The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-02

Like the Faust OF the latter 1T Is not
adapted to the stage. 1t is dramatic in
FORM and replete with splendor and in
there is no dialogue" 1t is a production
of distinguished power, and to me, who
can not read Faust" in the original,
but have read ii in three translations,
there is more of real beauty and majesty
of mind in Manfred" than IN the greatly
praised dramatic poem OF the eminent
German. Some magnificent passages oc-
eur in Byron's poem, far excelnng any
| thing L found in Faust" Managed Is
indeed "a naughty and regal spirit, and
he is 'humanised by his deep and I'M
failing love for nature Read three or
four soliloquies OF real grandeur and pow
er, and make the poetic dreamer probably
immortal / would not say that it is so
| great production as Faust" The
critical world is agreed as to its supre-
macy and originality. But it does not
impress me in translation as it impresses
the critics who read it in the original.
However great it may be, it is no rival
in absolute perfection and greatness OF
description, in rarest beauties of language
and subllmity of thought and passion OF
the soliloquies spoken on the summit of
the Jungtrau, the evocatlon of the Witch
of the Alps. and that grand and lofty
passage in which the mind of the lofty
victim. now Gained by the hope of APP
/ preaching death, recalls the majestic sad
ness of ruined Rome" (Prof. Shawl
| l cannot enAmerate all the varied and
numerous productions or con1der their
separate merits. The Lament OF Tasso,
'Beppo," Cam" Heaven and Earth.
The Deformed Transformed" Marine
Faiero," Sardanapalus, Werner, THE
Two Foscar," all have merit, and some
no little. Cain has much of boldness,
beauty and majesty OF speech. | must
/ limit further remarks to his greatest
poem, and TO the most tremendous satire
| in English. His Hebrew Melodies" have
| always possessed an undenlable charm for
me Let me quote an opinion of Cain"
from Gilfllan He writes, 1--WE regard it
not only us Byrons noblest production, but
as one of the finest poems In this or any
other language. 1t is such a work as
Milton, had he been miserable. would have
written. There is nothing in Paradise
ioJt superior to Gains fight with Luci-
fer through the stars, and nothing in
shakespeare superior to his conversations
with his wife Adah. We speak simply of
its merits as work of art-its object is
worthy of all condemnation
1t will be remembered that Byron was
greatly satirized criticised and con
demned among Englishmen. The then
pcet-laureate, amiabIe, accomplished, high
ly respectable, Robert Southey, compared
him to Moloch and Belial-most of all to
Satan. He wanted the British Govern
ment to deal with him. Byron had his
revenge and most complete. He publish
cd "The Vision of Judgment" aimed at
Southey, George ", and official pomp 1t
is the most terrible castigatiug satirical
poem in any modern language. 1t was de-
nounced and damned all around Britain.
1t was a great shock and most corrosive.
1t is of its kind a great success and
force. Mr.. Gilfllan regards it as 'un-
questionably the best abused" and 1t lis
also one of the best, and by no means the
most profane of his productions" / read
it some few years ago, and was profound
" impressed with its Bitterness, its con
tempt, its bravery, It's tremendous
strokes of ribaldry,' it's uncommon vigor
Eand intensity. 1t is the most savage,
virulent of satires and gets in its work
most effectively. Says our Scotch critic:
"All other hatred-that of Johnson-that
of Burke-that Of Juvenal-that of all,
save Junius--is tame and maudlin compar-
ed to the wrath of Byron expressed IN this
roem." Here the ground burns frore,
and cold performs is molten; his tears
vigor 1t abounds in splendid and graceful
of laughter as well as of misery, fall IN
burning showers" If you would become
acquainted with the perfection of hatred,
mixed With the strokes of rlbaldry,'
read this marvellous poem. You will find
exceedingly fine poetry, approaching
grandeur even and powerful description.
Take this as a sample or SO of the view
given of George III, the meanest possible
King-(See Thackeray's Lectures on the
-Four Georges.'O
''When the gorgeous coffin was laid low,
1t seemed the mockery OF hell 20 fold
I The rottenness of eighty years in gold
Passion! replied the phantom dim;
loved my country and l hated him.
The greatest of all of Byrons works is
don Juan" 1t is also his longest 1t is
q poem of low morals, of lebaseG views,
Tut of wonderful ease, felicity, patbos, and
tvigor 1t abounds in splendid and graceful
transitions and is written with the
choicest art and the most consummate
mastery of form. You can shudder, you
can laugh, you can weep, you can sympa-
thize or burn with Indignation and
wrath. 1t is poem of laughter, and yet
melanchol appears, reaches out perme
ates the mass. II is full OF sunlight and
shadow It's verse is the attaya rima. as
"Childe Harold is written in the Spen-
scrian stanza-the stanza of the immortal
"Fairie Queen" The rythm, the feeling,
the conversation, the style are simply
most admirable. It has humor, but
it is throughout sparkling with an ex
haustless current of wit'-with full OF