BOOKS OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 9

BOOKS OF THE DAY.

OVERSEA BRITISH POETRY. In a handsomely-produced volume, ''Songs and Ballads of Groat Britain" (London, J. M. Dent and Co.), Mr. E. 'A. Helps has brought together a large number of poems and versos from literally the ends of the earth, from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, India, and the Crown Colonies, for the most jrnrt specially doscriptivo of nature, life, and incident in these parts of the Empire. The compiler commends this Oversea British verso to Home readers for "its freshness, originality, and virility of subject, and trusts that his volume may do 'good Borvice in bringing into closer touch the Dominions, giving them a better understanding of each other's trials, difficulties, and successes." The collection, wnich is appropriately prefaced by Kipling's fine poem, _ "The White Man's Burden," shows, on' the wholo, a fine ability for selection on the part of the compiler, who, however, as ho says in his preface, has been somewhat hampered by copyright restrictions.

• Australian and New Zealand Verse. I cannot honestly say that his selection, even, from such material as was available, has been altogether satisfactory with regard to Australian and.New Zealand verse. To include certain poems by John Liddell Kelly, Dugald Ferguson, A. R. Willis,' and Alexander Bathgate, and to leave unrepresented Jessie Mackay, Arnold Wall, and Mary Colburn i iVoel is decidedly .strange. Henry Lawson, too, is badly represented by his strident and hysterical "Christ of the 'Never,'" whereas what was wanted were such typically Australian verses . as "Andy's Gone With Cattle" or "The Shanty on the Rise." It is difficult to see now Mr. Helps came to dub Alfred Domett "the Australian Pope," and to -select from the rich mine of Frank Morton's poetical output such a comparatively banal and. quite uncharacteristic set of verse as "The Ship' was surely to make a sadly mistaken choice. However, there is much in the Australasian section for Australians and New Zealand to be proud of, and in a volume which contains so. rich a store of good things, it would be churlish to , grumble over the admission of one particular poem or the inclusion of another. Canadian Poetry. The Canadian section consists of a hundred and fifty-odd pages, and includes some very fine work. W. H.' Drummond, Helona Coleman, F. G. and D. C: Scott, and Pauline Johnson (Tew'ahionwako) aro poets of whom any oountry might well be proud. There is a strong note of pride of country and patriotism in Canadian verse, and the avocations of the people are also a frequent-source iof 'inspiration..- The French element in the Eastern States Is responsible for a special and distinctive note. ' As with Australian poetry, there is less striving after mere form than a desire to Teflect life, and the chief things that count in life, simply and directly. The Kipling influence is to the fore in much of the younger men's verse. Here is a sample quotation from "The Miners," by R. J. C. Stead:

They are fresh from all creation, from the lands beyond tho seas, ■Where a mail accepts existeno® by the grace of "if you please," From the homes of-rank and title, from the slums of want and wee, .They aro coming as the cattle that havo nowhere to go; They are haggard, hnddled, homeless, frightened at—they know not w.hat; .With a few'unique exceptions they re a disappointing lot; ' . ißut I take 'em as- I get em, soldier, sailor,'eaint and clown, „ , : And I' turn 'em out Canadians—all but tho yellow and brown.

In the great big w*hite-wall d. winter, when the soul cries out in dread— In the nameless dread of winter when the summer hopes are dead— .When the'thoughts^tum 1 backward; backward, to the land beyond-the sea, 'And the weak ones and the false ones would renounoo their faith in me— {Then: I curse them, starve them, freeze ■ them until eveTy naked bono ■_ Battles in the howling blizzard, I *0cept yon as my own." _ , In the sacrament of suffering! their memories I drown, 'As I roll 'em out Canadians-all but the black and brown.

''Habitant" and "Voyageur" Verse. William Henry Drummond's verso is well known in America, and' has found many admirers in England. Some of Drummond's songs of the "habitants, tho "voyageurs," "les bons Canayens, who dwell along the banks of the St. Lawrence and the Ottawa, a delightful lilt, and are full of a quiet but effectivo humour. In some the patois may baffle the English reader; in others it is not so much -in evidence. Here are a couple of verses from Mr. Drummond's Bateesa (Baptiffte): Tou bad little boy, not mooche yon care 'Oow busy you're kipin' your poor gran

pere, U iTryin* to atop you erVy day ■ Chasin' de hen aroun' do hay IW'y don't you geev* dem a chance to lay ? Leetle Bateesol

Off on de fiel' you foller de plough, Don w'en you'ro tire you scare de cow, Lickin' do dog till dey jomp tie wall 80 de milk ain't good for not'ing at all— An' you'ro only five an' a half dis fall, Leeflo 'Batecse!

In "The Cure de Calumettc," Mr. Drummond sings the praises of the "brav' leotlo Fader O'Hara," tho village priest, whoso "fader is full-blooded Irish and hecs moder is pure Canayenne," and who acts as a terrestrial angel to the jjoor inhabitants in their hours of trouble and sorrow, but who can be, on occasion, tho lifo and soul pf their simple merry-making, who can "travel raquetto" (on snow shoes) with tho best of men, "w'en snow drif' i 3 pilin' up high ; and some poor man or ■woman is waitin' de message of peaco" : I'm only poor habitant farmer, an' mebbe I know not'ing at all, _ _ But dere's wan tfing I m always wishm. an' daf 9 w'en I get de call For travel on de far away journey, evry wan £ii de worl'mus go. He'll bo wit' mo, de leetlo Cure, foro I'm .loffin' dis place below,

For I know I'll be feel moTe easy, if ho 3 sittin' dero by de bed, An' he'll gcov ino de good-bye message, an' place hees ha 11 on my head. Den I'll hoi' if ho'll only let me, dat linn till de las', las' brcat\ ' An' bless lectle Fader 0 Hara, de Cure of Calumette. South African Verso. There are some fine pooms in tho South African section, tho members of tho now famous "Veldsincers' Club" of Johannesburg, whoso work has recently found such admiring acceptance in England, being well represented. In much

of the South African verso tho dominant note, says the compiler, upon which tho poets sing and dwell, is the veld, its vastnesa, mystery, and compelling fascination. The feelings inspired by the natives, their mannera and customs, their wandering life, have also beon a potent factor. There is little trace in South African verse of that whole-souled patriotism and thoroughgoing Imperialism which is so frequently reflected in the poetry of Canada, although Cecil Rhodes and his ambitious projects are the subject of more than ono set of stirring verses. The "Call of the Veld" is eloquontly testified to by Mary Byron, and the romance of the older mining days is the burden of more than one ballad. I select, however, for quotation, a simple little ballad, "Katrina," in which tho poet "Sneyd," sings the charms of a Boer maiden: — From beneath her cotton "kpajiie." Bright grey eyes demurely shining) Even-tempered,, plump, and happy. Never groaning or repining— Ach, 'Katrinjrf When I offer her a. posy She regards rae, half besnilmg, With a cheek becoming rosy— Looks provoking, ooyly smiling. Ach, Katrina I There is a, ring of true poetry in F. C. Slater's Kafiir lullaby song, "Lala, sana lwan" —"Sleep, Sleep, My Child, Sleep, My Babe" —two verse of which I now quote:— ' The hoeing of day is dono The weary heat of the suh, The wood is gathered, the water drawn And now we can rest till the coming of dawn, ■ , ' • Till the coming of dawn, my babe, Lala, lala, 'mtwana warn, Lala, 'sana lwam! , . . . • ■ * Calm and fair is the night, The moon shines over the hill, Flooding with magical light, Forest and field and rill, All is peaceful and stilly Save the hungry jackals howl, Calm and fair is the night. The moon shines over the hill. Lala, lala, 'mtwana wani, Lala, 'sana lwaml Mr. Helps also includes in his interesting collection specimens of native and European written verse from India, Ceylon, and Burmah, and the West Indies. The negro dialect verse of Jamaica is quaintly amusiug. Although, in the Australian and New Zealand sections tho selection is hardly what it might have been, Mr. Helps must be credited with having produced a volume of no small interest and value. Later on, should a second edition be called for, as I hope may be the case, some of the omissions may be repaired, and a general revision bo productive of a better collection. (Price, 43. 6d. net.)