The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-28
NEW BOOKS.
Some Poets and q Professor.

Some Poets and . Professor.
volume more modest in size than in
..niration il entitled Introduction TO
Poetry" (E. p. button 4 Coz, by Laurie
Maenus, NJ. A.. Of Magdalen College. Oxford.
The preface tells us that II is intended to
convey the elements Of taste and judg-
ment in poetry by the natural or direct
methods OF MISUNDERSTANDING In other
words. lite object Us to stimulate a reasona-
bic pleasure In poetry And an admirable
object truly. As to how far the Elements
of taste and judgment may be conveyed
nv the text book or the literary niger post
,nat points the short cut to Culture We
may feel some uncertainty; but the expert
ment il seldom without interest to the
observer. Having pointed out that the
frs, step is to learn hov to read, our pro-
feesor proceeds to demonstrate that Q
knowledge Of words 10 the beginning of
Judgment In literature. We must know
the difference between a simple and an
ornate style and distinguish the word
that is effective from that which 10 bonn
bastic the style that Is harmonious from
that which Is merely startling. And this
is not TO be accomplished all at once. Words
have habit OF ranging themselves In die
tionaries like soldiers on parade, and the
professor lines them up and makes
Them toe the mark for inspection.
Suppose he says TO the ambitious
and expectant candidate for culture
that you were going to write book and
that row Of words was waiting in your
ante-room for admission TO the work. Take
any list Of words from q dictionary and CON-
slider how you would deal with their claims.
Here are fourteen from "A:
Amsnuenss Ambassador
Lmaranth Ambidextrous
Amateur Ambiguous
Amatlve Ambition
Amazon Hmbrsa.
Now mark the professors method. In the
drafting Of words into their proper places
and fitting them TO their particular work,
as In the handling OF mon, nice judgment
Ia required. Amanxensis gets a short
shrift. Literally 1t means q from the
handler and unless you were
drafting an advertisement for clerk. or
were writing q book on middle-class pro-
fessions. you would politely tell the word
that you had no Use for its services. Ame-
rsah may be marked for selection III you
were about to write poem, or . piece Of
imaginative prose. in which q reference to
the other world could be tastefully intro
duced.' Amass is treated with consider
alton, - BELTS word that moves with q
certain dignity 1t Is pointed out that
though we may amass wealth or amass
experience, the bricklayer, unless he DO no
stylist, does not amass bricks, nor does
the card player amass counters, unless per-
haps he has phenomenal luck. Words have
their feelings, and 1t requires nice discrimi-
nation not to hurt them. Again we quote the
professor: II q man accustomed to clean
ateam engines were to apply for the post
OF an invalid's nurse you would probably
reject him. His rough hands. their traces
Of oil and the general bearing Of tho appli-
can't would guide your decision. By much
reading We learn to judge words a. accu-
rately as men, and we shall mark 'amass' for
ues II the book to be written requires q
wsll-bred word to express the meaning
Of heap together Amdteur Just squeezes
through with difficulty, but Amdtipe is
promptly sent away back to alt down. A
for the rest Of them they arc all subjected
to the keenest cross-examination and in
spection. and none may be said to pass the
watohful professor with IN absolutely clean |
bill OF health.
Under the heading OF Types Of Origi- |
nality.' some Of the poets who have re- |
VOTED from the bonds Of convention and |
tradition and have chosen original modes |
Of speech are considered. Walt Whitman
provokes the professor. He was
too ostentatiously original. and such .
passage as
And I could come every afternoon OF my life to |
look ct the farmers girl boiling her iron ieskettle
Ind baking short cake.
admirable as il may be as an expression |
Of sentiment. Is described As terrible verse. |
is dealt with more gently. as one
whose occasional true lyric melody con-
iones impieties against the muse: and |
when in Garden Fancies- the poet was
guilty OF such q misdemeanor a.
Then went indoors. brought out loaf
Half cheese and bottle Of Chabiis:
lay on the grass and forgot the oaf
Over q jolly chapter OF Rabeais
be IL excused on the ground that this was
merely the recreation OF o serious man,
me who did not command the light touch
II the literary jester.
The book concludes with an interesting
brief history Of the progress OF poetry
,long its two lines OF derivation. the Hellenic
md the Hebraic. Il 10 one Of series de.
signed for home and school use and has an
ippendix with notes.