New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08

chickering's Of uncertain thought He Is not pre-
csely cold There Is too much delicacy or 'eei-
ing there is too much grace or Inauguration III
him, for him 20 be poet OF hard and ghtteti"s
surface But to consider him as the poet OF
pathos and delight. with any expectation that ne
will unloose the bonds Of elemental nature and
take his reader captive with storms OF pleasure
or pain Is to court disappointment his ioi-
tunes as a poet throw helpful light upon 'h's
point II his vogue has been persistently WIFI
a scholarly and literary public. II he mas peeil
the object Of a quiet admiration on the part oi
fastidious men OF letters and has never swayed
a really large and enthusiastic audience mas
# not been because his verse has never throooed
with the truest warmest blood OF poetry!
There is not a page in this pretty vo'urne
compiled by Mrs Meynell which is not. In Its
temperate way charming. yet the pathos IL
never heart-shaking. the delight is never over
whelming and this not merely because MT.
Patmore prefers a gentle measure but because
try as he may. like Browning's thrush. he
never can recapture the first. fine careless rap
ture OF human suffering and human JOY. Inc
thrush, for al his impotence. might nave taush'
this poet some lessons. Were Mr.. Patmore "
sing like the bird he might utter more thrii'-
Ing cry AS II is he has sung from the Degih-
ming like the polished man OF letters that ne 3D.
and while from time TO time, ne has produced
poems like 1.-The Letter" which repeat win
subtle sympathy and concilating truth some OF
the emotions of actual experience, he Is. In the
main trihe too composed He pleases Dut
he does not strengthen. He is locker on
rather than dweler at the centre OF human he
Mrs Newell thinks as has been pointed out
above. that Mr. Patmore's is "the divinest
voice of our time" Mr.. Patmore thinks, as he
stated In print some time ago. that Mrs Mey-
neIrs verses full of delicate and original
thought for the most part faultlessly eX-
pressed" 1t will be seen that these two writer's
are In perfect sympathy with one another Yet
the Poems copeland e. Day. OF the younger
writer show imitation OF the elder. MIS-.
Meyneli is, indeed. in no need or BORROWER
inspiration. Her songs have always been her
own. ard IN the present volume. which Is COM
posed of new and cid verses, she shows again
that no matter how deep her admiration may
be for the art Of MI. Patmore. she Is content TO
base her own work upon more artless founda-
ton She would, perhaps. repudate the art
lessness II 1t were ascribed to her without quail
Hcation But her evident love Of good crafts
manship would not be as ingratiating as II Is
If there were not forever in her lines the FORCE
the movement, the exaltation OF true poets
feeling II is unlikely mat she Wouu care !"
have her art praised at the expense OF her IN
spiration II the two were married in extraor-
binary verse they would be appreciated as
one. and Mrs Meynell would enjoy even
pro,der fame than she can boast at present
As II: H. the lack Of might. Of resonance, OF Inc
fire which would make her major poet. cannot
sroil the minor felicity OF her work.
There was talk some time since or giving 70
Mrs. Meynell the laurel of Ternyson. The con-
troyersy on that subject need not be renewed
now but of this much there can be no Doubt
that for certain exquisite blending OF danti-
ness with serious thought. she Is more remark
able than any OF her rivals In the field she
would no, have made a good Laureate. in all
probability. because the holder Of that Office Is
oftenest required TO Sing upon recorded &C.
tons" and there Is nothing dramatic about MrS
Nevnell's Muse She sits ''subtly contempla-
tive" and tho web of her medtations Is woven
of the most elusive threads. But II the Laureate
were selected for reasons other than those estab-
lished In history. II it were simply and solely
the recognition Of poets worth that the wreath
conveyed there would have been Justice in the
choice Of Mrs. Meynel She has sweetness that
is not too sweet strength that is not awless. in
sight and sympathy that perform their humane
Offices in the light of calm and healthy phil
osophy With her intellectual balance. her
imaginative buoyance. there goes lyric lit
which is the crown to her verse.