On this page
-
Text (1)
-
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 205
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
^ Last Poems. By Elizabeth Barrett Brown...
honesty we put it aside some with words , pity of and praise sympath —not y , in onl this y wishing case to we minister could to in
say just vanity to ; comfort not in thi a s mother case to lead or a to haisb a second and in worthless the long volume ing- of — their but
sorro But wful when pride we knew in what that is these so dear " Last to Poems them . " were to "be iven to g
us there can have been few hearts that did not feel impatient to welcome them not only as a legacy that must have a great intrinsic
ing value , not onl never y as one poems verse from that a hand did not which hold never some wrote deep an unmean thougnt
but moreover page , precious—not to loving relatives alone or sorrowing , friendsbut to us all as the last . Trivial things and careless
the phrases earnest , are utterance consecrated of one by whose that word genius ; how we all much reverenced more then and
whose loss we all claim a right to mourn ! This little volume contains twenty-eight short poems and
twentyfive translations . Of the original poems eleven refer to the political events and characters in which Mrs . Browning took so
w rous arm such an in blind terest enthusiasm , and for whom . The she readers felt and of pleaded tlie CornMll with such Magazine gene- ,
in & c this , , have volume alrea — dy but read the and greater doubtless part cop come ied to some us for few the of first the time poem . s
This is not the time for criticism were we so inclined , and praise would be almost needless ; we will therefore only say that every
page in the book has the old tone of thought and ring of expression so familiar to us
. There is perhaps more general smoothness in the versification and more simplicity in the rhymes than in many of her
note earlier more poems clearl ; perhaps y than ever too , more the streng concentration th and it , and may we be think boldness we
of expression which gives such peculiar and startling force to Mr . Browning "We can ' s fancy writing indeed . that one or two lines in their brave daring
and honesty may jar on some ears—whether justly or not it is lines hardly are for but us used to decide to enforce : of one som thing e pure we meaning all rest * assured or to thrust that upon such
us some righteous truth , which in vaguer and more conventional phraseology might have flowed and on in smooth with which words , to all join that to
p drown lacid the sea knowled of idle ge compassion and recollection regret of the sores and we plague- try spots of the worldIt was MrsBrowning's mission to show to each
. . individual soul that none can stand aloof in blameless inactivity , but that a share of the great universal wrong lies at the door of
each Some one will of us say , who poetry does not is hardl rise y up a to suitable protest vehicle and to for redress so stern it . a
look lesson back , but we she see was that a the poet name and s she of the jud great ged differentl masters y of — the and art if are we
all more or less associated with , solemn , reproof of their age and a
Notices Of Books. 205
NOTICES OF BOOKS . 205
-
-
Citation
-
English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), May 1, 1862, page 205, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01051862/page/61/
-