Hide Article Text (OCR)
MelvUjLE. Battle Pieces and Aspects ot the War. By Herman ^elville. New .York: Harper Brothers. 12moM pp. 272.«Much like Milton’s image of sin, this book, by the author of certain voluptuous and corrupting novels, begins with many fair and well-constructed patriotic verses, but ends in a prose supplement which might have served for the Address of the late Convention of shamUnionists, which met two weeks agro in7 1 . * ' oour city. Mr. Melville has come out as the poet-advoeate of the new party, and is putting into verse the lessons of such eminent patriots and pure-minded men as Thurlow Weed, H. J. Raymond, and Andrew Johnson, He probably expects a Consulship on some of the South Sea Islands not yet reached by missionary influence, as a reward.Mr, Melville’s poetry is readable, often elegant, sometimes almost Browning-like in ingenuity, though never hope* lessly intricate in thought; it is an addition to our lyrics of the war. But there is an affectation of neutrality about the book as a whole, a want of moral earnestness and conviction, that detracts from its value. It is neither good poetry nor good' politics It is an attempt to combine pure art with very impure political designs, and it must' fairly be written down a failure. The people will never give ‘it a place by the firm trumpet tones of Boker, although the poetry in and of itself may, in many respects, be just as meritorious.
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia American Presbyterian
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Thu, Aug 30, 1866
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Scott N.
USA 21 Apr 2020
Other Publications Near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Penny Post
Philadelphia Minerva
Philadelphia Magazine or American Monthly Museum
Philadelphia Desert to the True American
Philadelphia Arminian Magazine
