New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-26

IN gging spirits and his pictorial powell e"''N
and completed his artistic self, were 'imasi"a.
ton. taste and humor OF the last inoeeo' II
"a s,gn,dcant that he possessed such an abundant
store that 1t sometimes seemed the de'er''''","s
trait IN his nature the gleeful fancy when
colored his most characteristic WORK. IL - s'e
nidcant because It is SO human trait because
on the humorous side OF his work Iayior was
again so personal 50 raclly himself his luii
was rrepressible and broko out not alone III su.''
sustained and varied productions as his Echo
Club" with its deft and spontaneous paronies'
but in his daily occupations and diversions WI.
Smyth recalls the associations which oeiohseu
to Taylor's life In New-York, the intercourse
between him and the figures Of circle which
included some OF the most vivacious writers anu
takers of the day. and he shows that OF all the
wits then conspicuous, Taylor was one Oh TIC
first and best. 1t is in connection with th's pas
sage in Taylors history that Mr. smyth quo'e'
the formers etymology Of the word res'au' az"
From res thing. and taurus, Dull o',,'
thing" The anecdote bears upon characte'is''o
NJ Tavlor which some of his Quaker neighbors
in Pennsylvania assumed to crticse adversely.
He liked the pleasures Of tho table, ana healthiiS
INDUCED himself. But there was never an!
thing gross in his appetite, there never was
anything extravagant in his experience anu !"
addition to the proofs " this which MT oih!t"
adduces from the career Of his subject there Is
the convincing testimony Of Taylors "oiN'
There his epicureanism served to 90 no h'oie
than heighter the warmth, the genuinehesS u
his writing. and the humor which flows through
his appreciation OF the good Things Oh iiie 10
plways restrained by the taste to which allusion
has been made.
His taste was Beyard Taylors most refined
- fnuCh No
feeling and It was constantly polished by his
studious and reverent devotion to good itera-
trre. He came to that literature with an almost
romantic ambition to be worthy Of It, the literary
Influences of his day made for high Ideals. ana
perhaps the most winning thing about MS
criticism is the sense Of loyalty which IL con-
veys. loyalty to fine traditions and to the poet
pure standard. The taste illustrated by his own
verse IS that of q man who. falling lE the I'M
mistakable rapture OF divine inspiration. has yet
a belief in it. longing for It, feen appreca-
ton Of II in the work of others. ana grasps
nearly everything that II means; all the grace'
the poise the ucidity o. fine poetry. everything
save the incommunicablc thrill, the last merry
impetus Because Taylor missed the highest GIT
of all In poetry. and the world was more eager
for his sketches Of travel than for lis lyrics
ard his longer performances In verse, ne was
on the whole. a disappointed man. ana propabiy
carried with him to his grave u twinge OF pam
over the career that seemed TO his friends one
prolonged triumph. But he undervalued MS
genius. which. II not creative. was so magma
tive and so rich in elements Of sympathy OF
sensuous feeling Of artistic judgment and apti-
rude that when he came TO the execution OF ms
most famous work the translation OF FAUST,
he produced one OF the major literary achieNe-
mcnts Of the century.
1t Is In no spirit Of indifference 10 Iaylor
original work that this translation IL eleVateu
above II all Poetry such as he made MS version
OF Goethe's poem Is noble. splendid and enduring
II confers fame upon its author while IL extehus
the glory Of its foreign source. Taylors FAUST
was the Towering of his Genius not merely an ac-
complished work Of literary art. The music Win
which ne could not. unaided. endow MS verse
sprang into being at tn" contact OF his magma
ton with that OF the German poet; and nc De-
came rhythmic. powerful the very voice reanl-
mated Of his original. Was that In Itself little
| 10 become? The answer Is offered in the uni
versal admiration which has been bestowed upon
this masterpiece Of English literature. 1t IL
t..rnpting O leave u Taylor on SUCH a con-
clusion and indeed the closest appreciation or
all that he did must end with reference to MS
German studies and their one imperishable fruit
But 10 rslinduish Mr.. Smyth's book Is to part
company less with translator than with spirit
Of peculiar charm. less with the author or views
Afoot" ~ THE Story Of kennett. OF prince
Deukalion" than with the knightly nature which
revealed Itself In these and many other works
| Of genuine and fastidious art.