New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS..
A BOOK OF VERSE.

'I poems. BY BENJAMIN v; Ball. Edited; with an
Introduction by Frederick F. Aver l2mo' pp'
4ss g. P. futnams sons.
Mr.. Aver has done literature grateful service
in editing and introducing so sympathetically and
intelligenty the poems of an American singer
whose work deserves place which his own mod
esty and retiring disposition have contributed 10
withhold from him. benjamin w Ball. brief
sketch of whose peaceful life is given here by his
appreciative editor cannot indeed he said TO have
lacked recognition. His genius was perceived ana
admired more than full generation ago, anu ms
verse has been scattered tar and wide But ne
had not published anything in book form for more
than forty years when Mr.. Aver persuaded him to
consent to the preparation Of the present edition
OF his poems, and this volume, the editor states,
does not include the half of what he has written.
Jt is the more to be regretted that he should not
have permitted himself to b. kept in evidence in
asmuch as BENJAMIN Ball is a true poet a man OF
indubitablc talent, and a remarkably faithful and
sensitive representative of the "Zetgelst.'
His verse is strongly characterized. and by traits
very individual. II has melody, fine feeling for
nature, and above all that specially modern view
point which may be termed the SCIENTIFIC aspect or
poetry. In this he reminds one Of Matthew Ar
mold, and sometimes of Tennyson. The latterS
measures are frequently recalled by the often
this poet of the Merrimack He was. as his ed
itor intimates. an Asnostic, but in offensive
or repellent sense of the term Rather as his fine
"Hellenicsr demonstrate. he carried the old Greek
spirit of disillusonment and welded it 10 that
modern scientific tendency which is impatient
of the unprovabe, and which, in charging the scope
of mems views, LAYS them open to misconception at
the hands Of the billiards.
Mr. Ball is full of versatility, and one finds
difficulty in choosing-if indeed, such choice be at
all necessary-betwecn his differing moods.
Throughout them all, however. the cearness of bis
tones is to be roted There is no ambiguity. no
dimness, in his perceptions. His thoughts are
nodded with truly classic frrnness Of outline. The
images that present themselves 10 his mind are
fully embodied. In descriptions of nature he is
often admirable and he il never excessive. The
restraint of his verse indeed. constitutes one OF
its beauties. and here again the Greek habit OF
mind is apparent Nr. Aver has shown in his IN
Cenious Introduction how many points OF analogy
there may be bet7s,en en- ancient Greek intellect
and one Of the sresent day. and Balls poetry
illustrates these points of contact quite 1uliy.
Here in short is soul which, while having DIS
20 rded many fond illusions and learned TO regard the
facts of life sobcrly yet is capable of apprecaing,
tasting, enjoying nature with full kecnness and
freshness of SAVIOR; which seems to combine in a
strange but complete harmony the naive vitality Of
the faun with the profound speculation OF the mod
ern thinker.
There is singular charm and attraction In
Balls poetry because of this union in him of ten
denotes which at first sight may seem so widely
dissimilar. Perhaps il is because OF this that
echoes reach us out OF his Verse, now Of Shelley,
now of Keats anon Of Clough and Arnold, then
again of the late Laureate But he is always
virile He never falls into that soft, languorolls
sensuous mood which is the note Of go many mod
ern poets and which makes their methods so cIoy-
ing to the healthy mird. There is thought in all
his verse and it is thought worth the thinking OF
a man. He has not lived in lotos Land, where
il is ALWAYS afternoon" He has watched the
mountain heights and masses, the swift courses OF
the streams. the pl9y of light and shade and wind
upon the woods and the fields of ripHnng gram
He has absorbed the freshness and sweetness and
purity of the outdoor worldhas nelt at the altars
where Thoreau ard Emerson worshipped.
In the Hellcncs' he is thoroughly at home
for here he is following his natural Dent. anu
many of these poems are beautiful with beauty
which has not the faint of mOdernity. But. In
deed. Mr.. Aver has done his editing so iudiciousy
that no weak verses have been admitted TO the
volume 1t is a casket of gems not all equally
valuable, but all precious in their several ways
and it is introduced eXcclently well. II was. in
deed. a work which required TO be done, and with
Judgment for American poetry could not Afford 10
lose so noble az illustration. and literature would
have been the poorer had these fine verses not
been collected and fifty presented to the world