Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-03
New Books.


si.25.
DIR. STNNs was the colossus of southern
literature. and is entitled to honorable
grade among American Men of Letters"
This work is one of that series which Is
edited by CHARLES DUDLEY WlRsEB.
Mostly self-educated and entirely self
cultured. S1MMs made his way, by his in
domitable will and unAsggine industry, to
the eminence which he justly attained.
Despite his almost too-pronounced views
on the most vexed questions of his life
time. he, by his undoubted merits, neu-
tralized the virus of EDGAR A. PoE's
scalpel criticism, as well as that Of the
North American Retire., and obtained flat
tering recognition from foreign reviewers,
translators. and publishers. He wrote so
much, so fast, and on so many subjects
that he was of course very unequal, and
at times was liable to fair overhauling.
He was sensitive, too; but he persevered.
Poetry (from the love song to the
drama), romance, history. biography,
short stories, reviews. essays. lectures,
college addresses, newspaper editorials
and communications. and voluminous cor
respondence engaged his fertile and pro-
life pen for nearly half century.
There was in his character much that
was heroic and generous. In his greatest
straits he nobly aided Others, and he was
true and steady in his friendships.
A young northern officer came to the
| house which SIMMs and his motherless chill
L.. ar
| falling of Columbia. and said: "Slr, L
have enjoyed too much pleasure from your
| works not to feel grateful. You belong to
| the Union, and | have come to see II can
| render you any service" A guard was
| soon afterwards placed over the dwelling.
Professor TRENT is vigorous and enect-
| i've writer, but he cannot be said to be IN
| hearty sympathy with his subject. Indeed.
| he seems to be defeIrlng oil the time TO
| the northern view of the great questions
| which divided the two sections or the
Union for so many years, and in discussing
| which DR.. SIMMs spent many OF the best
years of his life.
The biographer has given his readers but
| a scant glance at SrMMs's best literary
| work, and upon the whole We find his book
| Disappointing as picture OF our dead
| friend. though as literary production 1t
| is creditable enough to Professor Trent
| (of the University Of the South at Sewa-
| nee), who is a son OF the late Dr. PETER
FIELD Trent. of Richmond.
| Beo,ctaf An Anglo-Saxon epic poem.
Translated from the Heyne-Socin text.
nv JOHN LESLIE HALL, professor OF Eng
lish and History in the College Of Will
liam and Mary. ID. c. HEATH q Co., Bos-
ton, publishers.
| For sale in Richmond by j. w. RAN
DoLPH d Co. and WEST. JOHNSTON q 20.
| Price 81. -,
| Virginia is especially identified with the
| study of our oldest literature. MIR. JET
PERSON required Anglo-Saxon to be taught
| in his university, and Virginia college
| was the first in the South TO put it into the
| curriculum of required subjects. The
| fruit OF this is seen IN the work virginia
| scholars have done on our Oldest epic.
Beowulf. Professors JAMES A. HARRISON
| and ROBERT SHARP edited the poem for
(ir,S Il Co. 3 Library of Anglo-Ssxon Po-
| etry.n Professor JAMES III. GARsETr gave
| US the first line for line translation OF 1t
| the only one, as Professor HALL truly says.
| that gives an idea of the chief characters
| tics Of the original. And now. We have
| the pleasure of calling attention to Pro-
| lessor HALI's version, which IS an attempt
| TO give In modern measures an pioximate
reproduction Of our oldest heroic poem.
| This was most difficult task, and yet We
pronounce 1t O distinct success. 1t Is
| faithful, scholarly, artistic. The Anglo
| Saxon specialist may prefer Professor
| GARsErrs version to recall the original !;
but the lay reader will. We think, ind
| Professor HALLs the best for his purposes.
| He will feel drawn ON to read the poem to
| the end. We have submitted this transla-
| ton to such test; we have put it into the
hands of a person of cultivated tastes and
have found that It had power to hold at
l snk q af M
well told.
Professor HALL's verses "read them
selves" and yet preserve many of the
| characteristic effects of the original
measure. He retains ALTERATION to large
extent, keeps the four accents OF Beowulf's
verse, and allows - many unaceented syl-
tables as is consistent with modern poetic
cadence. Take a. examples such lines as
| these:
aThsre was music and msrriment mipslins to-
| eether,"
and
"Ths ioamy-nechsd noassr famed BY the
Let the reader test the qualities Of this
verse by reading the spirited account of
Beowulfs arrival 1t Dsne-land [Fitts iv.
and vi; the fine scene whore Queen
wealhtheow, 1.-THE hieh-born woman"
"ths gold-adorned,n mindful of courte-
sies,n goes through the hall presenting
beakers to the warriors and to the hero,
Beowulf, who has come to rescue her hus-
bands land IFitt xl; or the last sceno 10
the hero's life, where. viewing the jewels
taken from the dragon thst had given him
his doath-wound, Beowuif exclaims:
s4Thsrks do utter for al 70 the Rulsr
The Lerd everlasting. Inst he iss me saca tres
Gain iss ' ~ ssss's ~ ass:a ey.r.ssE ma. ,
ss &. sss .. ,:sS s:: !: ss y 3: