New-York tribune., 1901-03-16


Crowell & Co.
In Mr. crowninshield's ''Pictoris Carmina" two
.o,oes are constantly active, and. between them,
Communicate to his verse on attractive quality.
One may be identified with his profoundly artis-
.fc ternperament th. other with his equally deep
love nf Italy There are some rather subtle pas
sages in the book. but his best work is in lines
like the following:
I dreamed of far-off, wall-girt Tuscan towns
Their tapering trees and vaporous olives dear
Whilst scanning Massachusetts plne-fieckeo
downs:
Nor could say which seemed to me most near
The descriptive touch here disclosed is even
more fruitful in the numerous sonnets in the
volume especially in those brought together
under the general title of Italian Sketches.
They are true sketches" spontaneous and
vivid. The thought in this book is always seri-
Gus and elevated, and though the execution is
unremarkable, it is generally smooth and clear
We may cite the sonnet The Empire as
showing at once the justice of the poets ideas
and the lucidity Of his expression at its best:
How dare We brand this polished classic Art
As passioness snd pale. a livid light
From Roman flame: though a CHASTITY blgnt
Lay on the ardent band who would impart
Its feeling rapturous the throb Of heart
For chastened form. its furious delight
In calm; if it had no well-wOn right
To claim Of recognition its due part
How dare We hound as Journalists of stone
CanoNas DaVids. Perciers and their kim
For they were honest: and they too, were blown
Amain by affiatus genuine.
They were as fiery in their coldness pure
AS hottest Of us ali. Their fame is sure.
The sane conclusion embodied in this poem
needs to he restated and then. and Mr.
Crowninshie'd presents it in effective form. II
remains to add that his illustrations no less
agreeable than his verses.
Mr. Hardy is most successful when he is least
ambitious. The earlier pages of his volume
which give the latter its title. Songs of Two,
are somewhat obscure. and there is neither
beauty Of phrase nor melody TO make up for
the loss of light. When he takes easily
ageable conceit however. and gives it unpre-
tentious envelope. he achieves something which
is tolerabiy graceful and suave. Here is a
specimen:
IN AN ALBUM.
Like the south-fying swallow the summer has
flown.
Like fast-falling star. from unknown to un-
known,
Life flashes and falters and fails from our
sight
Good night friends good night
Like homecoming swallows that seek the old
| Like the buds that wait patient beneath the
dead leaves,
Love shall sleep in our hearts till our hands
meet again
Till then, friends, till then.
MIR. Herford's humor. whether in his rhymes
or in his drawings. is always quaint and gentle
with individual SAVIOR that is very taking
Overheard in a Garden is a capital bundle of
sprightly fancies, full OF artIess drollery and
oeft workmanship. Some of the cleverest pieces
will and Of
life. but we choose as perhaps the most char
acteristic illustration of Mr.. Herfords fun and
craft the four stanzas called Love and Time"
Love stole Times hour-glass one day
Qt happened he out of hearts,
And set IL up beside the way
To be target for his darts.
AT length but one of all his culver
Remained (some glanced and some fell wide); 4;
He shot the last-Time saw il shiver
His glass. What have you done?" he cried
In vain Love pieced the broken parts.
The sand would not true. alas,
Cried Time: ''Confound you and your darts,
NOW l must get another glass"
So ever since. TO mark his shooting
Love kept the glass that Time refused
And lovers ever since, computing
The hours with minutes have confused.
In 4 preface TO his latest volume Sir Lewis
iliilts l-lat IL VIII not De ms last. Also
he remarks that knowing well that contempo-
rary criticism of verse. favorable or otherwise is
seldom Of much value toward fixing its perma-
nent position, he recall with satisfaction
that he has throughout endeavored TO follow the
honored traditions of English poetry He is
not conscious he tells us of ever having writ
ten line without believing then that he had
something TO say which demanded expression or
which he could wish unwritten now" This
ought to disarm the reviewer we suppose But
what is one TO say. nevertheless of writing like
that which fills Harvest Tide" from cover TO
cover?
In murky gloom. in petulant rain
Thick-swathed our sordid London law
White msts obscured the midland plain
Thro' all the drear November day
But with swift eve the sinking sun
Snote the Welsh hills, and suddenly
Behold the reign of winter done
once more the blue, uncouded sky
And with the dawn the impatient light
Streams through the darkened cells of sleen
Til 10! fun noontide. broadening bright
Brings azure sky and sapphire deep
O joy how beautiful q wav
My happy fate prepares for me-
no journey on this perfect dav
Between the mountains and the seal
And so indefinitely 1t is unin,peacha bl,
correct The picture is always carefully drawn
The sentiments sound. II is respecta biIitv
Itself But there is note of music any,
where; there is no felicity of thought or eynres
SION; there is nothing but fiat commonplace