The times., 1899-11-26
4 Composite Book of Poems.

"Northland Lyrics" is a slender little
book Of verses with an odd-looking title
page. Upon this We are informed that the
book is by William Carman Roberts,
Theodore Roberts and Elizabeth Roberts
Macdonald; selected and arranged with
prologue by Charles C. D. Roberts and an
eDilogue by Bliss Carman." 1t may look to
the frivolous as if the Carman- Roberts
connections had arranged the publication
Of their collective works, with the names
Of their distinguished kinsmen to float
the book The dedication is to Emma
Wetmore Roberts" and in the table of
contents the poems are sorted out and
labeled, so that on reading any particular
lyric one may discover which member of
the family wrote it.
But the work which follows this eccen-
tric Introduction is good enough TO stand
on its own merits, and indicates that the
names that We know are not the only ones
likely to be heard beyond the boundary line
. OF Canada There have been people who
have prophesied that the Dominion to the
north OF US would come TO be the Scotland,
the poet-land, Of this continent, which NAV
or may not come 70 pass. Though these
lyrics are not great, there is the true sing
ing tone in them: they ripple and laugh
and sigh with the poets own music, and
that is something. II may be that we are
too self-c0nsciOus and constructed in
this country to allow the creation of many
poets as yet, and that the more conserya-
tive and settled life of the Canadian PROV
inces is needed for the DEVELOPMENT OF the
imaginative faculty. Be that as it may
this little book will delight all lovers of
real poetry, as do the works of Carman and
Roberts, the TWO more famous Canadians
There are so many beautiful and grace
ful verses here that one can quote only at
random; and they seem TO be quite evenly
distributed among the three authors All
nave much the same quality, though there
( Is subtle difference which serves to make
the book as a whole far from monotonous.
One may find here the exquisite sensitive
ness 10 sounds and colors which is pecu-
liarly, as rule, the property Of the Celt.
and the Highland Celt at that Here. for
example, is a poem called "Andante," by
I William Carman Roberts. which is full of
the spirit Of music-not the mere cadence.
but the soul Of it, II is almost a pity not
20 quote the whole: but it is too long.
Here are the first and the last OF it:
Your fingers sweep the keys, and then
b. river reach and iris ten
The long dead days come back again.
Smile on me once again. and so
Wait me music soft and low
Down the far hills OF long ago.
All these across my spirits ken
Sweep by on waves OF sound, and then
A sharp, sweet chord-they fade again.
The wandering ghosts have found their tomb.
And here, within this shadowed roOn
Your gold hair glimmers through the gloom.
And here. by different hand. is a poem
on that glorious theme, the charge Of the
Gordon Highlanders at Dargai. 1t was said
by many readers at the time that some
one should chronicle the deed In fitting
verse, and the poem by Theodore Roberts
on "Dargai Ridge" has the ring Of a bat
/ tie song in it:
The English went as maids to dance
Or hounds 10 the huntsmans call.
And the English lay in the yalley-lap
And gneared their blood on the wall
Oh the blood that knows no shame
And the yalour clear Of blame
Thank God that the world is girt about
With the gold Of English name
There is an exquisite music. too, in this
'Berceuse," by the third poet of the trio,
Elizabeth Roberts Macdonald:
All pain, all sorrow. seen 10 fall
Behind infinitely far,
What time the sleepy robins call
Al twihghts dusky bar.
As slowly as the branches wave,
! Singing, ] rock you 20 and fro
So tune be glad. If words are grave
The baby viii not know.
The poetry in this book may not be In
| finite in its range. but the notes are all
( true. There is no Philistinism and no dis
! cord in it, Perhaps this artistic delicacy
may be due to Celtic blood-Irish or High
1 1s.rs.4