New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-01

Siuole S IN the Greater French Poets BY John
ley. ~ N'' 90 mitchell henner-
Mr.. Bailey discourses on French noe-rv mn,
simply because he has a disinterested feeling
Tor the subject but because he believes that II
Is uhIusty neglected by English lovers of lit
erature- Discussing this neglect in a few re-
gfeuoi but NOT at all captious pages, he pro-
ceecs 10 examine the causes of it and then in
a series OF half dozen essays, to interpret GER
tam salient types. hoping thereby TO win new
adherents fer his masters. He has written
capital book and this for the reason that ad-
miration does not blind him. He knows per-
fecily well that the poets OF France do not
make, on the whole, the most wonderful galaxy
Ia the world. No one could be more candid than
De- is in stating their limitations But he rightly
maintains that there are in French poetry
things worth knowing which are not 10 be found
aIyW here else, and he asks his readers 10 pause
upon these things instead Of passing by on the
other side, almost though they We're not
there With quiet persuasiyeness he makes
good Lis case.
We have the more confidence in him because
n is so clearly possessed Of a true instinct for
the essential quality in the poetry Of any nation
This comes out with especially good effect in the
chapter Racine. which he sets in the forefront
81 his volume. Comparing the French poet with
Shakespeare, h. sharply exposes the difference
between the virtues which are ponderable and
those which somehow transcend all our powers
Of appraisal. French poetry" he remarks lis
too much occupied with sa wing what il has to say
and saying il with unequalled point and pre-
cision. But that is the special business of prose-
Of poetry. II is Of the very essence Of poetry
10 suggest thousand things which il can never
say" There you have in nutshell an exIlana-
ton of the i'll fortune of French poetry among
difference between Racine and Shakespeare.
The grief Of Andromache is great and greatly
told we find IL in the verse Of Racine. The
grief of Lear and Desdemona is beyond all
human telling" There is an old saying some
where In French criticism concerned with Racine
about the dramatic figure making an impression
by The Utterance Of fine sentiments and the
dramatic figure that is impressive even when
silent- Shakespeare's figures in themselves
# poetic eloquence all compact, and, what is
more when they DO speak their words carry with
th"m Undesirable erI,e rations. The question
resolves its'lf in the last resort, into one Of
~ hat only be- vaguely defined the magic
4 inspiration. Has French poetry had that in
sIiration2 II has had flashes II il. but never
quite the bountlful resources in this regard which
Imply an authentic and enduring Parnassus.
There has been something in tho genius Of the
race not SO much inIncal 70 poetic ardor in its
essence as tending 10 discipline that ardor. Like
French Gothic architecture, which is all ro-
mantle luxuriance without but which rests
within a deicately poised equilibrium, and is
susceptible. to its principles, Of almost math-
enIaticsl demonstration, French poetry has al
ways had an underlying fidelity TO a certain law
f form Hence the absence Of those beauties
which belong 10 a Shakespeare or Dante You
cannot work miracles with awestruck eye
upon some more or less closely formulated ideal
There Is another key TO the renunciations of
French poetry which Mr.. Bailey has rather
oddly omitted 10 notice. IL is To be found in a
curious spirit Of professionalism. Tie English
poet las always been wei aware Of the signifi-
e:lnde Of his Office, and even in such time of
poetic expansion as that Of the Elizabethans
you find linn allied % the patron. Yet, with his
pen IN has hand your English poet las ever been
"A liwless type moving not only freely but adj
seuturous!y in his element. In France, the
other hand, tie poet has been, IN much mar