The morning times., 1896-11-08
BOOKS AND THEIR Makers
The Weeks COntrlbut 0l 10
the Library Shelves.
NEW MAGAZINE SERIALS
McClure's Kipling New Story
Starts Well-Weir Mitch
ell to the Fore.
NEW MAGAZINE SERIALS

| history written in rhyme are Bal
- Lads or New jersey IA Iiir heVylutioii.
The title might be ambiguous. Al
inst 1t suggests computation OF
the old songs written OF sung III thc
uas, oI Une colonial struggle anu as such
would nave a rare value tor the COLLECTOR
of the lore of those times, besides iur-
uiShing To the general circle ur readers an
opportunity TO enjoy and study a phase of
the literature pecuiIariy Intimate 70 those
uInes ana events 1t a., OI LIIc teEtidrS' >
the honest effort Of a living writer TO put
INTO nIUdern rhythm and rhyme the DE-
tails OF New Jerseys history, as associated
with the Revolutionary wdf.
y work of this character has more
than ii local value, though Ine main part
OF Two winters was spent IN camp ut Mor-
Ti>town, which became, for the time, virtu-
ally the home of Washington, his generals
and lieutenants. IN substance the book is
a contribution 10 the History uf Hose
times and events. 1t deals largely with
the personality OF the men, the lOcilSIns,
and the small doingS OF the army. 1t is an
intimate view in most respects. The
author has made Il careful research of all
the Information ON his subject and is able
10 give many interesting points, new in Il
general way.
Naturally, however the first measure OF
Judgment OF 80 ambitious book Is the
quaiity of the composition. The author is
Charles u. Pratt. There has been predis-
position to treat OF wars Igd warriors in a
lofty strain. Poets have rarely amtltuncd
less thau cpiCS. ltis SomcW hat 81 "A novelty,
then, 10 find Mr.. Pratt singing he greatest
events of our history in Il SIMPLE, almost
Coliuqui.I =, yle. Tor MS verse Iurm Is the
uupretentious ballad. The result is the
hest evidence. OF IBc wiser Judgments witch
directed the precedent. The Whole story
becomes commonplace. The rough vigOr, the
sublime grrnness of war ana all its assu-
Citations require a stern verSe-fcrm that is
superior to tie limitations OF rhyme, and
haItS even III broken periods in dcnotcment
OF the nH-EtinesS, the fatality ofthc theme
Moreover, II is questionable whether ms
tory, except in broad Eencra!iiics- lends
Itself tD any kind OF Verse. The poet who
seeks to put dates and other Tuinutiac into
rhyme iInds himself at once hampcrcd
10y limitations which drag his muse TO
earth.
These are the critical considerations at
llT>t suggested by Mr. Pratt's ballads.
There aIe other considerations which rise
uI much TO the credit of both book and
maker. With the difficulties denoted, IL
Is truly remarkable what superior verses
have been made. Oftcntimcs they rise
above the false union of historical nara
tive and ballad, and fancy finds congeniai
swing with happy results. The sung
ample in evidence 1t is free, fluent, and
Tr!lIckinE, pleasing in fancy, Perfect in
construction. Another delightful Tit preg-
ndnt With the real genius OF poetry is
The Ballad of Milestone" Fort Nom
SENSE is fluent bit of fooIing, and
many individual stanzas rise above the
even plane OF most OF the ballads
II Mr.. Prau's ballads do not attest
IT." advent Of a new and great poet they
III" the evidence Of a student of sCmc con
ability, ,butofunGuustionat,Ic
pa.rutic earneStness. In its IT,scnu form
a. published by the Jerseyman Print OF
Morris own, the book is reat volume,
printed N clear type, on handsome paper
IRE authors literary achievement would
NOR" fittngly comport with an ambitious
effort NJ reproduction Of the LooS-Tuaking
at The Revolutionary period. On stained
yellow paper, III old-fashioned type, the bal
lads would have found a ciarm IN their
HpOloGetiC establishment