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Leader (1850-1860), 12th May 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 451, Untitled Article

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      Max 12 , 1 B 55 . 1 THE LJ 1 A D ER . ^ @

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      Youth is a gay and gilded bark Oa Time ' s far-rolling Sea ; There , Scylia ' s rocks loom , dire and dark , Charybdis' golfs , a-lee ! Oh ! may ' st thou , -wafted o ' er the Main , ( Life ' s checker'd Voyage past , . Each danger ' scaped ) in safety gain Heaven ' s blissful Port at last ! Adieu ! The parting hour ia near—Our interview is o' -er—And the friends that hail'd thy coming here . May greet thee never more ! But thy vision'd form , in future years , 'Mid darkness and decays , Shall eheer our sight , through smiles and tears , Like " The Light of Other 3 > ays !" Mr . H . B . Maedonald ' s Abdul Medjid was written , the preface tells us , " a few months ago , at a period when the downfal of the Turkish Empire appeared an event of more absolute proximity than that to which the chances of war have now removed it ; " and the author courageously proclaims himself " one of those who are of opinion that in this matter we are scarcely yet arrived at the beginning of the end . " The profound originality of the poem may be imagined from this tremendous intimation . Mr . C . R . Brown ( Lays and Lyrics ) launches without preface of any kind on a stream of metre along which he floats complacently enough . There is an intolerable—because intolerant—air about this gentleman which completely steels us against his tacit and probably unconscious plea of youth . Of the individual Brown , indeed , we have nothing to say . An extract from his volume will save us the trouble- It is in his character of representative nuisance that he provokes criticism . We see in him the Brown who , to use one of his favourite metaphors , is the Dead Sea apple of life ' s vegetarian banquet , though without the tempting outside of that cindery fruit . He is the Brown who always leans against the mantelpiece at evening parties ^ and " surveys the giddy throng with feelings of scorn he does not care to hide . " He is the Brown who is so terribly severe on Shams . He is the Brown who , ridiculously assuming that he is a poet , assumes , moreover , that which no real poet , in his bitterest sense of isolation , ever proclaimed or felt to be true—that the brilliant light of genius is needful to a perception of beauty , goodness , and truth . In fine , Brown , the abstract , who figures dismally in most men's experience , is represented with dreadful truth by the ooncrete Brown , for whose verse we now bespeak attention : — MB- BROWN ON A WATEBFAIi . On the grassy bank Of a nameless stream I lay flat along ; The while mine ears drank The murmuring music Of its plaintive song . Just above where I lay-Beneath two willows , Reclined on each other , A leafy arcade—In mimic billows Rising , the waters played Bound some old black ; stones At the back of a rock , With low , gurgling moans 5 Ere , divided they fell Through the rocky drains , £ ' < In crystal chains , With a tinkling sound—Like the distant chiming Of a village bell—Into a pool ; ^ j , A round little pool , Dark , deep , and cool ; Where the sly little trout Glides smoothly about , Or , at times , with a bound—Talcing its aim well—Hursts through a foam-bell Above the water , Bent upon slaughter ; " " Its victim , a fly , That has dared to pry , With inquisitive eye , Into the pool . Had not the author of Blanche of Bourbon anticipated us by describing that poem as a " feeble imitation" of Scott , we should have quoted a passage or two , in order to establish the accuracy of the definition . Wo let Mr . Jones off easily because , coming after Brown , bis humility is affecting , and , bettor still , precise . . The gentleman whose verses constitute the overpowering minority , in tins batch , of—at all events—gooU fooling , good sonee , and good tasto , is Mr . Keene ; and his book , containing more than fifty pieces , of variouw length and unequal merit , ia called J < lx Eremo . Mr . Keene , placed by fortune in a lucrative office in India , still yearns for English skies , and breezes " pure though chill . " A few of his poems wo reeogniso for old acquaintances , ¦ first ^ formed in Blackwvod . Wo may hcr < s " state that wo have read his book through —a book of more than fifty detached pieces be it remembered—and have been frequently reminded of the culm flowing sweetness of Allingham's gentle muse , If Mr . Keene is uniiblc to sustain the resemblance very long together , by tho more exorcino of his own powers , ho seldom loses the trace ^ of kindred in hia line appreciation of minute beauties around him . Indeod , his forte is altogether tho perceptive ; accordingly his traiiHlatinxns are , perhaps , the best things in Inn hook . We select one , after B < fran « or . There is all the tenderness , all tho humanity of the origuml , and

      I there is , besides , something of its natural and winning grace- It is no slig ] addition to Mr . Keene ' s claim on our praise , that he should have preserve to us , with the full fresh flavour of the fruit , its delicate and evanesce ] bloom . THE CRADLE . Behold , dear friends , this pinnace light and frail Timidly tempt th& waves of life's rough sea , The little passenger is young to sail Alone—his earliest mariners be we . Already have the waters made it float ; Calmly it shall preserve its life-long "way , If we , who watch the launching of the boat , Seek by our songs to make its passage gay . Already Fate has filled its canvas light , Already Hope her brightest aspect wears , And promises beneath a starlit night , Calm seas for ever , soft and fragrant airs . Away , away , birds of ill-omened note , Love is the captain of our crew to-day , Let us , who watch the launching of the boat , Seek , by our songs , to make its passage gay . They hang their garlands on the blessed mast , And share the toils , Dione ' s love-led band ; We have made offering to the Sisters chaste , And Friendship has the tiller in his hand ; Bacchus himself shall cheer us while afloat , Invoking pleasure with a jocund lay , Let us , who watch the launching of the boat , Seek , by our songs , to make its passage gay . Who is it comes to bid the vessel hail ? * Tis Disappointment ; she makes Virtue blest , And trusts that sacrifices may -avail To give this infant happiness , or rest ; While our prayers' echo dies on rocks remote , Sure that the gods give ear , to whom we pray , Let us , who see the launching of the boat , Aid , by our songs , to make its passage gay .

      Untitled Article

      BOOKS ON OUR TABLE . The Quarterly Journal of Pure < md Applied Mathematics . Edited by J- J . Sylvester , M . A ., &c , N . M . Ferrers , M . A ., assisted by G . G . Stokes , M . A ., &c , A . Cayley , M . A ., &c , and M . Hermite . ( No . 1 . ) John W . Parker and Son . Parisian Etiquette : a Guide to the Manners of French Society in Paris . Translated from the French . John F . Shaw-The British Cavalry at Balaklama : Remarks in Reply to Lieutenant-General the Earl of Lucaris Speech in the House of Lords . By a Cavalry Officer . Charles Evans . Printing : its Antecedents , Origin , History , and Results . By Adam Stark . ( The Traveller's Library , 82 . ) Longman , Brown , Green , and Longmans . The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland . By Thomas Moore , F . L . S ., edited by John Lindley , Ph . D ., &c . Nature printed , by Henry Bradbury . ( Parts 1 and 2 . ) Bradbury and Evans . The Rag-bag : a Collection of Ephemera . By N . Parker Willis . Trubner and Co . Chtt-doors at Idlewild ; or , the Shaping of a Home on the Banks of the Hvdson . By N " . P . Willis . Trubner and Co . Beauties of Fanny Few , with a Sketch of her Life and Writings . Knight and Son . Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer . Edited by Robert Bell . Vol . 4 .

      John W . Parker and Son . Jonas Clint : a Tale . , J- H . Parker . Ivan III . ; " or , a Day and Night in Russia : a Dramatic Sketch , in Five Acts . By John Bell Sculptor . Chapman and Hall . The Sabbath ; or , an Examination of the Six Texts commonly adduced from the New Testament in proof of a Christian Sabbath . By a Layman . Vols . 1 and 2 . Chapman , and Hall . The Sabbath ; or , an Inquiry into the Sujtposed Obligation of the Sabbath of the Old Testament . By Sir William Domvillo , Bart . Chapman and Hall . The Royal Gallery of Art , Ancient and Modern : Engravings from the Private Collections of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness Prince Albert , and Heirlooms of the Crown at Windsor , Buckingham Palace , and Osborne . Edited by S . C . Hall , F . S . A ., &c . ( Part 0 . ) P . and D . Colnaghi and Ca The Martins of Cro' Martin . By Charles Lever . ( No . G . ) Chapman and HalL Letter to Lord Brougham on the Question of Trusteeship in England . By Le Chevalier de Chatelain . Hardwicke . Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature , Science , and Arts . ( Part 16 . ) W . and R . Chambers .

      The English Cyclopwdia ; a N <> w Dictionary of Universal Knowledge , based on the " Penny Cyclopcedia . " Conducted by Charles Knight . ( Part 26 . ) Bradbury and Evans . The Newcomes . Edited by Arthur Pondcnnie , Esq . ( No . 20 . ) Bradbury a / nd Evans . The Masonic Mirror : a Monthly Journal of Freemasonry , devoted to the Proceedings of Masonic Lodges , the Welfare of the Order , the Interests of its Charities , Literature , and News . ( No . 7 . ) Br - barton . The Omlmies : a Novel . By the Author of " The Head of tho Family , " &c . ( Cheap Edition , revised . ) Chapman and Moll . The Castle of Ehrenstein : its Lords , Spiritual and Temporal ; its Inhabitants , Earthly and Unearthly . By G . 1 * . Ji . J limes . ( Parlour Library . ' ) Thomas Hodgson ; The Art-Journal—New Series : containing the lioyal Gallery . ( No . G . ) Virf . uo and Co .

      Olqmjma . Simpkin , Murahall , and Co . The Forger's Wife . By John Lang . War < 1 aml Lock - JSkotrtuta Road-book for the Rail ; Western IHHshm , including the Lmes south oj the Thames ; and comprUim , the South- Western , South-FuMcm liru / htonand > South . Coast , Great Western , A'orth and South Wales , London and A « W /* -II este . ru , and neiuhbourina Lines ; upon a Sea l , of T , n Mile , to tl . cincJ , with Soticesq , J owns Villages , principal Seats , Historical Localities , Tunnels , Viaducts , and other objects j .. r ' / . / , ' David lJoirae . of interest on the route . ° The most Eminent Orators and Statesmen of Ancient and Modern Times ; containing Si-etches of their Lteea , Specimens of

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 12, 1855, page 451, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2090/page/19/