The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-02

In so far as the possession of true DO.
etc genius, a natural gift of song, is
concerned, there is undoubtedly no man
In England to day SO we'll fitted to sue
coed the late Lord Tennyson in the hon.
orable Office of Poet Laureate as Alger
non Char 'es Swinburne, 1t is quite
probable that he would have had the
appointment to the vacant place had not
the appointing power realized that the
elevation of Swinburne to such repre-
sentative position in the English world
OF letters would have deeply offended
the moral seLse of large portion of the
English public. 1t is extremely unfor.
tunate for more reasons than one that
Mr.. Swinburne should ever have given
occasion for the existence of the feeling
70 which allusion is thus made. It is
u2fortunate because it involves large
measure OF injustice toward one who
has enriched English literature by some
OF the rarest and most exquisite speci-
mems of literary art work ever given to
the world. Up to 1886, when his "Po-
ems and Ballads" appeared, Swinburnes
literary career has been one of remark
able and almost unparalleled success.
His "Ataisnta in Calydon," published in
1864, placed him at once in the front
rank of the poets Of the day. The poem
"Chastelard," which appeared in the en-
suing year, served to confirm the pop
ular verdict. 1t was felt that new and
wonderful master of the art of versifica-
ton had appeared. He reminded men
of Keats, Shelley and Lander, possessing
some of the qualities of each Of these,
though not follower nor imitator of any.
He was astonishingly original. A we'll
known critic writing of Swinburne at
this time says that ia his hands English
verse became "like the violin of Pagan
ini." The range of his fantasies, roulades.
arias, new effects of measure and sound,
were Incompatible with anything hith.
erto known. The freedom and richness
of his diction, his apparently measure
steal flow of words, were without prece-
dent. He seemed to have an intuitive
knowledge of all the hidden springs of
melody. He revealed possibilities in the
use of the English tongue for the ex
preston of poetic thought and senti-
ment hitherto unsupported and IN
known. His "Atalanta" was pronounced
the finest English reproduction of the
Greek ever written, verdict which has
never been reversed. 1t was not only
true to the antique in conception and
| spirit, but in all the technicalites. The
| opening invocation of the Chief Hunts
man, character in this drama, may be
| quoted as a specimen of Swinburne's
lyric power:
"When the hounds of Spring are on Winters
| traces.
The mother of months in meadow or plain
Fills the shadows and windy places
With lisp of leaves and ripple of rain,
And the brown nightingale amorous
| Is half-assuaged for Itylus.
| For the Thracian ships and the foreign faces,
The tongueess vigil and all the pain"
1t is a thousand pities that man
capable of such rare and marvellous
work, an artist of such consummate skill.
such a master of song, should ever have
shut himself out from the interests and
sympathies of large portion of the
English speaking public. This Swim
burne did when he came out with his
poems and Ballads" in 1886. The
writer and the book are associated in
the common mind with Whitman and
his Leaves of Grass and whether the
association and the impression it con.
veys are just or not, the fact of their ex
istence cannot be denied or overcome.
The offenses have not been repeated
His latest book. "Astrophel and Other
POEMS" is full of sweetness and dignity
Here are the opening lines of "a BALLAD
of Dead Mems Bay"
"The sea swings owre the slants of sand,
All white with winds that drive;
The sea swirls up to he still dim strand,
Where nae man comes alive"
Mr.. Swinburne is still in the prime Of
life. He is only fifty eight years of age
and has carefully husbanded his physi
cal resources. He is a son of the late
Admiral Charles Henry Swinburne, anc
was born in Chester street, London
April 5, 1887. He was a student al
Balliol College, but left the Universit.
without taking a degree. He spent
some years in Florence in hisyouth. anc
there became quite intimate with Walter
Savage Lander. In his physical make
up Swinburne does not make an i'm
posing figure. He is scarcely five fee
in height; his face is ghastly pale, anC
his immense head is covered with grea
masses Of wild. unkempt hair, while hi
mouth is small. almost girlish in its ex
preston. He is very shy of women, bu
he is said to be fond of the society o.
artists and men of letters.