New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
WITH THE SINGERS.
SOME RECENT POETRY.

PIP. els. Boston; Roberts Brothers.
DREAMS AND DAYS. BY George Parsons Lathrop
FLOWER OF THE VINE. by william Sharp. With
INTRODUCTION by Thomas 4. Janvier. l-mo' PIP
TILE SONG OF TIE SWORD, and other verses. by
sons.
TIE WINGS OF ICARUS. By Susan Mari spadlns
sm. ito. PIP. Ill. Boston Roberts brothers.
Mr. Arlo Bates has written volume OF Oriental
tales in and several OF them Of decide; fore.
and beauty. II there is failure anywhere 1t IS not
certainly either in melody or ia dramatic energy.
As stories the poems are nearly fautess. But al
Oriental tale should be inspired by the spirit OF the
East, and Mr.. Bates has. think, pu, too much
modernity and too much OF the Western philosophy
into his work. 1t could perhaps hardly " otherwise
and by the majority 1t may not be noticed. But the
quality Of mercy which the poet endOws so many OF
bis Eastern rulers with uttlc known among the
Orientals Themselves, nor magnanmlty Of
their salient virtues. Nevertheless these tales are
excellent In their way, and cannot fail TO please.
Mr.. Lathrops volume OF verse is % varied and wide
OF scope that he must indeed be fastidlou> who
can not find some congcnal verse In 1t. 1t Is un-
necessary TO speak at any length Of tina poets char
acterstics. Ills easy melody graceful fancy and
felctous vocabulary too well known. lie be
tender and he can BE- vrie. His capabilities are
great within a wclldefned pale. His work. indeed,
Is 50 evenly as thdt one Is apt wonder
why he does not manifest more ambition. Thus one
remembers that few ambitious poets in these de
generate days compass anything gratifying than
oblivion Still there Is in Mr. Lathrops poetry GER
tain avoidance Of deep is>ues. All that Is graceful
and charming and lyrical he gives freely. but when
the question Is Of those gGaver topics which move
the minds OF men he is 10 seek What he under axes
he does well. We only regret that he does not under
take more seriously.
Mr.. Janvler has written a quite enthusiastic intro
ductiOn to tho poems OF the young Scotchman william
sharp. This PREDATORY eulogy is hardly calculated to
help the volume, for the iudcous reader will decline
upon the verse Itself with a feeling Of dlsapIrolnt-
mcnt. The volume contains Romantic Ballads, y
Poems Of Phantasy' and "sospn di Roma The
romantic ballads open with The Weird OF Michael
Scott" exceedingly nighm areish poem, yet which
somehow leaves the reader perfectly cold and fails
to call up the least adumbIation Of the supernatural.
Some Of the other ballads less mechanical, but
none Of them are mature The same must DO aid
Of the italian verse, all OF which Is
unrhymed and much Of which has curously
icless and artificial aspect. The truth IS that Mr..
Janvier has Numbered too loud in his preface. A
quleter and less assuming Introduction would have
left the public free 10 form rational and candid
judgment. Mr.. Sharp may go far. doubt, but the
earnest here gwen does not promise the greatest
Az him V M "ocd 40 roci, A. H w." ~ "Su az
OF merit In advance Of performance
No one can deny to Mr.. Ilenley's the quality
OF originality. Whether all his verse is entitled %
be called poetry, Is perhaps another question. There
Is nothing soft about his tendencies. lie deals with
deep problems. and in an almost 1crceN energetic
manner. The Song OF the sword which OPENS this
collection Is savage in tone and uttcrancc though
at times majestic. London Vountarlcs7 deal with
various moods and aspects Of Tho great city with Il
marked predSposition TO the goomiest ones. The
morality Is sound, the language IS graphic but pur-
posefully rough and sharp, and the philosophy Is
often, IL not always. pesslmistlc. But through all
penetrateS the force OF strong and IA deep thinker.
Of earnest soul struggling for light:
any one fall Into the error VI Imagining that this
man makes verses for pastlme. sets the rhyme
is genuine stuff an Ny. licnley's poems.
susan Mnrr spaldng's poems are thrown for the
most part, into sonnet form, and 1t is form we'll
nda pied TO them. She has a true ear for rhythm a
flexible and delicate fancy. and the thought, which
come 10 her Ind ample room and verge enough for
symmetrical presentation IN the form Of verslhcatlOn
whose adapta liability Is such that il lends Itself alike
10 the deepest thoughts Of the greatest genius and "
the modest essays OF the least experimental verse
maker. This author j. not, however. a mere smat-
terer. In mechanism her verse is nearly perfect
and she falls into bathos. refined cult.
waited mind II apparent IN all her work. and
times she exhibits a strength and n felicity above
mediocrlty Her chief qualities. however grace,
nghness and genuine poetic feeling and she expresses
many emotions with fidelity and realizing senss Of
their nature and significance.