteristics OF the age ana those
which distinguish il most sharply from preceding
periods. Mr.. Van Dykes observations upon TINS
noble poem are sound and iudciou>.