New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-01

. 10 De IOuf0 III the OlhlINl. ny lllfSNtA'
and in the hands OF & master il is capa
bic OF producing such splendid results
as Swinburne was constantly achieving.
/ And vet Mr. Benson, as though 10 re-
flute himself at any cost since here i.
the best support OF his statement about
the technical interest Of Emily's verse
/ -curiously tells US in footnoteS that
/ she used being" and playing "a
monosyllables, thus depriving her OF
the credit for some technical skill and
accusing her Of incredible pronuncis-
ton
But even this interest added 20 its
biograph cal value does not eutow I'm
liv Bronze verse with any considerable
poetic significance. and most OF IT.
which has no mo~c than these qualities,
stands "a little chance a. Charlotte
or AIMEE Of receiving durable atten-
Ton for its own sake. II has, this bulk
or IT,. q greater intellectual gravity tnan
theirs, more apparent ponsioilty;
!, has also am occasional phrase ma
almost thrills. as "shadowy fend, ana
very often vague Indications o. IN IN
tcntion toward poetry OF the poeuc
energy hidden away IN the mind. but
seeking release. But rs We read on
through the work OF her earlier years
We una UtnF 0HH't IH-
elusive SUGGESTIONS that fs.l over and
over again 10 shape themselves INTO
poetry. j. is General, indefinite. dII.
fused made up Of easily accepted
imagery al! - which poetry exact.
" IS not. The sombre strength
Fmilv's very character itself for many
wear, could ind little but conyen-
iional expression. rather hectic vio-
ice thai may well have derived from
Tho lesser side Of Gray. The achieve
r,eut comes nearer. II 1913 the nope
has become an assurance. Inc poetry
los not come into unblemishnd lie,
,,. IN. noetry is seeking GelivcrSrce
.Lcr. can no longer bc rnv doubt. And
IN less than year We have "A Day
Drcar, " sinlple. indeed. and not o. uni
form certainty in its fi@ht but show
inc an athletic Imagination coming
into ito own. Then. as far az We can
tn from the recorded dates. for an
other year, with the exception OF
formlees and unsuccessful. poem win
,-cod touches In IT. there is silence 20
:, broken by "Rcmcmbrance,' with ITS
superb
CcI IN ,ac es-,u-ard fifteen via December.
i-olo r.o,a rrcm hills have melted into 'griaa.
and thereafter we have a poet who Is
never sure Of proving herself for long
together. but who repeatedly achleVeS
the note that makes her rank secure
against any challenge. The poems
make but a small gathering, but they
give 70 the author of one OF the moS'
nassionate novels in the language the
vet higher distinction OF having en-
r.ched forever the store OF English
poetry.
There remains to be considered the
surviving work Of BranWell Bronte. II
covers but 4 few pages-In Ir. Ben
sons selection, which VIC take az being
representative. fewer than twenty.
Branwell's story has been told many
times. and always with the same con,
cluson. lie had a good deal Of natural
charm and n character that was Tor
himself and his friends tragic in its
weakness.
II nav we'll be that i'm any poet who
he's achieved highly and used his gift
worthily and fully the balance Or
character can be SHOWN 10 be with no
hiItv, but that man may woful!y
abuse il t. as true or this gift a. 81
env other Although We may hope
fully believe that such lamcntable
vastage is rare. get even the great re
sDonsibility Of poetry may sometimes
be BETRAYED. as II was betrayed here.
and TO relieve Branwell OF the respon-
sibility altogether by denying his gift,
and 80 20 make his tragedy common
place instead Of realizing its last bit
terncss. il to tribe with facts. The
man who could, in spite Of himself.
write thus, the man who, living until
he was past thirty, left what amounts
20 no more than momentary gesture
IN witness OF the precious gift that was
there for his taking, presents a tras-
edy far more poignant than 1t has com
/ monty been shown 10 be.