New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15
OLD ENGLISH SONG.

Another brace Of volumes published IN Inc
Muses. Library Is devoted ID John Dome 'he
editorial work by Mr. +. X. Chambers the lh"o-
ductIon written bv Mr.. Santsbury Inc industry
~ the former has been fruitful enough ana SUI
dents Of the English poetry OF the seventeenth
century will he grateful for the minute research
h,oh bas ne re get forth a purified text Of one OF
It's most interesting heroes. But Mr.. Saintsbufy
ia DISPOSED to claim little too much Tor Dohhe'
and his admission that the influence OF per
sonal taste. for or against IL nara 10 resist !"
writing Of the poet. does not stand as 'ri'icai
noint Donne is interesting to Mr. Salisbury
because he illustrates one OF the special phehoh-
ena Of the Renaissance the mixture OF sensual
with uplifting motives. The impression conveyed
by this introduction is that the poet IS somehow
admirable for the same reason. But when Donne
Is tried by the same standards which the great
poets meet he falls a lamentable distance Just
through his hybridity. He has Wit. barbed and
far-reaching He has dction which Is distn
eujshed In The history Of poetry for the frequency
and mower with which IL implies far more than
II tells He adds to his sensitiveness TO carnal
beauty an occasional exaltatiOn OF vision. an in
termittent penctration, which make his divine
poems OF more than passing value With these
great gifts. not always operative, ne has IN ms
songs the effortless and tender melody OF n
genuine lyrst. But when all his qualities are
thus enumerated let the reader conceive them as
so many kinds OF metal thrown into the furnace
and there fused with an ignoble ore. mixed and
interpenetrated with grossness and disintegrating
thought The critical conclusion that follows is
doubtless open to the same objection which may
be urged against the over-zealous defender OF
Dome. 1t Is possible to dislike him too strongly.
as 1t Is possible to like him overmuch But
between the two extremes there Is judgment
which would place Donne among the poets who
are best served by selection. While the special
student will be grateful. 1t may be repeated, to
Mr. Chambers and Mr. Saintsbury, the mere
lover OF old poetry will regret that Donne not
reprinted by them. or preferably by some editors
OF less enthusiasm and more discrimination. In
one volume instead Of two.
The beautiful little volumes most recently pub
lished In THE Lyric Poets series tMacman
e. Coz by Mr. Ernest Rhys are perfect illustra-
lions Of the kind Of reprint that IL most accept
able to the reader who turns to poetry for It's de-
light and not for the mint and cummin Of It's
text regardless Of intrinsic charm. In The
Lyrical Poems of Thomas Campion" there Is
naugbt but the sweetness OF a quaint and musical
poet In THE Lyrical Poems Of Sir Philip Sid
ney" there Is an almost unbroken harmony Of
poet is wholly free from the audaclty OF his time
but neither is ever "A bore. Mr. Chambers who
bears half OF the responsibility for reprintng
things OF Donne's which are unmistakable bores
has shown that he Ia alive to the pure beauties
OF lyric verse by compiling a charming book Of
"EnsIish Pastorals" Charles Scribners Sons)
The long preface he provides for the book IL
most alphabetically written. and. better still
he has made his selections with admirable
sacity. The anthology Is the first In series to
be brought out under the general title OF THE
Warwick Library" 1t Is promising title
There is magic in the name OF Warwick. And II
| the succeeding volumes are as good as this one
the series will be cordially received
There are several more anthologies to which
alusIon might be made. Poets Dogs" "a. r.
Putnam's sons Is a volume which presents the
careful gleanings OF an interesting field. What
the poets have had to say OF their canine friends
has SO often been said with high poetic felicity
| that II was an excellent Idea to gather together
from old and new sources the poems here re-
published. Elizabeth Richardson, who edits the
book. has done her work we'll. Bishop Spalding
| has also made a good anthology in his Songs