Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1893-02-23
WITH PEN AND xK.


HO1sDscns HiInin II 70. nave lss1S1
eofnpanioz-piecs 70 the pretty green silk
volume q LJSell's --latest Essays," re-
viewed sorne months ago ia this column
the new volume, bound IN red silk Bat
othsrrise uniform with it, IL entitled,
The Old Engiish Drznzsisss." II il
composed q Elk lectures originally de-
5yered At the Lowell institute, BostoD,
10 the spring Of 1881, and which have re-
Gently appeared in HzTpes's Magazine.
In a rose preaxed 70 the volume LoreII's
literary executor, Charles EIios norton,
szys that the lectures we're written
rapidly, and in their delivery much was
szid ezsernporzneousIy Of which there 10
81 course no record. After careful read
ing 81 the volume, one heartily concurs
with Mr. sorton's opinion that although
tie lectures were never revised by Mr.
Lowell for publication, they contain too
much admirable criticism to be spared By
the public. To ray that they are rot 70
good az Lowell could have made them IL,
after all, dampiny with faint blame.
The lecture upon Chapman IL in
L,welPs bappiest vein, aud brims with
his distinctive quality. There IL in 70 a
ningling u boyish yusto, hear-free and
joyous. tempered with the scholars
analytic keenness, the keenness that in
Lowell seemed a sort d beatifcd Yankee
shrevdnesS, piercing ~ the heart Of
things with swiftne.s that shocks with
the delight Of witticism.a
There can be no doubt that Lowell yas
an dolent man, that most Of his best
work was undertaken with reluctance I:
He writes 81 course u Elk lectures an
Though IL were an bercnlean task from
which he sbrunk with physical repu2-
nance. He enjoyed browsing about IN
his library, taking taste here and an
other there, and dwelling. an idle people
will, upon the work that has been accom-
plished rather than that which lies
ahead. Bot in him the virtue Of bis de-
feet is 10 admirably developed that one
can hardly wish him 10 have been az
ploddingly industrious as Pope, Or az
careful Of his reputation as Gray. For
when Lowell arouses himself his thoughts
round out into SENTENCES that kindle and
glow, frightening with every breath I'M.
Ill his subject 10 quick with the impetu-
Gus life of his own enthusiasm. There 10
in even his most finished work certain
air u impromptu, the freshness Of his
fancy still sparkles upon the page, the
spontaneous thriitIessness with which he
scatters good things IL that Of brilliant
talker who finds his inspiration In the
sound Of his own voice. This filing out
Of the idea before our very eyes, gives us
= delightful sense Of participation and
we enter into the matter az though we
had asked the question that brought forth
the witty response. Lowell's effects are
never studied Or theatrical, one cannot
imagine him outstanding his good ideas
and sctting and resetting them 30 that
they may catch the most favorable light.
He said what came into his mind az he
wrote, With happy confidence that there
were just AZ good feb in the YEA az ever
were caught, and experience in his case
justified this conviction. What con-
trast is his method Of hewing thought
out Of the block TO Pope's secret, tireless,
jealous industry. The chips fly gaiIy
from about the form which Lowell sees
within the marble, his pleasures kindle
with the work into sort Of naive delight
in his own strength and subtlety. But
Pope works secretly at night with muffled
toJls that we may not Lnow the toll it
cost him; then, when the finished form
il Get in the fairest light, the veil is
thrown back that the polished marble Of
perfection may dazzle our eyes. But the
difference, the contrast, lay back Of the
artist in the hearts OF the men; one
looked out upon friendly world with
genial eyes; the other, greedy for praise,
intrigued for fame.
1t is strange that man concerned as
Lowell was all his days with literature
should never have let himself grow more
in love with the torn than the substance
OF things. He recognized the Importance
Of beauty Of form, az no man OF scholarly
taste can fail TO recognize it; but sense
was always infinitely more TO him than
sound, and in these criticisms Of the old
dramatists it il easy TO see that he
most att acted TO men OF the robust and
virile type, TO which he himself belonged,
than 10 those who we're exquisites In the
matter Of language. He finds more ex-
cuses for byperbolc and bombast than
for effeminacy. Of Chapman's style he
says: There is quality Of northwest
ern wind in II, which, II sometimes too
blusterous, 10 yet taken into the lungs
with an exhilerating expansion. Hyper
bole Ii oyershooting the mark. No doubt
Chapman sometimes did this, but this
excess 10 less depressing than it's opposite
and at least proves yigor in the bowman.
His bow was like that Of Ulysses, which
none could bend but he, and even when
the arrow went astray, 1t sings as It flies"
And again OF his translation OF Homer
Lowell says; "Chapman's poem makes
us feel AZ II Homer late in life had mar
ried an English vile, and we were in
vited to celebrate the coming Of age Of
their only son. The boy, as our country
people say, and az Chapman would have