New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
CONAN DOYLE'S BALLADS
PATEIcTIsM. HEROIsM AND sroEr.

"'The Song Of the Bow" woke admiration and
! curiosity. 1t was natural 10 wonder how often
| the novelist allowed himself TO be lurcd into
paths Of song and TO speculate upon the probable
goodness or badness Of his lyrical productions
! In his Songs of Action ne now shows us that
he has frequently addressed himself to the max
; ing Of verse. and that upon fair number of
occasions hc has w""ed the Muse 10 excellent
purpose Sometimes he has put commonplace
ideas into commonplace lines, without sus-
pcion apparently. of the futilty Of the enter
prise. "The Passing is most unsatisfac tory
production. II is somtre and is meant to Ice
tragic. hut II is hard TO have patience with such
mawkish tragedies. In work like this Dr. DOYLE
is as mediocre the 1attes. minor singer Of The
day. There are some other rhymes in this book,
too. which are too trivial 10 deserve assO, alton
| with the best az the authors songs. IL The
Groom's Story" is related the unfortunate ex-
percnec % a horse whose master Jared forth n
a motor-car, and when the machinery got out
Of order and he found himself stalled miles
from home sent for his sleed. They hainess'd
the poor beast 10 The car and presently the ma
chInefy revived. il pushed him along rhe road
at the rate Of two miles hour. Sa!s the
groom.
You s4e tina, ors.'s tai. sir? You don't, 20
more do W..
which really amt surprisin' for e "a no iaD
| 10 see.
The engine wore it of i'm before master mad, 1t
stop.
And all the road was Uttered Ike "a bl""WiD
bar b.t's sh 10
| This is a sad conclusion for poet. II he
could sing no nobler nor wittier theme than this
| DR. DOVE might better have sent his Thymes TO
one OF the funny papers. But forgive him
| 1.-THE Groom's story and tho puns IN "A Lay
Of tn" Links and the ch"apncss of III" s"uti-
mental conce,t embodied in "The Bind Archer"
| We forgive him these gins for the sake Of poem
Ike Ware Holes" The title is borrowed from
| the hunting field tbe expression being used TO
warn those behind arans, rabbit -burrons or
other such dangers" Here may quote.
r was a stranger 10 the INT,
| Their weren't person as = knew thor.
PM g could ride that London gent
r. ga; Is n1aI" a. J! = grew here.
| The, seed m. ounds upon Tho scent.
But found "a fence across their tfa't.
| And al 10 ~ II. els" il meant
turnin' and a arkn back.
! II vas the forcmos, a, the fence
|. And a. Is mare just cleared The raj
IL turned To them that rode BEND,
For ibr"" was al IS very tan.
Ware oles" says e. an with tho "ofd.
STU sitlu easy on his nr",
Down down = went an down an dow
Into tn" quarry yawnin' there"
Som. Say II was TWO 'undrcd foot;
The bottom lay black as ink.
/ ] gu"oe they al some ugly dreams
Who r.iu"d heir 'orsos on the brink
l. q only nm. for tha; one Try.
Ware Ole" gays g. an saves ~. 'frec.
There may be- better deaths TO die.
Bui that ones good enough for me.
| For mind Won twas q ep0riin end,
| Upon a right good sporiin day,
They think a deal Of i'm down ere.
That gent what came rom London way.
Tn, song TO winch vs. frs. alluded. 'Th' song
Of N, Bov =" We need not cite. II j.. or ought 20
be- familiar TO- every lover - good fuli-voiced
| baladr, Bot So. are glad % has th' first place
! Ia tins book for il r"gisl,rf Dr Doylc's high
WINTER mark N,Ni o. % We would place GRE
! mona a Jolly got 80 verses ~ which strong
strain Of humor - matched 10y he rafting
! rhythm rho Frontier Line 4 Ballad ~
| III, Ranks" and Corporal Dicks Promotion,"
/ ar. good sturd, war poems 81 the sort To- please
! a., impafi4Isis IN England tut they hal
/ l.ir. comparison with kipling and do not come
/ OF vel from tho test ". would par" them
} hDlCw Ware Holes and Tn" Dying Whip
] RI, latter - nret rate ~ conception ana IN
/ nnish Master which ~ also Dedicated 10
/ ;h. gloomy ~.de 81 the hunting -f"d is .'rs' and
! ,ifour 4 few "ih'r sporting and ga songs
coinvlc,, pr Doyl.'s list Perhaps h' VIII IN
crease IFS lonr,h H. ought /" H." encouraged 10
do 80 ana h. viii he n ia. Uuhh' shows
proper appreciation Of sony OF Action il IS
,ru.. that one thinks 81 kiung for n moment
a, on. Turns tn. pages Bui tho h.-t qualities
IT, ~. book aio pr poyi' Owl.
~ HARRIS .'Tucl. Ii.,uis" Harris. 4 writer