New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-22
POETRY.
AN AMERICAN COMPANION TO PAL
GRAVES ANTHOLOGY.

GRAVES ANTHOLOGY.
ruE GOLDEN TREASURY OF AMERICAN
In SONGS AIS LYRICS Edited by Frederic Law
renee Knowles. Duodecimo' PIP XIX ois ooS-
ton: L. c. Page g. Co.
IN T11TANs GARDEN, AND OTHER POEMS. BY
Harriet Prescott spofford. DuodecmO. PIP loS'
coIONIA1, VERSES CMoUNT VERNON. BY
Ruth Lawrence Illustrated. Duodecimo, PIP So
Brentano's.
BALLADS OF LOST HAVEN; A Book Of the these, Sea:
Py Bliss carman Duodecimo, PIP. n5 Boston;
Lamson. Wolfe & Co.
IITTI r. FOLK LYRICS. BY Frank Dempstes
sherman with Illustrations by Maude ana
Geneveve Cowles Duodecimo. PIP 40 Ho's"-
ton Mifn Co.
A book which challenges comparison throusn
its title with the late Francis Turner PalgraNe
uncomfortable anthology Of English verse seems
condemned ct the outset. How could any eui'0i
hope TO hold his own by the side Of that famous
noor, Az matter Of fact, Mr.. Knowles holds
his own with tenacity and distinction IN MS
Golden Treasury Of American Songs anu
Ivr,cs " and the reader who views pesslmstcai-
w our present poetical outlook is forcloy re-
minded that after all. we have had cohsiuci
able group Of delightful Wrists ConsioeF 'i'
writers upon whom Mr. KNOWLES mas peeh
privileged to draw. They range from roe bay
ard Taylor and Bryant to Loweil oteoinaii'
Holmes and Aldrich. Emerson and Dr. Parsons
Sidney Lanier and Rowland Sill. Lohgiehow
and whittier Mrs. Moulton and K RI. Stoodaro'
N p Willis and G. H. Boker-is the list not
,,orras.,vaq It ia true that Mr.. Knowles finds
room, for some poets OF douptlul Vaiue' anu
some Of his minor singers. whose names we
will not invidiously select. are very minor IN
aaoa On the other hand, there are scores OF
songs IN this anthology which sing themselves.
ana that ia perhaps the best test TO which
collection OF lyrical verse may be supJecteo'
Mr. Knowles has used good judgment IN inc
main. and his book promises TO win hrlh
position in It's class 1t is provided with e&cei-
lent notes, with an index OF authors ana Will
an index of first lines. The publishers nave
nr,nted the book In exquisite form. following 10
some extent the style OF Palgrave's volume.
A erac,ous. pensive spirit pervades Mrs. Spot
cords new volume, In Titian's Garden ana
Other Poems" II Is also distinguished oy 'en-
der emotion and grave, suggestive thoush''
There Is color in these poems. too, ana 'here are
some melodious lines. The ttular poem is one
OF charming rhythm, and moves with smooth
CELEBRITY that atones for its perhaps inordinate
length. From this poem we take one OF Mrs.
spofford's daintiest lyrics:
So death comes to Venice,
The city Of dreams.
We know that hearts ache there;
They break there, II seems.
Love burns like the rose there,
And falls like its leaf,
And basams and balms there
Distl out Of grief
Bear they the dead there.
Or bear they the BRIDE
Splendor floats with them
Along the dark tide.
By moonlight by moonlight
BY dawnlights soft hours
When death comes TO Venice
They hide 1t In flowers.
The lines illustrate the simplicity Of Mrs
spofford's ideas and. It might be added. their
modest height, but the fact that she does not go
far beneath the surface does not invalidate the
sincerity and spirituality Of her impulse.
Miss Ruth Lawrence has adopted an In
genious and winning plan In her thin book OF
Colonial Verses" The poems are commemora-
tive of Washington's home at Mount Vernon
and they pass with clever touches Of descrip-
ton from one room to another. the force OF the
authors pictures being increased by the pres
enoe Of a Photographic representation OF each
chamber thus celebrated. Opposite a print OF
the Music Room Ia this neatly turned set OF
rhymes:
Nellie Custis's spinet,
And George Washingtons lutte;
All! we sigh with regret
Ger the flute and spinet.
There are souls in them yet
Though they feign to be mute;
Nellie Custiss spinet,
And George Washngton's flute.
To adorn after this fashion more than one
APARTMENT In a shrine containing 50 many OF
interest as Mount Vernon boast would seem
a difficult task and one In which the spon-
taneity of the celebrant might easily and speed
iIy be uuenched. but Miss Lawrence has ap-
preached her theme with enthusiasm and has
sustained her vivacious. sympathetic FEELING TO
the END The pictures accompanying her verses
have been admirably reproduced. and the book
makes a graceful and an unconventional SOU
venir Of q spot hallowed to all Americans,
M Bliss Carman stands in his own light His
Ballads Of Lost Haven" 1ustines It's subtitle,
"A Book Of the Sea" by It's general tone, but
the reader has hardly turned the pages before
he comes upon line In which the author refers
to the object Of his alteration as "the shambling
sea-" Who ever the sea "shamble" on any
coast In all this world. or out upon the great
deeps? Mr.. Carman's epithet sounds sus-
piciously like something that he has devised IN
emulation Of Mr.. Kipling's original phraseology,
and instead Of suggesting the ocean 1t provokes
thoughts Of the midnight oil II has a Utter
ary" flavor. That Is the case with great deal
Of Mr.. Carman's verse. but It need not blind us
TO his merits. He has the swing of balladry In
his song of The Nancys Pride" and here his
diction is forcibe and expressive without dis
closing any artifoiality. The book as whole
is fresher and more vigorous than anything
which Mr.. Carman has recently published. 1t
shows that instead Of wasting his time on senti-
mental themes. decadent motives and decadent
methods. he should keep his eye on the object"
as he keeps It. usually in the present instance
and go on putting into verse the emotions In
spired by his unmistakable love OF the sea-
1.-THE Gravedigser." in spite OF the specious
phrase to which we have alluded Is spirited
poem with plausible reason Tor belng. fancy
To me- the mystery and