The Press. SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1899. PROFESSOR TUCKER ON AUSTRALIAN POETRY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10410, 29 July 1899, Page 6

The Press. SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1899. PROFESSOR TUCKER ON AUSTRALIAN POETRY.

Professor T. G. Tucker devotes some* half a dozan pages of the "Review of Reviews" for July to a criticism of Australian .poetry, apropos of ,Mr. O'Hora's recent volume " Lyrics of Nature." Tlio Professor before considering the work in question gives .vent to some very sensible remarks on the overgenerous estimate on the part of Australians of each other's poetic gifts. The praise unstintingly given to Gord_-tt>and Kendall and Stephens is well deserved, and to that the critic raises no objection. But such praise, he truly says, "is apt to be discounted by the indiscriminate praise showered on an astonishing number of those who just ' know to' build' a rhyme of the sort which may be passing fit for the poet's corner of a weekly journal, but which a thousand decently educated mem and women in Great Britain or America can write, and do write, so far as the smaller facilities for publication permit; but of which no more fuss is thereafter mode." Tlie Professor laughs at Mr. Sladen's 109 poets which are included in* his volume of Australian verse. "Tliis preposterous number could no further go. That either Mr. ..laden or else Australia possessed no critical standard was deplorably evident. & The average Australian grows up, the Professor thinks, to regard himself as a member of an ultra-poetic nation; oblivious to the fact that in all educated or semi-educated nations the minor poet is abroad. While agreeing with the general tenor of these remarks, we must own that we cannot help thinking the Professor's fears a trifle unnecessary. As far as we know Australia-is, we have seen no signs of a tendency to over-estimate poetry or poets, native or imported. The " average Australian," so far from believing himself a member of an abnormally poetic race, is, if our notion is correct, mightily astonished that there are so* many poets about, and. still more mightily astonished that anyone should care to buy tiheir works. That so much respectable verse has recently been written in Australia is a sign that under conditions .however unfavourable man is bound sooner or later to "drop .into poetry." That it has found so ready a market is encouraging to all those who deplore the meaner aspects of life in an Australian city. The instinct is there which — "Neither man nor boy, Nor aught .ha. is at enmity with joy, Can utterly abolish or destroy." Professor Tucker is exceedingly appreciative of Mr. O'Hara's volume. He finds the verse fresh and melodious, and quotes with enthusiasm these fine lines from "The Shrine of tho Sea":— ' "Oh, mighty deep immeasurable sea, • Thou art a shrine with heaven for alter heights, Where Nature is the worshipper, and we Behold the mighty symbols of her rites." " In storms, and reddening sunsets, and the night, Above the,azure chancel of thy waves And rrunistrotion. of the morn, whose lightFloods full the sounding hollows and the caves.", Or, with !a more local note— "We heard the river, ceaseless croon, ' • The Austral cuckoo 'crying, And saw upon the dim lagoon The ducks' dark squadron fiying.' At times across the gleaming fen We saw the rushes quiver, And heard the heavy water-hen j Plash through the reedy river." These extracts ore enough to show that in Mr. O'Hara Australia has yet another j n__lodiou_r singer.■"•. And, in spite.of Bro- ! feasor Tucker, we cannot but think it

eiferaorduiaxjrtuafcsudi & "nest .birds.*' as JLawsotv Pateraon, Br&dyi and Quinn should have burst so song and into '-• - ' iv'l^^M "'■/ : * /;TBJS^^l^maJJ^J^^B One of the most, gratifying have xe^tly ; been noted ia life is tbe increased interest now' in all that, adds to the the town in, which we live! No have the CSuistohurch Beautifying the Chrysanthemum Society-and the'BToiiMlfl cultural -Society in a large measure for this. Mistakes may be made in carrying into practical effect the d&itf|lb to'add to the attractiveness of our ings; but the quickened public the subject ia a healthy and beneficial l fluence, which is bound to results in. the long run. The which has taken place in our Avon willows is one evidence among of tihe increased attention now being to a subject about which Christchurch a -year or, two ago were curiously We agree with those of our that it is possible to have too much gooo\ thing, and that it is some of the Avon willows may be with advantage. At the same agree with those who urge that we *hmJsSf> proceed very cautiously in making changipc'The willow has.many which is the length of time it rejnains7ifi||r leaf. At present it is deciduous oi4y4Jjp||~ about sis weeks in the year, and some who think that in course of will become an evergreen 1 in the New Zealand. It is a < tree adapted 'to the riverside and its pendulous habit a very graceful appearance, fcpite of complaints of its mbnotoxPw/£ there are few (sights which charm more than this upper reaches of our in the early spring, when the their first livery of golden green. have given to CJhrisftsiurch a appearance, which occasionlly visitor of classic Cambridge. cannot boast the exquisite lawns, bridges, and the brave old College which make "the Backs" a unique' of beauty and interest, but there are on our river Which will compare ably with'anything to be seen on the We should be sorry to see anything which would destroy tbe grateful shade the graceful drooping effect of willows, but we should! certainly like to/|ife|||. other trees introduced here and there-jolljf; add variety to the scene. These shoWiiril come in the nature of a surprise midst of the willows, to be properly elated. Excellent suggestions as to kind of trees to be used are made experts interviewed by our reporter, we should also like .them to consider a .few flowering trees, and trees espedM|p£|: notable for their autumn tints might -not!b^^; ; ; introduced with advantage. We are also glad to see that the of tree planting in our- streets has b«tfglfe touched upon. After the opinions whksi|| have been expressed by man competent'|cl||| speak on the subject, both the City and the Linwood Borough Council heart of grace and go on with the good wj&gffiL We need not go to the TJnter den Lin|l|||§: of Berlin, the.boulevards of Paris, Lake front at Lucerne for examples of wh^S|

may he done to add to the beauty of a **rc|§p: and tho comfort of the people by ju&cjdppgj planting. There are dozens of places and health resorts in; England the practice has been carried 'marked "benefit.' Auckland- has • one~-(n> streets which are excellent examples <&_%, what may be done in this way, or if we wanfcJjS; an object lesson at our own doors, we have it Sn the beautiful., avenue Antigua street. As a practical hint, may add that piano trees are usually sidered best adapted for street planting, awhcr?; should be put in about 30 feet apart. most comimoni practice Ja to plant on the footpath and not on the road. :s&s%:--idea that they would cause too obstruction, say in Worcester absurd, when we consider the width of path and the extent of the traffic. That they would add very:!M®|jk; to the comfort of people walfcLng into on a summer day is beyond question; 'Wfe hope that the work of tree-planting wifts|f|; pushed on, and that future City ruling over a Greater Christcbiureh, bowered in trees, may be able to admiring strangers— ■ . '*■'*&'*■. , "Our groves were planbed to noon. , . \;'S^'''' The pensive wanderer in their shades., , ;^^': j CHEAP CABLE COMMUNICATION!;^!' Mr. J. Henniker-Heaton has succeeded'»£|3|' I persistent agitation in -winning a rewgwsWj|:/;' ' place among the great champions of rapid and accommodating He will doubtless be long connection with the Imperial That, however, by no means satisfies He will continue to be a thorn in of the British Postniaster-General by ing that tihat gentleman must not gOj*?-fel-' sleep, nor accept the "norn rxjssumus his heads of departments. Mr. Heaton believes thaib telegraphy is to supersede the post, in part at i that if wisely applied it would now fssßq'\< l vastly enlarged constituency.waiting | There are. a hmvdred' and ten Englisb-speaking people divided by th£s?p||£ lantic. Do they not want to speak other except on business.? There teen lines connecting them, but do ail the business. The other elev««V;sp|j contends, are kept idle by the rates.. There are four and a half of people in Australasia, most of friends and relatives in the United and would like to send greetings, lations and messages if they could &?$--QMia reasonable cost. As it is, bareh/^^f. message in a hundred sent from Aw^?s| |£j is of a family or social nature. No the same principle applies to the w °?*jS|p to the post office. ' The P er n5 r ..^ ; Mfl millions of friendships wishing for means of communication. So w0 caMe at popular rates find ing to avoid all delay and to reach at the Antipodes in a few hours. Mr. niker-Heaton thinks that discovery that nations should birtlhright to all, and upon which they : not allow any corporation to profit. As it is, the tolls collected ■fflggj§£ Norfii American cables the Cape cabte?, £300,000;. from &ej> '¥£so £290,000; ,-from the Eastern, and irpm the Australian, primary cost.of cables and ym ' penses are, of course, both : large; great oables are highly I^unera *s£|Sß stock of the Eastern Extensionstands at 25 per cent, premium, European at the same figure, the 35 per cent., and the Great v per cent, premium. • Those are PWJjLjgjK very startling increments, but Mr. *S» Heaton has two'strong that communications d ;* :I*so^s__m<

I JJ"j vastly lower rate would not propor--1 £telr reduce the income. Hb proposal land and cable lines within the should be aoqmred by the States of -*rignmir*, sod worked at theiowest rates ;\a recoup the treasuries. He j IS3 that 6d a word to India,* and Is a «*dto Australia and the Cape would be " gala itmnnerstive. Some years ago, Mr. ; ' Heaton reminds his readers, Be I, an association to promote a Pacific Adsrsai the Eastern Extension Company \_-HtxJed by reducing their Australian rates £ : jNMi&iod to 4s lid per word. This con- [ -innV *** hnportant to commercial men, t tat it does not satisfy the reformer, because I jJt i j oes got tap tlie family and social class ; j hsslaess. Under the present rate, it is jfatf impMßrihle for any person unassisted • »f a code to send an intelligible message for top titan £2. This ia prohibitive, but if !; messages could be sent for 10s sod under |W would . probably be forthcoming in .. $»»*»& We are afraid, however, that " two the Pftafi° oatAe **!* *»i realise Mr. jteoaiker Heaton's dream. Some day we may see Mr. Henuiker Heaton's dream reasober fact. The laying of the ' J'aofia cable, though it may not bring us at 40* to the desired goal, will be a step in fright direction.