VERSES OLD AND NEW.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 11

VERSES OLD AND NEW.

NOW. Whon I was in yon town, anil had ■ ■ Stones al! round me, hard and cold, '-■■■'.■v. /.'My-flfesh'.>was->firmi-;my.". was -'- / .X'-.folt niy . heart ferow old, . • But "now;" with tins green world around, :, r ; / -Though ; iny ."flbshi shrin]ii'arid my sig£t fail,, /'/, •/ -: My heart -will 'not grow old with caro. . -' Whenl do 'Kcar tlicso /joyful' birds, .: . I cannot sit.with my heart, dumb; .. ../ I cannot; walk! among these,.'floTTorVr'tfew ;/" ,'V/ '/ Butr,l:'must hcjp;tno : ; / : ■ My .'Heart has^eihwSX^oif^U-'rtliing.Vi^'f'V-. 1 ; ?: : fe Tfo/wiiid/.thb rain, tho bird, andbco; ; / '.Tis X: that—nowr-can carry. Time, /••■'• ;■', : • who in/that-town must carry .me. '■'••r£ "■ I : seo not' now' tho: great' coko firov ; ■■: : V^;-...-'; , :VWithVfon , im , ettj,'seatod^thoi;e, i .or more,■ Like frogs 'on' logs;) and one man. fall i /;:■ ; /Dying' across .tho boarded floor. ;l--VVi'(^'-jnit^'>tta:floven''a^d'.clouds, ///V/ : .. .1 hear tho. rills, - thc s birds, and bees; ;_•'/. /. /'Tho /'flies'/before tho. storm,;... . . !v Hpjm'akcs/fcimself .inUeafy trees. i/jV , . .. —William 11. Davics/in "The Nation." s ' TEE UNrOKGOTTEN FEET. •Mid: all> the' noises :.of tiio world X know , " The' l moving 6burid': offdear->remembered foot; '- For 'verV /fear and- joy/.I hold-niy breath _ . - , And bid, tho liliiod of lifo. moro faintly beat. move- so 'lightly:•oriithe/CTass,/ ./:. •:/// So -careful /aro Sthe footsteps of the,dead,. /- ' t tkii .would' not .startle.'by a sudden sound. ... . {that whistles-. OTjrhcad.. '.yW IS . ' '/.--'/'rfiwtpmb I;.<?. .- AlongVstill/paths or. in; the dusty; street,; • ; ■ :l : : rhere'. -i3'lrio sound' in all - this....calling; earth /!/.,'; >To/ ; hidb;,; music : of' your. feet. /'-" I ' kfcow iron? .footfall I'piid w thbusand_more;' v : :f. Nono'-. ; of God's .children •: standing. in, His . sun, (.WalWrig-liis-earth.;withv;sad or-;happy tread,'; 1 / .Can.shake;my'soul''as this remembered one, ; .Wlio winders"in tho ..courts 'of Paradise, ./ /' : -. .'v- Arid 'ifi6TCS;-in;heaven' vnth uplifted head, i' Yet/walk?. .besido.Jnle, /though ; ; nqne> else;; may; ' . . Si) Careful! aro-the footsteps. of tho dead.. ■ -Frances. Chesterton in ' the '^Westminster • Gazette.". I WIMMEN FOLK. v/z/iuime/was/lVthpugh^^^ - , : V : -As^'mado' to■'reTermce;-':,limljJ'bo'hmb; r . /• /'.- is'somcthirigfh'olyJiko. n'ndspuro /- . .*» :.';/..fThro'/ all the./snow-wliitb / linsth- av ,thim !,y ■ t'.dreamed av ! gurls'as 1 angels, -'. lad,/ /./ •/'■■ " .-;;s'Wid all - their -, - ■ > jo' leave iyo'u tremblin'-.when, yo'd had ' • - '-'A -word'wid: thim- : '. : ; .in oulder .days! But now I?ve learned -mo topsail. lore, ; /'\/.-Arid':roTod the sea from.;rim ; -.t6;'rim,- . /'.' seldomV\vait;,'an'd before. /.: , •: / :Peisoft/arid;^snow-white' lingth ar thiml '■ For when'curls love, you well, me lad,- ".. - - They'reJ thrub''to: nay ther - law. nor.: letther; i: v And. ivtih /they're most; 'dishbartenin'. bad. . ■ /, : : Ye .;lcani; to .lovq : such/apgels/hctthcr . ■ . .' • -jArthur Striuger, -in the' "Smart Set." - THEV INTERREGNUMS OF POETRY.

: ;:;; < ■V fairly//good, "word, vfot ,"■ : :ftwhat/is/;herb;mcant, it is recognised,.Eng^ "fclia;v;nfti:^fV:6omel3ody—it::visV;possiblo-:that ft ': i somebody ihasr-had introduced ,">; as, "^ i ?MUfon*^didy;interlunay,'V ail < l as : thij . late ?, Mr -' ; : *V'Swinburneftnaturalised/;,<'plenilune,^.utywould ftft/ begetter.: ft ftft/decadeiicb"is'one■■ of;itio'■;idolsVof/the.'race,-and-ftft :that: ? it-'aiternate? ,'as,such : \ with "' ;' r ftftib • ou*;';fathe'rs.oHs; trWMpugb. j.ra. aV-way,; ■ ''•''-.■'■. as'/niuch /a; common-' ft; ft'place'/as;eitHerftof-.;tho; notions /criticised.;'- p : .',V-' .---ftaßut^certainly/it/Avpiiid be'difficulii'for anyone / 'ft to thVyfact 'that'Mr/. : 'Swinburne'Si' Ji/Sdeath '-has••;made,! if /not' exactly a' (/"vacant. ftftft: interlunar;; safe"/ in, •English' (poetry, "oije illu-i ; .-',■;:■ ; mina'ted;'fatherr py^ars^han^by-inoons,-and* ; .'ft '■:.by/. riot/ "many- stars -:b£ high" magnitude;;-And i.;.ft'-the 'curious' thing Ms. that,-when .we look abroad,-' ;i ;;Xf cession"bf;French'poets,'from Victor.Hugo (or, : ;;;-.'/if :'.anyb^ ';"ftft' laineftbasftgiyenftplace -toYaft6tate : ; of ;:,;•;;/ yhicK\its' : adtairers'proudly"dcscribo as Ya new i .. ; ''-:.-.;:scnoi>l';iOf /poetry;',e'veryJ'lifteen -.•/'j; ribt/ for;:all; time/but ibr, exactly -tliroa lustra. // : - : ;-.There ! y.ar'p, /- S/Jsast Vbne./mbfeXth'an/ pretty/' in- .German;/ but :::'/ :■ '6bbodysß'aye ( '.a German; -/in .that state ot'sclt-; ".', '/.'XPmplaqencjr;:which^Nietzsche;branded,'.Would ;*ii;call rany,':bl:jitheniv''gri3iit" ; since' .HeiiiD.: .■■'■■■ In" /'■* ; ;;Italiafenobody:.l)ds.,su'cceeded,.C'arducci.- '.; And -/■';/ in:;Spafiishi'i though 'the.extraordinary -beauty,. ,v'f:;.of: :.that;iariguago;;makes;'it' a /sort-bf .glorified- ; i /v/Landfof Oo.caign'oi; where.'.'.instead of. pigs run-, \;;:.'i:' : iiiiig/;abo'utT,ready '■roasted, 1 , Vbrsei". run about at -least; onb. rei,;;':i, cent'ppet;'of/remarkable';charui/and/not a few, ■'.-■',■;'■-. ibiV/mefit—still; /'v.''./unquestionable.■•ii'.'nbt,/uriquestioned—refuses ;tb / ;yet.' v ///;/ 'y •;';■■ ;'?;■■ :-'/• ///.'■ /''/'//'fit/isi'.very'lbng'sinco Europe has /found itself, ";•;/.".■: ih.siioby.iijiieplipsoy'ah 1 eclipse riot only "visible •-•'..- ':• *t : .,Greenwich''.'; but everywhere.'-/ We 'have, not ;•..;;.knownjit.ourselyes'siricb, ! l793./;Europe at-large 5 pi, not ./known,, it since'' the /first appearance . ( f/GocthcU'/But VthbrbVis / something ■.''■' more • j;' .ciiribus 'still; 'and.'that"''is /Jhat for a much /..'jlougeriperiod— for:a.;period ; bf more than.COO 1 . . .-.year?—therprthivp";b'oeii.' hardly more ■ than two ■'~;.: : ; .;.Buoh' interregnums—such in.tci'lunia—before, .th'o '.. jpresent.'r'-'l'hat.which/has.just been indicated— ~;. -.; thatrwhieh bitded fat .'.th'otnso/ of Goethe—might ■■_,:.";!; afford;/sbine-brisk .fighting/.as ito its duration ::.i"' .>rid;'as,tothe, : amount of .star-gleam,', with which .y.iy.s-itslfdarknp^ ;,//';/ Chattertpn,/.tho;firat'.;and ; the: last .especially,' /.x/vi/will ;baye;/first'; - magnitude ;c!aimed .for/.thcul yvjV'/ :by There F . wpuld/'bnce/rbavb'/been./ arid : /,,';[;may.;again;bo..;a/.Metastasib 'party—"people" who : v 'ft/rather /forgotten;• bow.'. Jletatasio.../ wais.'/'once "' //.rarid.for. : iong "of European-reputation.'' :jl'he ;;':: ; ';;vicissit4des of/ criticfsni" and;' - taste-, are'so 'odd .y-;.]:th'at .there'/raay v coriio,a;-tinie/w'hcn : .;it"ivill'riot ;■■'■ i.Beeiri'strangq.'th'at', oric'4 /thought -x ; :.'r^.a./grea't/rpbet.;;; Still^the';iiiid-elghtecnth:/;cen-■i., •-;; ;triry was,certainly;:something', of :.'iiir.erluii- ,' .'; ..iunii'Sodio.,would.say'th'atvtho'whbld'-of/it'was :-'/. /' ihterlunar.'arid/ would -,'cafry, 1 thb darkness/back, -,-;:-' ,''-.-■ into.'the/'late/sovcuteeiitb,; t! but;'this.- -cices- //.;//; /been: ': a ,- '•" ! - poet'of.-.a: : different'cut;arid kind.'bf 'uiore-'Kinds, v.;>^and/soVdfc;;/But:,Hazlitt/snid'thb'last/'word-on ,«,:"-; the,-ratMr l silly]:Contro'rersy'.*a's, to,hia-being "a. ; - 'p'dwer.of'snj-ing ■;■(■;,.','-. things ''in'a;,l(betical. way."".'i-The; : samo'is true, ;.:..'.• '.-more/fylly:'arid-'-far.inbrc .faribusly,,bf.'Drydeh, : -V..-,- and. the,,Uw6;-,take,^is'/;back'; J tb tke.'clbse 'of tho ';•/:.•(/' gr«lat-':'"rre^ch'J:d!rahiafic''-';rerse-p"oribdj--'-'aud'-: : ',to' .-■•.>.,■'•"• ,'i'hat :'■/'"„fullest.'mo"ori;>fiines:with'hardly..lesser radia'neo "/;..:";in'; jotHer;cpßiityics-^ Spaing/if i ,', -not..alsp 'iri;:ltal3v':b'ack:'tb . the .very days 'of /..-:',' V;;.Tass'b, : ; : :and'.".soVcon^ep'ts;;with-its •: foreruiirier— '-"./ ■'.! the-groat : ''lMUdri'/-llehaissaricb/.sequcrico of''-to-' '':.,-mance-epic: and,'ly/ib'ipf.^ /::;;;:->;'We;mdstjgo/'sp'nre'^vay;back in;/the-fifteenth -./'century.; for:,ianother..-.'.cave,", 'as -far :,a5, .tkd - /; v ,whble':'bf.7^utdp'e'?is';cbiicern^3; l ibut !wb 'cer- ',';''/'; tainly 'find; bno. shadbwiiig; tire; greater /part of. /,; .",'-the /fifteenth/'century 4tscifj>Hvit>i''gliminefs /in-' 'yC/ 1 /.ltaly--and;iri. ; Scotlarid>(it.tis' i sometimes'forgot-.-. './;..'--ten. that-;thb,; best 'Middle; Scots .verse-is latoi ;; - fifteenth br',early;sixtcentb),'wildings of/anony-:.-./'mous- cardl'i:,ahd;.balhd':!iii"..England,- graceful ■'.-'■: ;'■"/formalitiesi -''or,i,«udden>'(lh'shes ■of '.personal' gen-. ~ : ,ft ius,-as./in : -Gharles-.;d'orlearisi'and :Villon.'•': The ~;;'.; ;baokward ri ehtrancg ; /bKtli'is icavo'/lies as'.-;far. ■'•■'!■ '/:back';'as.'Chau'c"eri.. , 'aftd.-;Pctrarch, though they-'-/•>-give/light :onbiisH,'alinbst; , as/-f!iv;:as Dante; and- .:;.'-.' Danto:himself ..is':rather:suri:,thann]oori.-i Arid ,- v^'^tKlaro'lisii'nb/cTenl.iiiißlit/cvcu^lJeliind--'-hiiu; with. -■'■'•,-,'■. -/named and -Unriambd.hicdiaoval jniristre!s,;back-. ,■'■■.•'•"':,' agairi/to.' the asc.|,';/themselvcfcVr,pm'ewlint mis- ■/-'" /. called iDark./: But:two'..of 'all (these - centuries—, .-'..' tho eightbeiitli/'and/th'e.fifteentli^-dbiiimdoubt-. -■v;;'.-':'Jedly.- show. , .th'^v?'iHtof-liin&r*.''^i>hehbrh'bhbii.--;./"- : -. .-",-/:/ .Whether.thfe/tivcntioth/is-going/.to. assbciato • ;/itself-with'tb'e'tn:n9,inan,,of"course, can bo cer- ;■ .tain. "'.Historically, ■ tho. greater illuniinations hayor'rarcly/jjbeonv.foreseen,; arid-,,indeed huvo. -' generally, ibeeriignpved when- they had actually' . begun;.-rOftly:-h'lstopy'-does: tell.■ us that theso ."./ages'bf illumination .have.usually.been ages or v: overlappipg it has not been so -./■macked-jivcaso bf/.the',torch ;be!ng, in tho old '.'•'-.' metaphbi l ;.'handed/ori,'-as torcli- "'-'. -'- bearers/tunning for'some-timo',byi,the side of ' .'/the 'eldpts' and 'the race when these ■'; drop odti'iNow-'itMs hardly'disputable,that all ■':/our.best living vbtse-writersi.-'havb run no;short ■:', oourso'.noW./'Aitd it:mustbe"a very-'pnthnsias-; -./ Hb/champion : /of .to-day-''.who /can vjiominato ; '.[''' "colts',"- to • stand: to • thorn - at.' iho 'moment: as .''''■^■'•./Tenlryß4n.and,,■Br6wni^lg'i'stood..'to^'\Vordswo^th .'■ '■■ ; .about/.1510,', or : ,as',- Mr.'.Swinburno himself and ''/..' .MorHs.';.andftEbssettl stood 'to, Tennyson and .';:/ : Bfb,wningdn/1870.. ..On thb other handj between ./-/// these' series.'of." overlapping?' there have, boon, '!-'".-" ; "■■".':'as Vvn have 'said,' some, -though nbt'rilany, com- "" '■'/■'. ■ »lptp v f<ibs—periods 'when : the./ torch was set

to smoulder in the shrine and a,general Unit was called, and when poop-lo ambled, about idly with farthing rushlights—till the new runner took tho sacred tiro from its restingplace, .shook it .into blazo,and set .put onco more on the unending race. Where is he?— Professor Shintsbury, m tho "Glasgow Herald:"