New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-03
CURRENT TALK OF
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
An Early Criticism of Leaves of Grass George Crabbe
Elderly Courtshps- Nathaniel Hawthornes
Opinion of Women Authors

"a new book called Leaves of Grass
has lust come out which is worth
knowing about" wrote Charles Eliot
Norton 10 James Russell Lowell, Sep
TENDER %. 1880. 1T is a quarto vol
ume of numerical poetry" continued
the letter, land its author, according to
his own account, is Walt Whitman,
one Of the roughs, kosmos. The
account of this curious affair, given In
the recently published Letters of
Charles Eliot Norton" OIoughton Milf
fin Company, proceeds:
II is a book which has excited Elmer
sons enthusiasm He has written let
ter to this zone of the rOughs when !
have seen. expressing the Wafmest ad-
miration and announcement. II ls no
wonder that he likes IL, for Walt Whit
man has read the Dial" and Mature"
and combines the characteristics OF
Concord philosopher with those OF New
York fireman There Is little original
thought. but much original expression In
it, There are some passages or most Wig
orous and vivid writing. some superbly
graphic description, great stretches OF
imagination-and then passages OF intol-
cradle coarsenesS-nOt gross and llcen-
The book is such. indeed, that one cannot
leave it about for chance readers, and
would De sorry to know that any woman
had looked into it past the title page.
have got a copy for you, for there are
things i'm il that YOU will admire, and Il
is worth having merely as literary
curiosity, for the external appearance OF
II, the covers. the portrait, the priut, are
as odd as the inside.
Gaoroe Crabhe PhiIa nderer
The recent vogue-it seems to be
waning-of what is perhaps best de-
scribed as "amatory biography may
be responsible for the publication IN
England Of The Romance of an FL
derry Poet" the poet being George
Crabbe. The romance. If that II can
be called, is found in his letters 10
Elizabeth Charter. one of the many
ladies whom he began wooing at hitN
after the death OF his wife. The gen.
eral facts of the case are already sud
ciently well known. Crabbe, at ease
in his vicarage at Trowbridge after his
yariegated career. Systematically set
about finding a second mate TO bless
his declining years. and sought her by
correspondence. Realizing, no doubt,
in the youth of his old age, that time
was flying, he began tender epistola.y
negotiations with no less than six ell
gible danes at the same time, taxing
care of course, TO give each OF them
the impression that she was the only
one. At one time he was actually on
gagged to marry Charlotte Ridout. OF
his own parish. but nothing came ot
this match and the search was con-
tinued. Thus Crabbe entered into cor
respondence with Elizabeth Charter.
who promptly refused him, but sue
ceeded i'm gaining his friendship.
Crabbe confided TO her in his letters
the details OF some OF his courtships
while she. on her part. seems 10 have
been the only lady he courted who con-
sidered his correspondence OF sufficient
interest To preserve IT for posterity. 1t
does not form pleasant chapter I'm the
poets life TO read at this late day. but
il undoubtedly throws curious ligh,
on the character and ethical standards
OF man who had been pitchforked