WILLIAM MORRIS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 9

WILLIAM MORRIS.

fanbe/.bf•''!Mr,v''jNpjes's J-contribution';- /'to/the, 'dering.once : morb'in,tho golden labyrinth;of the./poetrypbf.'William'. y:lhe'impres-:. sion which ; it'iiEakes as a ffhble ; .is 6ne- : of :nYense-sensuous.' splendouriV'./;Morris has.■;-a, rpassibnifpr.tho precious .stones.'and the-preci-.: ■■ouß^yfaeto^-'-for^ ; pusly/iwrbught,--for'whatever visvrich' and;rare, and'.'priceless;;; so:/'thatvthere every page? that he-has '.■written' jc.weUed'.'rbds; ;ah.d.'.carven;hunting ;h6rn's,'-/gemnied:'sandals. and -golden go whs,;; 'mystical- phials '■ ah'd;,' ap-! ple'-shaped:-: (crystals/p/scpred;', with,'j magical words-robjectsWuch-, as; a .-! fcollector- 1 . 1 .; would. pawn: his fall rto 'ipbSs ea 6. '•.' :,dbt'ail, : 3o'es; nojiprexeiit';. the;; picture'^ and 'Jason- '>' for,;example,Vtherb. is ; nbt.hihg.y : than.the'., : .descriptioh' of:' theV, descent ■Hafpies.'i.upohs:■:;ithe> Hesiod^'haai.'. handled, /the "subjectj 'and .so^^;has :: Virgil,'.butjMprris has :prd.d.Uce % d : the/dim; greeu:. light'-whjch '.'heralds:; their'coming; - th'eVapp.ariticn';bf; the ! 'grey-feat)ibred, iblood-. BtßihedvCTeatures'.-.thomselveSj'.ahd;;'iri;' the. mbclcery, ofyth'at.one which,:, alights bn.:King ■'■'■■ Av'■ '*'v"ti~r-'Yi. .Perched pn; his' head,::; '/:•■: .;• ;kings! : -, /-- y?:'- : ■To'-lead new'lives 1 within the!fiery'rtbwh.'.'jV'i Pictures, of; this-; sort,^when-;the 'elements, of Ith'em'a're/cbllectedJn the -min'dj remain! 'as\i»nisnmglyi iyivid.;// ! / ; ,.: ':'■//- : ;:;/■ : ; :?t There;.is nevertheless/■■■'iri' ; ' theifiarfa-'-;tiye poems'■ to ■.remind us. of- the truth: of Af; Ribbt's ;remark that in, literature- warmths of /colouring: and.; warmth;' of /feeling /are:'.'often, 'mutuaUyV;'ekclusive.; J The', appeal ■: tp,/-.-the human heart '.is : singularly /feeble:'' ; /\tye. ! are; 'not mqved.,tb pityibr terror. '■ -The characters are: .'not',-' .Sufficiently;individuahsed.r for : > their; -vicissitudes vto -.'.be-, matter'.: of /;niuch.'pefsptiat moment ;tb. ourselves," and >th%' ; seem b'eautiiful';:shadqw's,v?.painless; and ;.joyless,'moving: abbut;:ih; : some / /wonderful/ far r 'off >otlier.-wbrld bf: theiK'b.wn ; ;7pften, bf_course,/the;'thought, of. death 1 which "so; persistently .haunts/ Mor,'ris's 'p'petryA isviritfqduced (/with wonderful effect,; as; when';'the: heroes '.surrender.ithem-| .selfes',:'toHhe ; joy of'the'banquet in .the' Hall -'of.'Phineus,^;i-;.-?.': ;^':'';. ( V..'':v^.■;..•"> -"i./ C /i.''; Sbjfset/'twiit pleasure'and seme soft regret,! '■', /All,'cares-Of 'mortal -men' did they forget,'/ ''~*•, •Except ■ the: vague' wish-that they might .hot 'die, Tho"nopeless hope:tri.fleeffrpnV certainty'; .'.'- ' .WliichjSights and sounds we love will bring on '''}t{Msy_ v >>, : ':ir!'[ : ,Jj ■'■';,• ■:.'■'■■:_ ' : ..L , .'.-."-.! : r.■.-■•.',■ v.'-'.-. J fleeing/world: and'piteous;:;;/ 1 /''.".-

;\ i .Cpncernih^Morris.. i aß.. a literary' critic, 'Mri ; . ;Noycs has;:iittle;to, say. /.Tho.truth .is] Mor'-. :ris's: mind \ was, so • imprisoned..within- his own .co'acep'tibn ; /,of,;,art';.th'at' his.:judgments" out>'idd kis.bwn':'ffalk are,almost"negligiblp; : Mr. ; .StbdartrWalker.lurnishes a good 'instance of this.'.'Wln';a- -letter: :written::-'>to ihim, '-Morris .be' a:]big-)vig--merely.% Johnson,.', as.'; a ; literary > man, ; is -not worth, a/'momentY consideration.'" Burke I have" not. eyen'/looked.- at.r:;Boswell:Iilook ; respect, but,.to : clas's, him with: serious authors iwould'.be..absurd. 1 . In short,-..except:Defoe,' the :oigliteenth'century /is absolutely/de.yoid.'of'.wprks of art)' Hand .it. : is : bnly. '.from tkatepoiht'of•:: view ;that I : care] to; look on the -subject,", With this judgment' Mr.;. Walker partly,{confronts ouevby Wilkie Collins, {who speaks of his. "unfeigned .admir-. ,ation-and;respoct for. Jphiison,, both'as : a'man. a v:aridspeciaUy,.comhjehds his "Vanity I :ofiHuman;v:;wishes" ; - and •-] ''that masterpiece, of'profound criticism :aiid' I 'vigorr .pus-English:style,:'Thellives of-the'Pbets.'": -7-f'Manchester Guardian.!'.'..;':':: "''.'