New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-20


exclusively associated with modern art. II
seems that among the many noted individuals
who have sat to him we are 10 reckon M
Edouard Paillero1. the author Of lie Mohoe
GU ron s'Ennuie," and the half-length painted
of that brilliant dramatist by the American
artist has just been presented by Nine Fan
leron to the Musee de Versailles Palllerons
home was for many years established IN the
town so beloved by the kings and courtiers OF
the old regime.
Several years have passed since Mrs. Helen
Hay Whitney published her first volume OF
poetrv. In the mean time her gift has matured,
and the thin volume of "Sonnets and Songs"
Csarper & Brothers. which she has just brought
ont. discloses graver and more subtle thought
and a frner, If not more graceful, touch
The burden Of many of these new pieces is pen
sive TO the point of melancholy, but, as in their
predecessors the emotion has none OF that
faootdity which is SO common in the minor
verse Of the day. There is nothing morbid here.
When the author hits upon a rather fantastic
motive she brings from its core an idea which
is as finely suggestive as it is POLITICALLY fellc-
:tous. Witness this example:
EToILEs D'ENFER
The four wide winds of evening have their stars,
TOSSED TO their height by endless avatars-
These all the righteous know.
What of the stars OF Hades? On the gloom
And Il IN the living night that is their tomb
They dream Of Paradise
They know the stars Of Hades, They are e Deeds
%iP5 es9 60 g1 Ref fro4 f T IL sGS Weeds
Rest-and redeem the past
In the second division Of Mrs. Whitney's book,
from which this is taken. We observe nearly
everywhere the same balance between fmag1na-
lion and technique. The thirty sonnets, on the
other hand, rarely leave so satisfactory an I'M
preston. Mrs. Whitney is too instinctlVeIy skill
ful m the exercise OF her craft to do violence TO
the most difficult of all the poetic forms through
taotsess handling or to fail through mere weak
ness vet there is Enthusiastically something want
ing to these polished compositions Perhaps 1t
Is the bold constructive power which will make
a sonnet good sometimes despite the absence
of charm. Perhaps II is the noble music winch
is inseparable from the form in its hlghesI
estate More probably the shortcomings OF THIS
part Of the book are due to the authors having
written It with less Of the arhess inspiration
that has done so much for her songs. The SON
NETS command a certain respect as well pom
dered and yvorkmanlike productions The songs
gain more than the readers respect; they gain
his admiration, for their appeal is spontaneous
and sweet; they are tenderly Joyous. as in The
Ribbon. - or they are rather grimly medltatlve,
as in the lines. ITO a Moth" but always they
sing themselves, and express an interesting
tenperament in terms that are interesting with
No hint of effect We must quote one more
specimen of Mrs. Whitney at her best;
THE RIBBON.
All. dearest. dearest not alone
The fair bright ribbon Of the 1 h0gFsN eovers
Pms a dear line from you to you.
There is no smallest aeed l 90 not ,,,n
Through which the ribbon does not fuH'
A silver string to pearls OF sun:
So glad I watch the moments ny
: Tn in radiant flame they burn;
To mark the hour Of your return
=. q. GOOD news that the Dents are to issue, IN
rondon an edition of Miss Isabel Hapgoods
translation Of the works of Tourgenieh' pup
iished by the Scribners in sixteen volumes WIN
an ,ntroduction by Mr.. Henry James That IS
ERE kind of literary achievement which we ike
To have placed before our English cousins from
-,r,a n time It is better calculated to give
them a correct idea Of our way of doing things
than are three-fourths of the novels which we
send them every year. Miss Hapgoods version
Of the great Russian is a brilliant piece Of work
and we believe it will prove as successful among
English readers as il has proved on this side Of
the water. The Dent edition will Of course, be,
like our own luxurfously printed and bound
Tn the auction room there is teacher like
INTO Mistress Experience, but the novice always
makes his start with the better grace when he
has obtained a little preliminary advice from
veteran There is a place, therefore, for Mr.. J.
Herbert Slaters How TO Collect Books Crhe
Macmillan Company, attractive illustrated
octave in which a path through the wilderness
is neatly blazed for the amateur. As is nova
days usual in books Of the sort, practical mat
tiers are made the more agreeable through being
set forth with the aid Of an occasional anecdote,
an occasional dip into the literature Of the sub
ject on its lighter side Thus, in his chapter
dealing with great collectors, Mr. Slater tells an
old but always fascinating story of Charles
Nodier fascinating because it gives so vivid
sense Of what the true passion of the collector
means.
He had three libraries. but not a copy Of Virgil
in any of them. Like Earl Spencer. who is cred
tied with having bought the famous library OF the
Tlule of Cassano with the primary object Of
Sa co1Id not meet with elsewhere Nodier was
aS NE have already mentioned haunted by a book
pave given anything in exchange, or paid anything,
for q clean, uncut copy OF the right Virgil with
ms tEaf he could not obtain it, so preferred to
20 aifholIt Virgil all The particular edition he
$500 ~ Atrahar Elzevtr, in 1886. There is more
- one isg:1e Of that date but the has
n1lspTnn' before the Bucocs-'Ego vero fire.
e1sntes a te liter6s accipio, ETC. IS not in black.
- - red The second indispensable red passage
oos ~ On mage q2-'.si miht susceptum," etc a
cory Of the right Issue could BE get nov With
3-cttop IN ApriI 1902 for I'LL and another copy
les tai" FOR e a little time befor9
we Ike Mr. slater's way Of passing from
eSodter TO the facts about the right" Virgil. II
Is characteristic in its thoroughness. Similarly,
-yben Il, the chapter on Strange Books" he