Select Poems of Sidney Lanier Part 4

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Perhaps I may append here a paragraph upon Lanier's criticisms of other writers, for they seem to me acute in the extreme.

Despite the elaborate essays in defence of Whitman's poetry by Dowden,*1* Symonds,*2* and Whitman himself, I believe Lanier is right in declaring that "Whitman is poetry's butcher. Huge raw collops slashed from the rump of poetry and never mind gristle -- is what Whitman feeds our souls with. As near as I can make it out, Whitman's argument seems to be, that, because a prairie is wide, therefore debauchery is admirable, and because the Mississippi is long, therefore every American is G.o.d."*3* Notice, again, how well the defect of 'Paradise Lost' is pointed out:

"And I forgive Thee, Milton, those thy comic-dreadful wars Where, armed with gross and inconclusive steel, Immortals smite immortals mortalwise And fill all heaven with folly."*4*

Few better things have been said of Langland than this, --

"That with but a touch Of art hadst sung Piers Plowman to the top Of English songs, whereof 'tis dearest, now And most adorable;"*5*

or of Emerson than this, --

"Most wise, that yet, in finding Wisdom, lost Thy Self, sometimes;"*6*

or of Tennyson than this, --

"Largest voice Since Milton, yet some register of wit Wanting."*7*

'The Crystal' abounds in such happy characterizations.

-- *1* See Dowden's 'Studies in Literature', pp. 468-523.

*2* See Symonds's 'Walt Whitman: A Study'. London, 1893.

*3* Ward's 'Memorial', p. x.x.xviii.

*4* 'The Crystal', ll. 66-70.

*5* Ibid., ll. 87-90.

*6* Ibid., ll. 93-94.

*7* Ibid., ll. 95-97.

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IV. Lanier's Poetry: Its Style

So much for the poet's thoughts; what shall we say of their expression?

In other words, is Lanier the literary artist equal to Lanier the seer?

In order the better to answer this question, let us begin at the beginning, with the elements of style, some of which, however, I pa.s.s by as not calling for special comment.

Of Lanier's felicitous choice of words we have already had incidental ill.u.s.tration; but it is desirable, perhaps, to group here a few of his happiest phrases, to show that, as Lowell*1* said, he is "a man of genius with a rare gift for the happy word."

Notice this speech about the brook:

"And down the hollow from a ferny nook 'Lull' sings a little brook!"*2*

and this of the well-bucket:

"The rattling bucket plumps Souse down the well;"*3*

and this of the outburst of a bird:

"Dumb woods, have ye uttered a bird?"*4*

and the description of a mocking-bird as

"Yon trim Shakspere on the tree;"*5*

and of midnight as

"Death's and truth's unlocking time."*6*

Moreover, it should be observed that Lanier frequently uses significant compounds, -- a habit acquired, no doubt, from his study of Old English, in which, as in German, such compounds abound.

-- *1* See 'Lowell' in 'Bibliography'.

*2* 'From the Flats', ll. 23-24; cited by Gates. [Line 24 was changed (to "Bright leaps a living brook!") in later editions. -- A. L., 1998.]

*3* 'Clover', ll. 29-30.

*4* 'Sunrise', l. 57; cited by Gates.

*5* 'The Mocking-Bird', l. 14.

*6* 'The Crystal', l. 1. Other ill.u.s.trations may be found in the paragraph on figures of speech.

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While in the main Lanier's sentence-construction is good, occasionally his sentences are too long, as in 'My Springs', 'To Bayard Taylor', and 'Sunrise', in which we have sentences longer than the opening one in 'Paradise Lost', and, what is of more moment, not so well balanced, and hence affording fewer breathing s.p.a.ces.

That this detracts from clearness and euphony both, every reader will admit.

To come to the figures of speech, one must be struck at once with the delicacy and the vigor of Lanier's imagination. The poet's fancy personifies what at first blush seems to us incapable of personification.

Thus at one time*1* he likens men to clover-leaves and the Course-of-things to the browsing ox, which makes way with the clover-heads; while at another he addresses an old red hill of Georgia as

"Thou gashed and hairy Lear Whom the divine Cordelia of the year, E'en pitying Spring, will vainly strive to cheer."*2*

Like other Southern poets,*3* Lanier sometimes fails to check his imagination, and in consequence leaves his readers "bramble-tangled in a brilliant maze,"

as in his description of the stars in 'June Dreams'*4*

and in the 'Psalm of the West'.*5* While I do not like a maze, brilliant though it be and sweet, I must say that I prefer the embarra.s.sment of riches to the embarra.s.sment of poverty. On the whole, however, Lanier's figures strike me as singularly fresh and happy.

In 'Sunrise', for example, the poet speaks of the marsh as follows:

"The tide's at full: the marsh with flooded streams Glimmers a limpid labyrinth of dreams;"*6*

and of the heavens reflected in the marsh waters:

"Each winding creek in grave entrancement lies A rhapsody of morning-stars. The skies Shine scant with one forked galaxy, -- The marsh brags ten: looped on his breast they lie."*7*

Later, as the ebb-tide flows from marsh to sea, we are parenthetically treated to these two lines:

"Run home, little streams, With your lapfuls of stars and dreams."*8*

Finally, the heaven itself is thus pictured:

"Now in each pettiest personal sphere of dew The summ'd morn shines complete as in the blue Big dew-drop of all heaven;"*9*

beside which must be hung this exquisite picture: