New-York tribune., 1907-11-16
POETS And PLACES.
Wordsscorth in England and Broucn-
ing an Italy.

ing in Italy.
wQ4RRDswoBBTH AND HIS CIRCLE. BY David
trations, Sro. pp xii. $50. G. P. Pgtnams ilinS
Sons.
WITH I'll. ..!!1 W!!oRRsWoRRTH IN ENGLAND Being a
SSSg99 9f tRe Poems and Letters Of william
scenery and English Life Selected and Ar
rated from PhotogTsPhs mo oeTphaH pp XVI lSI as
Chicago: A {. McClurg & Co.
POEMS BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Sc
Brooke frustrated by Edmund H %e%. svo 3
PIP Xiv. go The Mcclure Company.
BRowENIING,.s sCE ITALY A Study Of Italian Life
TG clsrIe Ar' I STo%nins BY Helen APchi3ald
Baker & Taylor Company
Talk about the poets which includes in its
range their familiar everyday associations is
always interesting. so long as It steers clear Of
merely trivial things. This is the kind Of talk
that fills AIr. Rannies volume on Wordsworth
He is q thoughtful writer. keenly concerned
with his hero's ideas and earnest In their inter
pretation, but his chief purpose is to ramble
through Wordsworth's career, describing the
scenes amid which It was spent Indicating the
intellectual developments by which It was
marked, and paying constant attention 10 the
poets relations with his friends. Coleridge
Lamb and Southey, De Quincy, Scott. Chris
topher North" and others are all carefully
sketched. and extracts freely given from
their letters when these offer appropriate ma
teriaL OF course. too, there many quota
tions from Wordsworths writings The
man in his daily walk and demeanor is clearly
brought out, and though DR.. Rannie's narrative
is essentially discursve it leaves. the whole
a we'll balanced impression OF its subject Stu
dents looking for new light on this writer's
genius, for original and inspiring criticism. will
not be much satisfied by these pages The mere
lover of Wordsworth will find them sympathetic
and for the young reader whose tastes are in
the formative period Dr. Rannie should prove
a stimulating companion. His is a book 10 in
tcrest the beginner in Wordsworth's personality
and to give him zest for the works.
In carrying on the series Of volumes in which
she has illustrated the italian aspects Of the
lives Of Byron, Shelley and the Brownngs, Mrs.
McMahan has done we'll to extend her scope
and to bring Wordsworth into her scheme.
Photography and poetry do not go we'll to-
gether. but II there are any poems which permit
the use Of the camera in their Illustration they
are those poems of Wordsworth's in which he
paints the English landscape. Mrs. McMahan
has made her selections with good judgment
and has fitted pictures to them with equal tact
In some cases her task has been simplicity itself.
An allusion in THE Recluse" TO the poets home
one OF GTdSIllSIG > lO"iy N''S''i4'5N - A-~N
uraly accompanied by a photograph Of Dove
Cottage. But Mrs McMahan knows the right
photograph 70 use for passages Of far wider
significance and her pictures are often OF uneX-
pected appositeness and beauty. Her photo
graph of Wordsworth's glen at Alfoxden is
charming in itself. and it is in harmony with
tho ,7oer1 II faces in the book. that one begin
ming:
heard thousand blended notes
Wbne in a grove safe recned.
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts TO the mind
Mrs. McMahan's biographical notes are con-
else and gracefully put together The letters
she introduces are also handled with good edi-
tor,al Judgment. In short. the book is based on
a capital idea and is well executed.
The volume of Wordsworth's poems edited by
Tho Pow stopford A. Brooke and illustrated by
Mr. Z. H. New has been framed with the idea
oF a,nnhasizing that spiritual essence Of the
1andscape and its PARASITIC soul OF lonely
nIaces-which Wordsworth made the founda-
tton Of his poetry OF nature" Mr.. New has Wis
tied the rural scenes in the poets life, and in
a spirit Of something like devotion, has endeaY-
ored to get their sweet sentiment into his work.
In o,a respect his careful line drawings dis
annointing. They want atmosphere. IN the re-
production OF tangible forms. however, the pro-
flies of mountains and the outlines or trees and
stones, they are fairly SUCCESSFUL 1Hey nave
too. a modest touch of style which is very en-
eaeing It is a pity that so daintily planned a
hook should have been printed on stiff and
heavy paper and put into singularly unat-
tractive binding
"Browning's Italy" is about inviting con-
tribution 10 the literature of the subject we
have encountered In a long time. Miss Clarke
takes the poems which have italian subjects
and discourses lightly and briefly on the original
aources OF the poets work. Thus in her open
;ne ESSAY on THE Dawn of the Renaissance"
she tells the reader all about "the real Sordelo,"
quoting from the poem whenever a passage will
strengthen her narrative. In another chapter
she iIluminates the text Of 'Luria" well as
that of King Victor and King Charles" In a
third. on THE Italian Scholar" she makes
references to the story of Southern culture
which enhance the interest OF "Pletro OF Abano.'
and .aThe Grammarians Funeral" Other chap
ters ON ''The Artist and His Art" and Pictures
oP Social Life" bring in matters germane 10
noems Of which we need scarcely remind the
reader of Browning. Much is said. as was to
ssrhe Ring and t.- RaoL-"