The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-22
Literary Notes.

Morocco. $3.50.
The APPEARANCE of new poet is an
event of prime Importance. He is the
prophet of the higher life, keeping us
ever in mind Of the things which are
true and abiding. We could better spare
our captains of industry or our<states-
men. Tennyson is worth more to, Eng
land than Gladstone.
In the dainty volume before us gen
uine poet-heart finds utterance. These
poems are not echoes, but the uncon
strained and free outpourings of a sin
gularly delicate and tender soul which
sings its own song and not another's, and
sings truly because it has lived deeply.
Indeed, this note of individuality and gen.
uineness strikes one at every turn. One
meets no tricks of phrasing to startle one
into attention. If the vocabulary is limit
ed as compared with the luXuriance OF
Swinburne, it betrays no extravagance
or artificial tension. Description is I'M
affected and pathos shows no trace of
the historical faint.
The volume presents a wide range CT
interests, from the fine sonnet sequence
ITO Sappho,' with which it opens. to
THE Broken Prayer" and GAS Some
one back to the controlling motives of
the whole-the home hearth and the child
treasures which gather about it.
In the Sappho sonnets. for instance,
we see beatings of strong wings in the
upper air Of passion for beauty in itself
considered. The first will serve for illus
tration:
Might each obtain of Times unfeeling
hand
TAat fantf IS utmost can but dimly show
The glory4of the gifts We would demand
What gift were mine? In that far Les
bian land
To pluck from some forgotten tomb
scroll
Writ with those songs of woe and pas
sion-whole.
In characters of Sappho's own sweet
hand
Or yet to lie one hour upon the shore.
While far come and go the long prored
ships,
And watch the hand divine flash DER the
Tyre,
And hear the numbers flow from her wild
lips,
To drink Of her dark, regal eyes the fire,
And, passing, feel no meaner rapture
more.
'"The South Sea Watch" picturesque
and spirited, touches the national inter-
est, is the best poetical product We re-
call of that recent war which must have
shamed--
The dauntless spirits who followed those
guests Of glory and gain
Lighting in blood stained splendor the
deathless name Of Spain.
The same interest appears again in
THE Builders" which we quote entire:
/ heard the voice of Liberty
Cry to a people young and free:
Build we a dwelling place for mel"
The rich brought gifts that rarely shone;
The poor gave naught but common stone
And the temple grew; and the years stole
by
Till the people murmured, I'VE build and
diet"
Though sons have ended what sires be-
And splendor on splendor afar is rolled
From walls and pillars crowned with
gold;
And sparkling spires and towers proud
Prick through the breast Of the wonder
ing cloud.
II.
But in the night sad voice came:
"Oh, builders, woe for your work of
Shame.
For with those gifts the rich have
brought,
Much sin and wrong into all is wrought
And your gilded towers are gilded in
vain, Il
And the tears of my people their birth
right stain
And my image aloft, which should bea-
con the land,
Was wrung from many a starving hand"
And when the fateful morrow shone,
Only abode the walls Of stone.
The striking sonnets "Decadence-
England, and are defense of her ma
tlonal policy against recent critics
Again, in these pages there is a strong
nature interest. Of the microscopic kind
of observation there is little or nothing,
but with the larger aspects of nature cur
poet has genuine sympathy. He is on
friendly terms with mountain and wind
and sky. Witness THE Passing of June"
Among the Laurel" and the lines to
Otter Pass. He loves "the sweet grass
on lonely pasture slopes" and has often
watched the twilight gray
Wrapping the land, hill after hill, away.
And note these lines Of the little poem
"At Dawn:
A single star has paused on high,
Lone wanderer from the fold of night,
Lost III the troubled light
Where dark and dawn dispute the sky.
The longer poems are narrative and
descriptive, one would say reminiscent
OF these We like best THE Truants,
by the Sea- and Isaac" The longest
of all, p" Two Brothers. lacks the move
ment, the Inevitable quality, and the
distinct crystalline impression which
mark the others.
Many readers will count the children
Dipcps the gems of tho collection Tho