REVIEW.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4485, 4 August 1875, Page 3

REVIEW.

We have received for x’eview a small book of poems, entitled “ Gabrielle; and other Poems, by Catherine H. Bichardsou. Premising in the first place that the author has not presented her book to the world as an effort of poetic genius of a high order, there is much in it that fs creditable. The authoress has evidently a vivid imagination, although it would appear at times to be somewhat chaotic. In this respect, however, tho authoress has rivals of a much higher grade in the world of poets, certain “ master-spirits" of different ages, as we are assured by an eminent essayist, being chiefly peculiar for obscurity of meaning and absurd imagery. There is much in the work under notice which affords pleasant reading, and most of the poems may be perused with pleasure. Talcing them as a whole, we give the preference to the simpler pieces ; in certain higherflights of fancy the authoress has not been_ so successful. Her blank verse is sadly wanting in appropriate similitude, and fancy occasionally runs riot, becoming, in fact, altogether too fanciful for comprehension. Thus, itr a poem headed, “ Best in the Bush,' the author says : Each leaden footstep, like a ship becalmed. Drags slowly onward. The simile is absurd ; the idea of “ footsteps dragging slowly onward ” bearing any resemblance to a “ship becalmed” is quite out of the question. We could almost conceive of there being as much likeness between the flight of a sparrow and tho waddle of an elephant. While this is the case, and although the choice of language is in many cases open to adverse criticism, there is yet much in the blank verso deserving of praise. Albeit the authoress might have been more successful if, instead of verse, she had adopted prose writiug. It is much to ho regretted that so many talented men and women should lose themselves in the mistaken idea that they are born poets, whereas they might gain moderate distinction by giving expression to such thought as they have in good English prose. Mediocre poetry will never raise man or woman above a certain local celebrity, and experience has taught aud will teach such writers that their efforts to please and instruct make but little impression, and are soon forgotten even by the little circle in which they have gained acceptance. No originality is claimed for this idea, as those who have read Macaulay—aud who has not ?—will understand ; but tho thought has suggested itself on reading tho hook before ns, the writer of which must receive it as kindly meant. The composition is not without originality, but the expressions aro very often too familiar to the ear to bo otherwise than commonplace. “ Tho night wind’s moan,” and tho “ Wind’s hush’d moan,” are, for instance, painfully hackneyed expressions. The most striking pieces aro, “ Gabrielle” aud “The Brides Farewell." These, at least, appear to us of greatest merit; but wo aro prepared to admit in this case, as did Mr. Samuel Weller with regard to the spelling of his patronymic, that it will much depend upon tho taste and fancy of the reader. Tho book also contains one or two poems, in the Lowland Scotch dialect, which have a claim to originality. Finally, wo may say that wo have seen better poetry from New Zealand authors, but wo have seen very much worse, and were it not that to particularise would be invidious, we could name many, both in the North aud South. The book, which was printed and published in Dunedin, contains in all one hundred aud throe poems, is well got up, and is worth reading.