The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-27
NEW BOOKS.
...x Lovs sougs Done Into English.

The latest addition to the Lovers L.
brarv" series, published by John Lane, 10
inv volume entitled Love Songs from the
nr..k." BY Jane Minot Sedgwick. That
,ounp lady should possess sufficient scholar
ship. and at the same time sufficient tech
meal skill, to produce with close approach
"a accuracy and to artistic excellence
n,etrical and rhymed translation OF some
~ the masterpieces among Greek minor
Ivrics has ceased to be surprising phenom-
anon. The scheme Of feminine education
ba. been profoundly changed during the
.i,,y wears that have elapsed since Eliza
heh Barrett with the help Of private tutors,
made herself thoroughly familiar with the
Attic writer's Of tragedy and comedy and
as,onishsd the reviewers with . remarkable
English version Of the "Prometheus Bound
Of Eschylus. Nov that young women can
secure in the English and American univer-
stiles degrees or certificates Of proficiency
equivalent to degrees, and have repeatedly
attained high honors In the classics at
oxford and cambridge and Harvard
there is no rSason why they should not
follow Mrs. Bbwning's example, provided,
of course, they have gift for verse;
making, a. veil as . frst-hand knowledge
Of Hellenic toetry. These qualifications
Miss Sedakick undoubtedly possesses.
Her TRANSITIONS are graceful and pleasing
in themselves. and they are permeated with
tho Greekspirit. This we can prove by a
few excerpts. We begin with the prelude.
in which the author tells her readers that
thew mut seek the originals Of her songs,
not IN dc choral odes Of tragedy. but in the
Anthology:
Pink not that In my pages ~ shall read
II Priam and his foes.
bf NIobe lamentng In her need
Or wild Nsdea's woes:
jor of sad Philomel so long Of yore
Changed 70 . nightingale:
I Since they have all been written OF before
In many an earlier tale.
No. but the Graces in q dance divine,
And Eros. too. appears
With Bacchus, In this little book OF mine:
These ask you not for tears
| or course, in the following lines, "A Kiss
| Within the Cup the author had no thought
Of inviting comparison with Ben Jonson.
vet II u evident that he and she had the same
Greek model before them:
There 10 no eladness IN the glass
Uness thou pour for me:
But taste II nrst before II pas.
And will drink With thee:
For. II thoss lovely lips Of thine
Have breathed upon the bnm.
lswear that will drain the Wine.
Although II reach the nm.
Oh who could bear to say thee nay.
When thou hast Kissed the cupf
Or who would turn the other way,
When thou hast hled itup!
For. oh. the cup has kept the KISS
And carries me q share,
To show all the wasted bllSs
Thy lips have lavished there.
In the stanzas entitled 'The Snare We
seem to get an echo Of Herrick, who him
self was nourished on the Anthology:
Ny love beneath q leafy tree
Had spread the birdlme out.
And many creatures Of the air
Came nuttenng about.
Al last bisekbird SHARED Itself
AsN aytng b..
And. when she caught II b. tse wnss,
heard rs fnghtensd cry.
Andy o dearest God ofLovs
And lister Grsces threei
Ysknow how gladly would change
This winged bird to bel
All. could only now become
bisckbird or IRISH,
So might whimper In her hands,
And hear her bid me hush.
Tho Euphuia&s would have reNshsd the
s1travaSancs Of hyperbols in the lines
called The Lover 10 His Mistress:
The nose Of June requires NO dress
To ornament her loveliness:
So, lady. you no silken gown
Do nssd. nor yet . jewelled crown.
The whitsasss of NO pearl sndures
moment to be matched with yours.
And Furnished gold cannot compare
WITH tangled spiendors OF your hair.
The sapphire from the Indian mine
Doth sparkle with . ray divine:
Yet from your eyes that are more bright
There flashes still bluer light
And, oh, the sweetness Of your lips.
That other kisses all eclipse
Your perfect grace that msn adore
The eestuses that Cypns wore.
The last extract that we shall make from
this little book, which we would commend
for extreme delioacy Of treatment, as we'll
az for neatness Of workmanship, describes
what seem to the Greeks the most pathetic
thing in life, the death Of young unmar-
RED woman. Tho verses bear the caption OF
'The Wayside Grave:
Where this white pillar stande,h.
Oh, stop, and turn aside
For here gin Is lying
Who WAS 10 be bride.
BY her SIN all grave in passing
Pause only for a breath.
And In your heart consider
How envious is DeHth
THIS monument of marble
Beside the dusty way
Tells of . maid who persisted
Before her marriage day
The Same tall. danng torches
Kindled with festal hre
For burning at her bridal
Lit up the funeral pyre-
And thou. o Hymeneus!
Amid the joyous throng,
Didst change the wedding chorus
Into . mourning song.
NJ W. H.
4 Counties. . Count erfeiter and . Lord.
cold night for the opening of Josephine
Zeman's story, "The Victims Triumph
C. ". Dillingham; Company. The horses
cough and SILVER in the icy streets. and the
purple cabmen beat their frigid hands.
We ourSelyes need not mind the biting |