New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
II l..
TENDERNESS AND HUMOR.

Something OF the gracious atmosphere In
which Mrs Meynelrs verses enveloped Is
flung about "A Pomander Of Verse" "a. c. Nc
Clurg & Company. thin little volume by Miss
E. Nesbit. which might have exceeded It's modest
four-score pages without straining the patience
Of the reader Miss Nesbt does not take her
self too seriously There is lightness about
her verse which speaks debonar and happy
mind. In the rhymes which I'll the last pages
Of her book she is frankly contempora neous
local, jocose. And the singer Of these satirical
refrains is anticipated in the earlier pages
where her cleverness. her deft workmanship
her refined animation. all dedicated to
tenderer vein OF sentiment. But whether pen
sve OF gay Miss Nesbit Is always companion
able, the wings Of poesy futter through her
verses though they may not bear her up to the
highest peaks If ever minor poet has justified
her existence. Mise Nesbit has done so in the
poem called inspiration" which Is here quoted
intact:
wandered In the enchanted wood,
And as wandered there sang
- A song never understood.
Though sweet the. music rang.
Iheid hly white and fair
Its perfume was a song divine,
A song like moonlight and clear air
No rose-hued cloud like mine.
Beneath pale moon and wind winged skies
My lips were dumb as one drew near
Folded warm wings across my eyes,
And whispered In my ear.
He left q fame-fower in my hand
And bade me sing as heretofore
The song / could not understand:
But can sing no more.
His secret seals my dumb lips fast.
My lily withered meath his wing;
But now understand at last
The song used to sing.
There may be no great weight In this poem. and
throughout Miss Nesbit's volume there is moth
Ing which exceeds 1t in power. But the lines are
adequate they fill to the brim the unpretentious
cup OF lyric wine which their author is content
TO offer. and though her draught may fall far
short Of producing the intoxcation Of 1.-The true
the blYshfu Hippocrene" she Is at least sure OF
communicating glow which fingers sweetIy In
the memory.
II Miss Nesbits poems are remembered, il will
be because they have a free impulse behind them
were written because their author delights In
singing-"tho' none hear beside the singer "
Their life 10 in their spontaneity their enforced
poetic ardor. The same may be said Of several Of
the volumes which next present themselves for
discussion but there are reservations 10 be noted
in connection with some OF these latter collec-
tons. Mr. Duncan Campbell Scott, for exam
pie In THE Magic House and Other Poems"
copeland Day.. has abundant zeal and
really vibrant chord within the range OF his
Tyre At rare intervals he produces a poem like
AT the Cedars." a concise narrative which
moves rapidly. depicts an exciting episode with
yigor and tact, and gives the pulse momentary
hint Of the passion which flows through the
rhyme Of adventure. But even in this Mr.. Scott
-. -.
marks most OF his work. He makes an engaging
appeal through the fine fibre Of his thought and
especially through his taste and skill in the de-
llneation Of landscape effects. but there is me-
chanical regularity about his rhyming that In
the long run grows tedious. Mr.. John Davidson
would grow tedious for much the same reason, In
his Fleet Street EcloGues" Oodd Mead AZ Cal