New-York tribune., 1906-09-26


ish Main" we were reviewing with appreciation
not very long ago. has compiled a capital
anthology which he calls "a Sailors Garland
CThe Macmillan Company. AS a rule the preface
to anthology is Of slight interest. but IN this
case the Introductory pages are worth reading.
Glanctng rapidly over the field Mr.. Masefeld
comes, rightly enough, TO the conclusion that.
for a seagoing people, the English have written
less sea poetry than might have been expected
OF them. On the other hand. that which they
have written includes some Of the noblest IN all
literature Mr.. Maseheld's collection Of old and
modern pieces proves this, just 1t stands, and
We dare say that it would be possible to amplfy
it with innumerable examples of equal merit.
It IS not IN the set piece alone, in the poem
dedicated specifically TO the theme that the
English have celebrated the sea and life on the
sea in exquisite strains. The subject crops out
everywhere and illuminates countless splendid
passages. Take, for example. that glorious
chorus in King Henry W which for some
strange reason AIr. Masefeld has neglected TO
print with his citations from Shakespeare. AS a
picture IL is of Shakespearian magic all compact.
Suppose that you have seen
The weu-appointed king, a. HAMPTON pier
Embark his royalty; and his brave feet .,~,.
With sken streamers the young PhHbus tanning:
Play with your fancies, and IN then them 3tl; Peh9Id
Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give
To sounds confused; behold the threaden sails
Draw the huge bottoms through the furrow,d sea.
Breasting the lofty surge: o, do but think
You stand upon the rivage and behold
city on the inconstant pillows dancing;
For appears this fleet matestical,
Holding due course to HaI1eur
OF course there are other onissions-it is not
humanity possible to read a new anthology with
out thinking first of the ornissions-but, equally
Of course Mr.. Maseheld has assembled a great
deal Of material which could not easily get
at elsewhere and he gives the reader one sheaf
Of some twenty-five or thirty pages for which
we are especially grateful. II comes at the back
Of the book and it is given entirely to chanties.
The book is carefully printed on a good paper,
and il is light in the hand. We commend it 10
all lovers OF the sea, and they may be further
interested TO know by the way. that the same
anthoIogist is preparing another Sailors Gar
land" 10 be made up entirely of prose.
Next Tuesday Doubleday Page & Co. will
rrblish MT KipIing's new book. Puck OF Pook's
am" a book of stories for children which older
readers may nevertheless enjoy. If We may Judge
4ronn the two or three tales IN the collection
which we have read in magazine form. The
volume viii contain four illustrations IN colors
by MI Arthur Rackham. On the same date
Charles Scribner's Sons Will bring out Puck
Of Poolz's Hill" as numbered volume IN their
luxurious subscription edition OF Kipling. the
outward Bound" edition.
II must be five six years since Mr.. Mont
gornery Carmichael published Tho Life of John
william walshe. F. S. A." and reused our ad-
rriration for the skill and delicacy with which
he he'd nortraved an interesting spiritual type.
We assumed the book 10 be work OF fiction
for All that it appeared in Biographical form.
and ultimately our assumption was ratified by
the a,.hor but we remember that there was