heard his nameI only knew it as that of the author of a strange
mediaeval tale in prosewhen he published 〃Atalanta in Calydon〃 in
1865。 I remember taking up the quarto in white cloth； at the Oxford
Union； and being instantly led captive by the beauty and originality
of the verse。
There was this novel 〃meteoric〃 character in the poem： the writer
seemed to rejoice in snow and fire； and stars； and storm； 〃the blue
cold fields and folds of air；〃 in all the primitive forces which
were alive before this earth was； the naked vast powers that circle
the planets and farthest constellations。 This quality； and his
varied and sonorous verse； and his pessimism； put into the mouth of
a Greek chorus； were the things that struck one most in Mr。
Swinburne。 He was； above all； 〃a mighty…mouthed inventer of
harmonies；〃 and one looked eagerly for his next poems。 They came
with disappointment and trouble。
The famous 〃Poems and Ballads〃 have become so well known that people
can hardly understand the noise they made。 I don't wonder at the
scandal； even now。 I don't see the fun of several of the pieces；
except the mischievous fun of shocking your audience。 However； 〃The
Leper〃 and his company are chiefly boyish； in the least favourable
sense of the word。 They do not destroy the imperishable merit of
the 〃Hymn to Proserpine〃 and the 〃Garden of Proserpine〃 and the
〃Triumph of Time〃 and 〃Itylus。〃
Many years have passed since 1866； and yet one's old opinion； that
English poetry contains no verbal music more original； sonorous； and
sweet than Mr。 Swinburne wrote in these pieces when still very
young； remains an opinion unshaken。 Twenty years ago； then； he had
enabled the world to take his measure； he had given proofs of a true
poet； he was learned too in literature as few poets have been since
Milton； and； like Milton； skilled to make verse in the languages of
the ancient world and in modern tongues。 His French songs and Greek
elegiacs are of great excellence； probably no scholar who was not
also a poet could match his Greek lines on Landor。
What； then； is lacking to make Mr。 Swinburne a poet of a rank even
higher than that which he occupies？ Who can tell？ There is no
science that can master this chemistry of the brain。 He is too
copious。 〃Bothwell〃 is long enough for six plays； and 〃Tristram of
Lyonesse〃 is prolix beyond even mediaeval narrative。 He is too
pertinacious； children are the joy of the world and Victor Hugo is a
great poet； but Mr。 Swinburne almost makes us excuse Herod and
Napoleon III。 by his endless odes to Hugo； and rondels to small boys
and girls。 Ne quid nimis； that is the golden rule which he
constantly spurns； being too luxuriant； too emphatic； and as fond of
repeating himself as Professor Freeman。 Such are the defects of so
noble a genius； thus perverse Nature has decided that it shall be；
Nature which makes no ruby without a flaw。
The name of Mr。 Robert Bridges is probably strange to many lovers of
poetry who would like nothing better than to make acquaintance with
his verse。 But his verse is not so easily found。 This poet never
writes in magazines； his books have not appealed to the public by
any sort of advertisement； only two or three of them have come forth
in the regular way。 The first was 〃Poems； by Robert Bridges；
Batchelor of Arts in the University of Oxford。 Parva seges satis
est。 London： Pickering； 1873。〃
This volume was presently； I fancy； withdrawn； and the author has
distributed some portions of it in succeeding pamphlets； or in books
printed at Mr。 Daniel's private press in Oxford。 In these； as in
all Mr。 Bridges's poems； there is a certain austere and indifferent
beauty of diction and a memory of the old English poets； Milton and
the earlier lyrists。 I remember being greatly pleased with the
〃Elegy on a Lady whom Grief for the Death of Her Betrothed Killed。〃
〃Let the priests go before； arrayed in white；
And let the dark…stoled minstrels follow slow
Next they that bear her； honoured on this night；
And then the maidens in a double row；
Each singing soft and low；
And each on high a torch upstaying：
Unto her lover lead her forth with light；
With music and with singing； and with praying。〃
This is a stately stanza。
In his first volume Mr。 Bridges offered a few rondeaux and triolets；
turning his back on all these things as soon as they became popular。
In spite of their popularity I have the audacity to like them still；
in their humble twittering way。 Much more in his true vein were the
lines； 〃Clear and Gentle Stream；〃 and all the other verses in which；
like a true Etonian； he celebrates the beautiful Thames：
〃There is a hill beside the silver Thames；
Shady with birch and beech and odorous pine；
And brilliant under foot with thousand gems
Steeply the thickets to his floods decline。
Straight trees in every place
Their thick tops interlace；
And pendent branches trail their foliage fine
Upon his watery face。
* * *
A reedy island guards the sacred bower
And hides it from the meadow； where in peace
The lazy cows wrench many a scented flower；
Robbing the golden market of the bees。
And laden branches float
By banks of myosote；
And scented flag and golden fleur…de…lys
Delay the loitering boat。〃
I cannot say how often I have read that poem； and how delightfully
it carries the breath of our River through the London smoke。 Nor
less welcome are the two poems on spring； the 〃Invitation to the
Country；〃 and the 〃Reply。〃 In these； besides their verbal beauty
and their charming pictures； is a manly philosophy of Life； which
animates Mr。 Bridges's more important pieceshis 〃Prometheus the
Firebringer；〃 and his 〃Nero；〃 a tragedy remarkable for the
representation of Nero himself； the luxurious human tiger。 From
〃Prometheus〃 I make a short extract； to show the quality of Mr。
Bridges's blank verse：
〃Nor is there any spirit on earth astir；
Nor 'neath the airy vault； nor yet beyond
In any dweller in far…reaching space
Nobler or dearer than the spirit of man：
That spirit which lives in each and will not die；
That wooeth beauty； and for all good things
Urgeth a voice； or still in passion sigheth；
And where he loveth； draweth the heart with him。〃
Mr。 Bridges's latest book is his 〃Eros and Psyche〃 （Bell & Sons； who
publish the 〃Prometheus〃）。 It is the old story very closely
followed； and beautifully retold； with a hundred memories of ancient
poets： Homer； Dante； Theocritus； as well as of Apuleius。
I have named Mr。 Bridges here because his poems are probably all but
unknown to readers well acquainted with many other English writers
of late days。 On them； especially on actual contemporaries or
juniors in age； it would be almost impertinent for me to speak to
you； but； even at that risk； I take the chance of directing you to
the poetry of Mr。 Bridges。 I owe so much pleasure to its delicate
air； that； if speech be impertinence； silence were ingratitude。 ｛2｝
FIELDING
To Mrs。 Goodhart； in the Upper Mississippi Valley。
Dear Madam；Many thanks for the New York newspaper you have kindly
sent me； with the statistics of book…buying in the Upper Mississippi
Valley。 Those are interesting particulars which tell one so much
about the taste of a community。
So the Rev。 E。 P。 Roe is your favourite novelist there； a thousand
of his books are sold for every two copies of the works of Henry
Fielding？ This appears to me to speak but oddly for taste in the
Upper Mississippi Valley。 On Mr。 Roe's works I have no criticism to
pass； for I have not read them carefully。
But I do think your neighbours lose a great deal by neglecting Henry
Fielding。 You will tell me he is coarse （which I cannot deny）； you
will remind me of what Dr。 Johnson said； rebuking Mrs。 Hannah More。
〃I never saw Johnson really angry with me but once；〃 writes that
sainted maiden lady。 〃I alluded to some witty passage in 'Tom
Jones。'〃 He replied： 〃I am shocked to hear you quote from so
vicious a book。 I am sorry to hear you have read it； a confession
which no modest lady should ever make。〃
You remind me of this； and that Johnson was no prude； and that his
age was tolerant。 You add that the literary taste of the Upper
Mississippi Valley is much more pure than the waters of her majestic
river； and that you only wish you knew who the two culprits were
that bought books of Fielding's。
Ah； madam； how shall I answer you？ Remember that if you have
Johnson on your side； on mine I have Mrs。 More herself； a character
purer than 〃the consecrated snow that lies on Dian's lap。〃 Again；
we cannot believe Johnson was fair to Fielding； who had made his
friend； the author of 〃Pamela；〃 very uncomfortable by his jests。
Johnson owned that he read all 〃Amelia〃 at one sitting。 Could so
worthy a man have been so absorbed by an unworthy book？
Once more； I am not recommending Fielding to boys and girls。 〃Tom
Jones〃 was one of the works that Lydia Languish hid under the sofa；
even Miss Languish did not care to be caught with that humorous
foundling。 〃Fielding was the last of our writers who drew a man；〃
Mr。 Thackeray said； 〃and he certainly did not study from a draped
model。〃
For these reasons； and because his language is often unpolished； and
because his morality （that he is always preaching） is not for 〃those
that eddy round and round；〃 I do not desire to see Fielding popular
among Miss Alcott's readers。 But no man who cares for books can
neglect him； and many women are quite manly enough； have good sense
and good taste enough； to benefit by 〃Amelia；〃 by much of 〃Tom
Jones。〃 I don't say by 〃Joseph Andrews。〃 No man ever respected
your sex more than Henry Fielding。 What says his reformed rake； Mr。
Wilson； in 〃Joseph Andrews〃？
〃To say the Truth； I do not perceive that In