THE EARLIER POEMS OF WILLIAM MORRIS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 61, 18 April 1914, Page 3

THE EARLIER POEMS OF WILLIAM MORRIS.

»ro that admirable series, "The World's Classics" «(Ox ford Press; Humphrey Milford), Ims been added ''The Defence of Gueiievere," «'The Life and Death of .hison, 4 ' and other of" the earlier poems of the late William Morris. Dedicated to "My friend, Dante Gabriel Rossetti," these earlier poems of Morris are strongly reflective of the general literary and artistic ■tendencies of Uie l're-Iv:.|.ihiiolitcs. There is a strongly jn-cliaic flavour about them all, this being specially noticeable in such ballads as "We I land River." Many of the sVorter poems were contributed to "The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine," of which .Morris was one of the founders. Amongst (he "Miscellaneous Poems," 3856-69, which, in this volume, follow the ambitious effort, "The Life and Death of Jason," is the striking ballad, '%! Tie God of the Poor." which first appeared in "The Fortnightly Review" for August, IS6B, and and in which more than one writer on Morris has chosen to see some versical suggestions of those Socialistic opinions which, later on, played so important a part in the poet-craftsman.'s life. The little volume, like everything whbdi bears the imprint of the Oxford Press, is beautifully printed, and an index of the first lines of the poems is a useful feature. A delightful little volume .for the pocket or the bookshelf. (New Zealand price, 15d.')