New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-05
AMERICAN POETS:
NEW VOICES AND OLD
Dr. Weir Mitchel's Muse-New Verse by the Latest OF
Our Literary Diplomatists-Niss Monroes Vol
ume and Two Interesting Newcomers.

The COMPLETE POEMS OF :. WEIR MITCHELL
limo ID. .l- fhe Century Company.
THE GRAND CANYON AND OTHER POEMS. ny
Henry van Dyke. Emo ID. IS. Charies s'''o'
ncrs Sons.
yor AND BY Hsrrle, Monroe. lamO, pp s1s.
Tie Macmillan Company.
TIL: CONGO AND OTHER POEMS BY Nschel
Lindsay. l2mo. pp l59 The MAemiilah 'V'u
pauy.
EARTH TRIUMPHANT. By Conrad Aiken. Emo
pp. gle The Macmillan Company
Physician first, novelist second, and
poet third, Dr. Weir Mitchell is yet by
no means to be classed as a third-rate
poet. There is danger, however, OF his
being so classed, for the inclusion IN
this .definitive edition Of one hundred
and fifty pages of third-rate lyrics
makes il doubtful whether the better
part of the book will be able 20 hold
its own. Though the dramatic and mar
rative poems come first, and comprise
more than half the volume, certainly
nine out of ten readers will turn at
once to the lyrics to make a prelim-
mary sounding will not turn back
Character, intellect and culture are
there in abundance, but the Muse is
stumbling and unfit to carry them.
Chained by stern duty to the rock OF
state,
His spirit armed in mail of rugged
mirth.
Ever above, though ever near to
earth,
Yet felt his heart the cruel tongues
that safe
Base appetities, and foul with SANDER,
wait
Till the keen lightnings bring the
awful hour
This extraordinary collection OF meta
phors-the first part OF sonnet on
Lincoln--shows to what an extent seri-
BUSINESS of purpose may sometimes duii
the critical sense. The passage, 10 De
sure. is below the average Level OF the
poems. but is not, on the other hand'
signally below the highest.
The dramatic and narrative poems;
however, make good reading. DRAKE
which is, we think, the best OF them'
has for its theme the attempted De-
travail of the great admiral by ms cner-
ished friend Thomas Doughty. IL IS
good subject for poet-psycnologls"
and DIR. Mitchell has used it well; II the
psychologist comes out ahead, the poet
Iags not far behind. The other long
poems are idyls that remind one not
ungracefully of Tennyson. In these
DAYS when even the poets are strehu-
Gus it is a pleasure to daily again. as
bere with pretty fancles:
So love. now bold, now put to tlmid
fight, .h,.
Grew none the less for seeming-shy
retreats, ~.
Like the slow, certain tides that are
made up
Of myriad wave-deaths.
A professor of literature, 1t seems
can be Just as undiscriminatlng as any
other poet in regard to his own poems
A considerable portion OF Dr' van
DYKES latest book consists OF songs
that had better been left unsung, anu
of these the most ambitious and least
successful are given first place. Texas,
A Democratic Ode" contains not Jew
lines as prosaic and thoughts as tri'e
as these
The heart becomes aware 49,,
That life without a country is not life
at all;
Faith in the worth of the smallest fact
and the laws that govern the
starbeams,
Faith in the beauty of truth and the
truth of perfect beauty
But it is not necessary to linger over
this part Of the book. IL will be more /
worth while to call attention to the |
humorous poems. which have taking /.
quality, and to two others which de- /
serve to be widely known-"Stain Not /
the Sky" and peace Hymn of the Re
public" Our country is, indeed, so 7
in the matter OF ma
tional anthems that it would be un-
not to quote the latter poem I
we omit the fourth stanzs):
o Lord our God, Thy mighty hand
Hath made our country free;
From all her broad and happy land
May praise arise to Thee.
Fulfil the promise OF her youth,
Her liberty defend;
BY law and order, love and truth,
America befriend!
The strength of every state increase
In Unions golden chain;
Her thousand cities fill with peace,
Her million fields with grain.
The virtues Of her mingled blood
In one new people blend;
By unity and brotherhood,
America befriend.
0 suffer not her feet 70 stray;
But guide her untaught might,
That she may walk in peaceful day,
And lead the world in light.
Bring down the proud, lift up the poor,
Unequal ways amend;
By justice, nationwide and sure,
America befriend!
Harriet Monroe is, OF course. mucn
more of poet than either DR.. Mitchell
" DR.. van Dyke. Her work has more
race and-if we may say it-more
'irility; it calls at once for the appn~
alton of a different standard. This
icing said, it must be submitted that
Hiss Monroe's success is not unvarying.
,he is az her best, we think, when she .
8 most restrained-or, as she would
put it, most conventional;
ghen her emotions are allowed iuil I
Of