New-York tribune., 1896-11-29
LITERARY NOTES.

The death Of Coventry Patmore does noth,r.. ..
oiminsh the How OF contemporary verse for hs hsd
long since ceased to WOO his Muse with anv nA-
sistence. Through most OF the later years ~ ~,
Ire. In fact he has been counted as a silent poet
and when he has resumed the pen at all II ha. ~.
TO produce some piece Of well-pondered prose Ya,
the news OF his death will be received with keen re.
gret wherever highly wrought, eplcurean we're.
mas any acceptance. He never wen place anon.
the greater yrists Of his time his poetry was near
ly always self-conscious and deliberate but IN q.
exquisite finish and It's purity of intonation II ha
long been held Of the best possessions Of m,nn,
Victorian letters.
Patmore had, without the fire something NJ 49,.
Tennysonian insDrati)n and he would have b.h
the fire. too, II he had not been inclined to s,,,,
hairs when 1t came to his criticism OF mis- own
work He needed vigor. energy. audacity Asn
was. he confirmed himself, year by year. In N.
tastidious taste with which he began his career H.
was more than fastidious; he ;mid. One lonrr
to have him burst forth in impulsve passionate NJ.
terance but the moment never comes. To hin,
might be applied. though with less satisfaction IN
the application the Autocrat's felictous lines on
Emerson. IF you have seen cat picking her foot
steps In wet weather you have seen the picture Of
Emerson's exquisite intelligence, feeling for its
phrase epnhet" The distinction between ths
American and the Englishman lies In the fact that
the thought OF one H. always warmed by the feeling
the emotion Of born poet; the thought OF the
other has the crysta!cear and cold quality Of con.
summate culture. one drop Of deep romantic pas.
sion would have made Patmore compar bic to Ten.
nyson and Landor. The absence of 1, leaves him
poet who will be remembered with them but r..
membered also as standing below the high plane on
which they breathed inspiring airs.
THE London Academy" whose recent changes Of
editorship and style must be Of interest to al
t,t,A - .ffcrx
seem 20 have really improved with It's notifications
The Arst number In the new series has been ~.
ceived. The pictorial supplement. process block
from Honthorsts portrait Of Ben Jonson In the M.
tional Portrait Gallery Is an artistic and valuabA
little print and Is distinct addition 10 the at.
tractivcness Of The Academy" The new type and
paper are both pleasanter than the old. and as the
pages are turned II is seen that the editor
starts of with as excellent staff ever. Pre-.
sumaby Tvs personnel has remained unchanged
but II this Is the Mr.. Kinds influence has been
accepted with good grace, for the journal has
greater freshness than It has had in some time
The books reviewed are the latest published ana
while this ''ncwsy" quality would not compensate
for hurried work. II 40 happens that II has done
nothing In this instance to hurt the reviews rhoss
are all we'll written. They are unsigned blythe
way a fact which is one of the striking TO b.
noted In connection with the new management
The Academy has always printed the names OF
Its contributors but the practice is 10 be dscontn
ued The signing Of reviews Is a yexed question
and one which II Is impossible 70 traverse in SUM-
cent detail here 1t may be said however. that
the absence of signatures does ~ matter OF fact
improve the appearance Of The Academy giving
II a dignity which II has not invaHaby possessed.
one new idea OF The Academy Is illustrated b.
an article of which the authorship is revealed a. q
spccial concession. Mr.. kipiings Seven Seas b
reviewed and following the article there is a little
study OF biz 'Seacraft" by "A Sailor The sailor
ia Lieutenant Armstrong late OF the British Navy