The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-12
NEW hooks.
Brief Reviews of Important and Interest
ing Now Publications.

We have books and books of poetry. n cir
cumstance which would seem TO indicate that
the art and nice pastime OF versiiication IL not
yet suspended Interesting and flne thoughts
are still uttered in numbers. Notwithstanding
there is so much inducement to the manufnc-
ture Of mere prose writing. In " For the King.
and Other Poems" by Robert Cameron Rogers
0G. p Putnam's Sons,. we read In the poem
that affords the title and which Is concerned
with King David:
Down the steps in the atone that rang
To the smitc Of our feet.
Through the corridors cleft in the rock
Past the guard on his beat,
Under archways. rude fashioned and low,
That echoed and sang
To the jar OF orr sh elds. so we ran;
And the sharp brssay clang
OF swords cnking loud on our mail
liz dim passaveways, told
There something afoot for str)i men.
To the men in the hold.
Hero wo remark that bold Independence in
description which takes advantage OF tho
archaic form and yet Ia not hndered by 1t.
The guard on his beat" rings familiar. and We
have no doubt that the man Of Gath here
| epitomized. being on soldiery and police duty.
really did walk his beat and defend II as hero
minated As we read we feel agreeaby that
the cautious practice OF our familiar and es-
teemed police extends backward through tho
ages. and that the Philistnes. suffering and
enjoying In their remote time lust as we do
now. had their Finest to reassure them and
solace them in their troubles. The poem
goes on:
Up they sprAng from their sleep. catchin down each
His bow from the wall
As We with the CLINT Of q rising moons glance
On our rhelds
Like man in trance stood the guard .. the gate
And let fall
His half.levelsd spear in sudden dsmay
From path
We were past him, away in the moonlight
And threading the fields
Ere he gathered himself. ere we heard him shout
after
In wrath.
s. we ran, all abreast breathing quick
With one pun pose in mind
A draught OF cold water to fetch
From the fountain that springs
In the steep street of Bethlehem
Hard by the gate Of the town
For David, our master the Lion OK Judah
Whose
Was assured by the word OF the seer
From the King OF all Kings.
In the Book OF Sam uel it Is written that David
desired this drink and that three Of his cap
tainS. mighty men. broke through the host OF
the PhiIistines and drew it from the we'll OF
Bethlehem and brought it to David who never
theless would not drink. but poured 1t ont to
the Lord. saying Is not this the blood OF the
FL, "s.s ~ ~, W .ne' ''eo
h,i o., it, r,,, t, :. ~
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~, po,hIa,a,,,. ,,a.,"S 49,, 49, =. w. tun,.
=. 80 Nv" ~ ,, WOO VI u.
He raised the caslue
For moment 1t seems he would drink
Then another look came
lace 'ha' '"rnea pa'r peA'u ''' erown'
an" us eyes 'oS' 'ne,' name
on l' '".1e" A''o S ' w" oh MS A"ee''
fTu'e' '' W" u'""S.. "" VIC st'He'
In ,h> name
give this. the Gift OF my br,v.,t.-
Far be 1T from me
To drink OF thi. draught. it's their blood,
- '""e anu ''' '"''
For the mere purpose OF contrast we NAV re =
produce n few lines Of BYRON as wa rememhs
them:
m"rlo' anu en,e'S' sho"ia INC sha'' or 'he SWORD
f'er'e me III ieauihe tue hos's Oh the Lord'
neeu ho' 'ne '"r'o tho"sn A'hS III sourpAtn'
,,
sue" "no a.. osaI"t III, o"e,'e. An" oo~.
~ , 800 "' o VIC 'oe'
,, 80 'N' W. 80 -. wy 10
~ " -" " " ' ~ NV - s''
Byron was rude and vigorous. and ithas been
| said OF him that he was eloquent rather
than beautiful. Mr.. Edmond Scherer made q
,,,. .,.ia,, ..,'i,oi,, ~, a"u
THE Assyrian came down. like wolf on the
| fold" ia very probably only eloquent and the
further line to the effect that his cohorts were
| cleaning in purple and gold. is unmistakably
OF d niece WIN IT, ihere are pleuy OF poems
mere oil nearer slRh'hcahce:
still one shall hear the coyote in the M oonl!ght
| Still hear the bull elk whistle up the sun,
| w., 49, -, '"